A group of scientists have unearthed fossilized facial bones in Spain between 1.1 and 1.4 million years old that could belong to a species so far unknown in the human evolutionary lineage, a discovery with the potential to rewrite the first steps of humanity in Europe.
The fossils of the Cave of the Sima del Elefante, in the site of the Sierra de Atapuerca, near the city of Burgos, are fragments that cover 80 percent of the left side of the central strip of the face of an adult individual, including parts of the cheekbone and the upper jaw with the nasal structure. It is one of the oldest known human fossils in Europe.
The researchers nicknamed the fossil “Pink”, in honor of the band Pink Floyd.
Pink’s facial anatomy was more primitive than that of Homo antecessor, a species that is known that Western Europe inhabited about 850,000 years ago and whose middle facial third, characteristically thin, resembled that of modern humans.
Pink had a more projected and solid medium third third than the homo ancecessor, and showed some similarities, although also differences, with Homo Erectus, which is believed to be the first human species that emigrated in Africa.
You might interest you: WHO says that measles cases in Europe doubled in 2024, up to maximum in more than 25 years
Fossil opens new evolutionary branches
The researchers said that fossils were not complete enough to conclude that Pink belongs to an old human species still without a name, but said it was a real possibility.
They assigned to the fossil the provisional name of Homo Affinis Erectus, in recognition of their affinities with certain features of Homo Erectus. “These findings open a new line of research in the study of human evolution in Europe, since they introduce a new agent in the first era of the occupation of Europe,” said archaeologist Rosa Huget, of the Catalan Institute of Human Paleoecology and Social Evolution (IPhes-Cerca), of Spain, main author of the study published Wednesday in the journal Nature.
“When we have more fossil remains, we can say more things about this species,” said Huget. Our species, Homo Sapiens, did not appear until about 300,000 years ago in Africa and subsequently migrated throughout the world, including Europe.
Homo Erectus first appeared in Africa approximately 1.9 million years ago and had bodily proportions similar to those of modern people.
Homo antecessor also had modern bodily proportions, as well as a modern facial anatomy.
With Reuters information.
Do you use more Facebook? Let us like to be informed
Follow business information and today in Forbes Mexico
