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How many homos during the Pleistocene epoch?
I know some of you probably got excited by the title but hang around and you may learn something interesting about homo spaien's ancestors and our close relatives
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Exciting new fossils discovered east of Lake Turkana confirm that there were two additional species of our genus – Homo – living alongside our direct human ancestral species, Homo erectus, almost two million years ago. The finds, announced in the prestigious scientific journal Nature on August 9, include a face, a remarkably complete lower jaw, and part of a second lower jaw. They were uncovered between 2007 and 2009 by the Koobi Fora Research Project (KFRP). Four decades ago, the KFRP discovered the enigmatic fossil known as KNM-ER 1470 (or "1470" for short). This skull, readily distinguished by its large brain size and long flat face, ignited a longstanding debate about just how many different species of early Homo lived alongside Homo erectus during the Pleistocene epoch. 1470's unusual morphology was attributed by some scientists to sexual differences and natural degrees of variation within a single species, whereas others interpreted the fossil as evidence of a separate species.
This decades-old dilemma has endured for two reasons. First, comparisons with other fossils have been limited due to the fact that 1470's remains do not include its teeth or lower jaw. Second, no other fossil skull has mirrored 1470's flat and long face, leaving in doubt just how representative these characteristics are. The new fossils address both issues. "For the past 40 years we have looked long and hard in the vast expanse of sediments around Lake Turkana for fossils that confirm the unique features of 1470's face and show us what its teeth and lower jaw would have looked like," says Meave Leakey, co-leader of the KFRP and a National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence. "At last we have some answers." "Combined, the three new fossils give a much clearer picture of what 1470 looked like," says Fred Spoor, leader of the scientific analyses. "As a result, it is now clear that two species of early Homo lived alongside Homo erectus. The new fossils will greatly help in unraveling how our branch of human evolution first emerged and flourished almost two million years ago."
Read more at: http://phys.org/news...
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Comments
drsam said
the new fossils didn't ...the new fossils didn't CONFIRM that there is 2 additional species: they ADD to the hypothesis that there might be 2 additional species.
the link is very clear:"There's no question that it's not definite." (the discovery) won't convince doubters until fossils of both sexes of both non- erectus species are found.
it's similar to someone looking at the jaw of a female gymnast in the Olympics, the jaw of a male shot-putter, ignoring the faces in the crowd and deciding the shot-putter and gymnast have to be a different species
mr_qatar said
/-a-t-/shaktiman.. can u plzz .../-a-t-/shaktiman.. can u plzz make this loooooong story short for me.......!!
mozaismyhero said
Mr Qatar. Human evolution and ...Mr Qatar. Human evolution and those species of the homo type is very long, we are talking millions of years so it's not possible to make it short. However I will try. Homo spaiens, us, evolved over a very long period of time but we were not the only hominids during that period, but we are the only ones left. Evolution of hominids and ape like species took many turns and we are currently the last product. (apart from our cousins in the ape world)
avam said
Keep digging! ...Keep digging ,perhaps a specimen could be lurking in your back yard.
It was only an an assumption and so far none of the anthropologist could make a direct hit in this regard.They found something similar,this and that ,but linking them directly was as close as difference between apes and human.
What's driving these is to prove the theory that modern human was evolved from apes.
Keep looking!
mozaismyhero said
Modern humans did not evoke ...Modern humans did not evolve from apes that is a popular misconception. We evolved from a common ancestor many millions of years ago. Our best evidence of this divergence from apes and monkeys is 6/7 million years ago. What they are talking about in this article is different species of hominids. I.e. very close relatives of ours.
Of course we should keep digging but unless your backyard is in africa it is unlikely you will find any useful fossils.
mozaismyhero said
Here you go an article that ...Here you go an article that probably explains it better than I can
http://www.bbc.co.uk...
Bachus said
So does this mean we are the ...So does this mean we are the descendants of the most murderous species--the one that wiped out the competitors?
mozaismyhero said
Bacchus, murderous or most ...Bacchus, murderous or most successful take your pick. There is strong evidence that we were responsible for the extinction of Neanderthals and Homo Erectus, two species we lived along side and competed with. If there are other hominids as well living at the same time it is likely we out competed them as well. Whether that means we murdered some of them as well, well we will have to wait for the evidence.
We do a good job of killing our own species, so I think it is very likely we killed other hominids as well.
Bachus said
Probably homo erectus, but ...Probably homo erectus, but the latest on Neanderthals is that climate changed pushed them out. Their bodies required a substantially hirer caloric intake that became increasingly difficulty to meet. There is some DNA evidence that they bred with homo sapiens and we have a little neanderthal in us today.
drsam said
they bred with homosapiens. ...they bred with homosapiens. that's a fact; 4% of our genome comes from the neandertals. how they went extinct, we're back in theories.
mozaismyhero said
Correct, there was some ...Correct, there was some interbreeding. We share DNA with them and that cannot be disputed.
I might have to go and have a lie down, a serious discussion on QL....
Xena said
Moza.... ...Thats because it is way to intellectual for most QL users and unless they can turn it into a bashing session, they won't bother to post;-p
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Sometimes I just have to shake my head at the injustices in life and say: "Really? You were the sperm that won?"
visit www.qaws.org
Bachus said
I think we should bash homo ...I think we should bash homo erectus for being lazy and unable to evolve. Then we could all attack the neanderthals for over-eating (they needed almost twice as many calories as us "humans"). That could be followed by a very active defense of the neanderthals and accusations of racism and imperialism on the art of the homo sapiens. Fortunately, we don't know much about the religions of neanderthals and homo erectus except some evidence that they buried their dead, otherwise this would all be deleted by the mods.
More seriously, all of this shows that we have competition, intolerance and violence bred into our DNA. This makes peace and civility all the more admirable as qualities in people.
dohabunny said
I think I read an article ...I think I read an article that says neanderthals living in what is now Europe were better adapted to the cold climates. That is they could better withstand the climate changes there at that time (which I understand was quite drastic). Apparently, one of the main reasons they died out was because of their low birth rate compared to homo sapiens. But I second Dr Sam's and MIMH's point that there was interbreeding with homo sapiens. Really good thread this one. Thanks MIMH & other contributors here.
zaheer_sayyed said
(No subject) ...~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You can't change the world, but you *can* change your world.
mozaismyhero said
I think it is fascinating ...I think it is fascinating that there were other versions of humans, (ok not the correct term but trying to keep some people interested) around at the same time as us. What would the world look like if species very similar to us still existed. However out history of treating other homo spaiens where two races have come into contact border on genocide, so I think if we met other hominids we would be quick to wipe them out. At least with the neandathals we had sex with some of them first before we killed them off/out competed them for resources.
zaheer_sayyed said
unfortunetly I never had sex ...unfortunetly I never had sex with any neanderthal
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You can't change the world, but you *can* change your world.
mozaismyhero said
I'm pleased you did not, the ...I'm pleased you did not, the last ones died out about 30'000 years ago..... So you would be violating several laws if you had.....
zaheer_sayyed said
ok ..but you are pleased ?!! ...ok ..but you are pleased ?!! LOL
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You can't change the world, but you *can* change your world.
zaheer_sayyed said
(No subject) ...~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You can't change the world, but you *can* change your world.
Knight Returns said
A favourable gene mutation is ...A favourable gene mutation is the prime cause of evolution. In the case of homo sapiens it was the increased brain size resulting in better linguistic skills and organising capabilities to over-power the neandertals. Also, the change from hunting to agriculture was a big advantage for homo sapiens to have long lives and thus produce more children.
Now, as the gene pool is very large, gene mutation is out of question. If homo sapiens evolve further, it will probably be due to deliberate genetically mutated offsprings as required by the parents.
Eagley said
Lol! well said, Bachus. TFS, ...Lol! well said, Bachus.
TFS, MIMH. Yes, fascinating that there were 3 species of our genus. :0) and glad that we didn't evolve from primates!
So... we were responsible for the extinction of Neanderthals and Homo Erectus, probably cos we got smarter and found new ways to finish off the mentally challenged. IQ vs brute force, sometimes the latter wins but obviously, evolution has shown that overall, it does not.
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Mercy above Justice
mozaismyhero said
Update on homos The good ...Update on homos
The good thing about science is a theory can be proved wrong or a better explanation is proposed that better fits the evidence. Turns out modern humans may not have interbred with Neanderthals after all
http://m.guardian.co...
drsam said
amazing science where the ...amazing science where the only sure thing is that nothing is for sure!!
zaheer_sayyed said
thanx for the update ...thanx for the update
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You can't change the world, but you *can* change your world.