Fossil Found oldest human ancestor – The Universal

A team of researchers revealed today the discovery of a fossil hominid 2.8 million years old, which becomes the older found so far of the genus “Homo” to which modern man belongs.
 

 This is the partial jaw of a hominid found in 2013 on the site Ledi-Geraru in the regional state of Afar Ethiopia , whose analysis in two studies published in Science suggests that the divergence of the genus “Homo” occurred almost half a million years earlier than previously concluded.
 

 

 The researchers say the fossil, known as LD 350-1 combines primitive features of “Australopithecus” with modern features of “Homo” which would place this genre before in time, at least incipiently.
 

 

 However, researchers suggest that it is still early and further studies are needed to determine which species belongs.
 

 

 So far, the oldest found in the genus “Homo”, which groups the species that evolved into modern man (“ Homo sapiens “), fossils dated to about 2.3 or 2.5 million years.
 

 

 “Despite a lot of search, fossil lineage ‘Homo’ of more than 2 million years are very rare,” Brian Villmoare University of Nevada, one of the principal investigators, who at a press conference showed enthusiasm noted team against the finding.
 

 

 Villmoare and his team studied thoroughly jaw, with five of his teeth intact, and found that, although the location of the fossil age and place it near the “Australopithecus afarensis” his teeth coincides well with the first species of ” Homo “for its thin and symmetrically.
 

 

 The academic said the period covered between 2 and 3 million years is one of the most lakes have regarding the study of human origins, so “get a feel for the earliest stage of the evolution of our lineage It is particularly exciting, “he said.
 

 

 The research department of geosciences at Penn State University Erin DiMaggio leads another study in which geologically described the site where the jawbone was discovered and confirmed the age of the fossil.
 

 

 “We are confident the age of LD 350-1,” said the researcher, who said they have used different dating systems, such as radiometric analysis of volcanic layers to determine the age of the sediments of the deposit ashes.
 

 

 The rocks and fossils vegetables are analyzing “sheds light not only on a human lineage, but on the establishment of a geological environment in which lived the first ‘Homo’ ‘.
 

 

 In this regard, he noted that the first “Homo” that inhabited the region Afars did so in an environment of large pastures and bushes near lakes, rivers and active volcanoes.
 

 

 The researchers also mentioned that among the fossils found in this area there are antelope and elephants prehistoric, ancient types of hippos, crocodiles and fish, dating between 2.8 and 2.5 million years.
 

 

 
 

 

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