A million-year-old skull found in China challenges assumptions about early human divergence.
Ancient skull reconstruction reveals new insights
A skull known as Yunxian 2, discovered in China in 1990, has been digitally reconstructed using CT scans and virtual modeling. Initially believed to belong to Homo erectus, advanced research now suggests it shares traits with Homo longi, or the “Dragon Man.”
Evolutionary timeline pushed back by 400,000 years
Analysis of over 100 other fossilized skulls indicates that the origins of Homo sapiens, Denisovans, and Neanderthals may be 400,000 years older than previously thought. This suggests that key human lineage splits occurred much earlier, with ancestors diverging into distinct groups a million years ago.
“This changes everything, as it shows our ancestors split into separate groups a million years ago, indicating a much earlier and more complex human evolutionary division than previously believed,” said Chris Stringer, a study co-author and human evolution researcher at London’s Natural History Museum.
Ongoing research aims to refine human family tree
Scientists plan further analysis, including studying African fossils, as the million-year-old skull is crucial for reconstructing human ancestry. “This fossil has reliable geological dating and is one of the few human remains from millions of years ago,” said Professor Xiaobo Feng of Shanxi University.
