Contrary to popular belief that high altitudes were inhabited only by modern humans less than 40,000 years ago, fossil remains conclusively prove that Denisovans lived there 160,000 years ago. Denisovans adapted to low-oxygen environment long before modern humans arrived on the plateau. Analysis of a fossil jawbone containing molars recovered from Baishiya Karst cave in … Continue reading Denisovans inhabited Tibetan Plateau 120,000 years before modern humans
Hominin
Humankind’s odyssey from Africa began more than two million years ago
Michelle Langley, Griffith University Can you imagine walking 14,000 km? Trekking across wide savannas, down creek beds, along mountain chains in terrain that is new and home to foreign types of plants and animals? Can I eat this? What is that? This long excursion – once thought only to have been attempted late in the … Continue reading Humankind’s odyssey from Africa began more than two million years ago
Archaeological site near Chennai shows the long process of human evolution
At Attirampakkam archaeological site near Chennai, India, over 7,200 stone artefacts recovered reflect a distinct transition from the Acheulian culture to the Middle Palaeolithic culture at around 380,000 years ago, which is much earlier than was previously thought. The findings could prompt a re-examination of the conventional view of early human migration out of Africa. … Continue reading Archaeological site near Chennai shows the long process of human evolution
Indian researchers find a new ancestor of modern humans
A study published a few days ago in the journal Nature Genetics has found the presence of a third and a new ancestor to humans — a sibling of the Neanderthal and the Denisovan. The study compared the complete DNA sequences of the Jarawas and the Onges living in the Andaman Islands in the Bay … Continue reading Indian researchers find a new ancestor of modern humans
Black skin, a response to skin cancer risk
The ability of ultraviolet radiation to cause skin cancer is well established. Yet, it is only “generally believed” that the development of dark skin by people in Africa was an adaptive response to protect them from the damaging effects of UV rays. Also, the harmful impact of UV rays in the survival and/or reproductive fitness … Continue reading Black skin, a response to skin cancer risk
Wood and bark were part of human ancestor’s diet
Published in The Hindu on June 28, 2012 Two fossil specimens of Australopithecus sediba recovered from Malapa, South Africa, present a completely different picture of the type of diet consumed by the early hominins. Carbon isotope analysis of plant phytoliths (plant-produced silicabodies) extracted from dental calculus (calcified dental plague) and study of dental microwear texture … Continue reading Wood and bark were part of human ancestor’s diet
New light on early bipedalism
Published in The Hindu on March 29, 2012 If the ability to walk and run on two legs (bipedalism) sets humans apart from apes, could this transition from tree-climbing to terrestrial walking have been smooth? Scientists think not, and the evidence provided in a paper published today (March 29) in Nature , shows why. A … Continue reading New light on early bipedalism
Acheulian stone tools discovered near Chennai
Acheulian stone tools, dating back to about 1.51 million years ago, have been discovered at Attirampakkam in the Kortallayar River Basin, about 60 km northwest of Chennai. Researchers from the Chennai-based Sharma Centre for Heritage Education made the discovery, which is being published on Friday in the journal, Science. The discovery indicates that early humans (hominins), … Continue reading Acheulian stone tools discovered near Chennai
First use of stone tools pushed back by 8 lakh years
Published in The Hindu on August 12, 2010 So when did hominins (members of human lineage) start using stone tools for the first time? Until recently, based on available evidence, it was presumed that the use of stone tools by hominins dates back to about 2.5 million years ago. But a paper published online today … Continue reading First use of stone tools pushed back by 8 lakh years
Editorial: A new human species
Published in The Hindu on April 10, 2010 Nearly 10 years after the genome of a living individual was first sequenced, and shortly after the sequencing of the genome of a 4,000-year-old male Eskimo, scientists have successfully sequenced the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genome of a nearly 40,000-year-old hominin. The study, published recently in Nature, was … Continue reading Editorial: A new human species
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