Layla Nelson
When the skull was unearthed, experts said they left a few inches of sediment for further sampling and study. The bone will now undergo further testing as researchers work to understand early humans and evolution.
Google Translate was used to translate press releases from the National Cultural Heritage Administration and the Institute of Archaeology.
January 4, 2023
More than a million years ago, the first humans—upright creatures with long legs, short arms, and large brains—roamed the earth for the first time.
Now Chinese experts say they have unearthed the most complete skull fossil of one of these humans, known as Homo erectus, from about a million years ago. And it could contain important details about human evolution.
It took more than six months to fully unearth the fossil.
The fossil was discovered in the northern region of China’s Hubei province at the Xuetang Liangzi site, which the National Administration for Cultural Heritage says dates to the Paleolithic period. The skull was found in May, but it took experts until December 3 to safely and fully excavate it.
Two damaged ancient Homo erectus skulls were previously found at the site in 1989 and 1990, the administration said. These fossils were named “Yunxian Man”.
As of 2021, the Hubei Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archeology began a comprehensive search of the site for additional relics. Archaeologists found the third skull about 115 feet from where the first two were discovered, the administration said.
The discovery fills an existing gap in evolutionary understanding, Gao Xing, head of the archaeological team at the site and a researcher at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, told Xinhua News.
More than a million years ago, the first humans—upright creatures with long legs, short arms, and large brains—roamed the earth for the first time.
Now Chinese experts say they have unearthed the most complete skull fossil of one of these humans, known as Homo erectus, from about a million years ago. And it could contain important details about human evolution.
It took more than six months to fully unearth the fossil.
The fossil was discovered in the northern region of China’s Hubei province at the Xuetang Liangzi site, which the National Administration for Cultural Heritage says dates to the Paleolithic period. The skull was found in May, but it took experts until December 3 to safely and fully excavate it.
Two damaged ancient Homo erectus skulls were previously found at the site in 1989 and 1990, the administration said. These fossils were named “Yunxian Man”.
As of 2021, the Hubei Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archeology began a comprehensive search of the site for additional relics. Archaeologists found the third skull about 115 feet from where the first two were discovered, the administration said.
The discovery fills an existing gap in evolutionary understanding, Gao Xing, head of the archaeological team at the site and a researcher at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, told Xinhua News.
When the skull was unearthed, experts said they left a few inches of sediment for further sampling and study. The bone will now undergo further testing as researchers work to understand early humans and evolution.
Google Translate was used to translate press releases from the National Cultural Heritage Administration and the Institute of Archaeology.
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