Ancient human ancestor may have persisted through Ice Age

telegraph.co.uk ^ | AFP

[BenLurkin]

After years of studying a mysterious thigh bone from a cave in China, scientists said on Thursday they believe it represents an ancient species of human that persisted much longer than previously thought.

The 14,000-year-old bone was uncovered in 1989 in Maludong, known as the Red Deer Cave. The trove of fossils it was initially found with went unstudied until 2012.

The partial femur, though relatively young in age, looks like the bones of far older species like Homo habilis and early Homo erectus that lived more than 1.5 million years ago, said the study in PLOS ONE.

"Its young age suggests the possibility that primitive-looking humans could have survived until very late in our evolution, but we need to careful as it is just one bone," said co-author professor Ji Xueping from the Yunnan Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology in China.

Until now, scientists believed that the only pre-modern humans who survived in what is now Europe and Asia were Neanderthals and Denisovans, both of which disappeared some 40,000 years ago.

They are believed to have vanished soon after modern humans entered the region, but the new bone suggests another primitive human could have survived far longer, perhaps until the end of the last Ice Age.

[BenLurkin]

ping

[Inyo-Mono]

but the new bone suggests another primitive human could have survived far longer, perhaps until the end of the last Ice Age.

Or much longer, Yeti, Bigfoot anyone?

[JimSEA]

Additionally, you have Homo Floresiensis. Homo Erectus was a very successful fellow who populated much of the world. Likely lots of folks somewhat like us around for a long time after our emergence.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks BenLurkin.

• Mysterious 14,000-year-old leg bone may belong to archaic human species
• Thigh bone points to unexpectedly long survival of ancient human ancestors