If true that is very big news and pushes back homo sapien existence about 850,000 years.
I agree with you, the article is unclear whether this represents a proto homined or a true homo sapien. And frankly without DNA or significant fossils, I don't know how they can be highly confident based merely on footprint evidence.
Image: JOHN GURCHE PORTRAIT OF A PIONEER With a brain half the size of a modern one and a brow reminiscent of Homo habilis, this hominid is one of the most primitive members of our genus on record. Paleoartist John Gurche reconstructed this 1.75-million-year-old explorer from a nearly complete teenage H. erectus skull and associated mandible found in Dmanisi in the Republic of Georgia. The background figures derive from two partial crania recovered at the site.
The archaeologist who excavated the 'Hobbits' compared them to the above people found in Dmanisi.
It was probably just my kids. They’re always tracking mud everywhere.
That means it took us 1,000,000 years to develop the Ford Taurus.
As a species, we're awfully slow.