Skull of early human found with 'pinhead' brain like a gorilla's

The Independent (U.K.) ^ | 07/05/2002 | Steve Connor

[Pokey78]

A spectacularly preserved skull of one of the earliest human ancestors to emerge from Africa about 1.75 million years ago has been unearthed by scientists in Georgia.

The skull has the smallest brain of any unambiguously human fossil, indicating that early humans did not need big brains to journey out of Africa.

Scientists found the skull and jawbone at Dmanisi, which has already revealed fossils of a sabre-toothed tiger and prehistoric rhinoceros, deer, wolf and horse. It is the third set of human remains believed to be of early Homo erectus to be dug from the site. However, the petite size of the skull with its thin brow ridge and short nose – but huge canine teeth – has amazed palaeontologists, who believe it might be of a female.

Professor Chris Stringer, head of human origins at the Natural History Museum in London, said: "This latest skull is astonishingly well preserved and quite exceptional. It's also completely unexpected."

The skull's features are human yet the brain is not much bigger than that of an ape. These early people would have looked human and used simple stone tools.

"This is astonishing. If you looked hard enough you could probably find a gorilla with a brain that big. They may have been pinheads but below the neck they would have looked largely human," he said.

David Lordkipanidze, of the Georgian Academy of Sciences in Tbilisi, published details of the find today in the journal Science. It is said to be the largest collection of individuals from any archaeological site older than about 800,000 years.

The difference in size between this skull and two much bigger skulls and jawbones found with it suggests either that two species lived at the site or that the difference in size between males and females was once much bigger than it is in modern humans.

"Here we have the chance to study a population. We are seeing a difference mainly in size, not morphology [shape]. For now, my hypothesis is that we are seeing variability within the population," he writes.

[Cagey]

A spectacularly preserved skull of one of the earliest human ancestors to emerge from Africa about 1.75 million years ago has been unearthed by scientists in Georgia.

Ooooooops, it's the "other" Georgia.

[mercy]

Of course it could not be just an ape from a time when the climate of this region was altogether different. It HAS to be prehuman. No links. No other bones. But they KNOW it was human.

I revere the ground on which these hallowed scientists tred. Thank Gaia that true science has supplanted the Creationist loonies.

[blam]

It was the cold that forced the larger brain....it is also responsible for civilization.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

The first Democrat?

They had enough brains to get out of Africa, but they still couldn't be trained to push a stylus through a chad.

[dirtboy]

Paging MurryMom, we found one of your ancestors...

[Pokey78]

Or a relative of . . .

[Minutemen]

When did Clinton die??

[Sabertooth]

((((((growl)))))

[ctonious]

Should be called "Homer Simpians".

[PoisedWoman]

early humans did not need big brains to journey out of Africa.

And they still don't.

Anyone with half a brain would leave.

[GaltMeister]

Confidential inside sources have also indicated that they have established a definate DNA link between the skull and Janet Reno. Film at 11 ...

[afraidfortherepublic]

They had enough brains to get out of Africa, but they still couldn't be trained to push a stylus through a chad.

ROTFLOL! You get a blue ribbon for eliciting the first out-loud laugh out of me all day!

[MeekOneGOP]

LOL!

[gore3000]

The difference in size between this skull and two much bigger skulls and jawbones found with it suggests either that two species lived at the site or that the difference in size between males and females was once much bigger than it is in modern humans.

Could have been a child, but then paleontologists only think of headlines, not the truth.

[gore3000]

If they only have a skull, how can they make the statement that they would have looked largely human? ?????

Maybe they consulted Ms Cleo????

[Nik Naym]

Oh, so what they really found was the skull of a serpent?

[Ahban]

Just what I was thinking. Even a baby gorilla has a much more 'human' face than an adult. They have a smaller, flatter face compared to the adults. They problably found a juvenile.

[null and void]

It was the cold that forced the larger brain....it is also responsible for civilization.

Then logically, Global Warming would...

[fire_eye]

The first Democrat?

I KNEW IT!!! I KNEW IT!!!!!! I *****KNEW IT******!!!!!

I LOVE this website.

When I saw the header for this article in the right-hand column, I thought to myself, "I wonder how many postings will pass before somebody claims the skull came from a Demoncrat", and I answered myself, "It'll be there in the *very first response*.

BINGO!!!!!!

I LOVE this website.

[okie01]

"However, the petite size of the skull with its thin brow ridge and short nose – but huge canine teeth – has amazed palaeontologists, who believe it might be of a female."

Hillaricanthropus?