Human fossils found in cave questions origins of humankind

Abstract

A recent study of human fossils from the Sterkfontein Caves in South Africa reignited debates about the origin of humans. Her fossils date back to between 3.4 to 3.6 million years ago. "These fossils are old - much older than we originally thought." With the findings, scientists now say that hominins existed in South Africa the same period that the known oldest remains in East Africa date to. With the recent dating of Mrs. Ples' skeleton, the theory that humans originated from East Africa is under contention. Fossil dating is an important archeological practice that helps scientists understand where humans evolved and how they fit into the ecosystem. The researchers on Mrs. Ples' skeleton examined radioactive decay in rocks buried at the same time as the fossils in order to estimate the date. "This important new dating work pushes the age of some of the most interesting fossils in human evolution research, and one of South Africa's most iconic fossils, Mrs. Ples, back a million years to a time when, in East Africa, we find other iconic early hominins like Lucy," said Dominic Stratford, director of research at the caves.