A 500,000-year-old cranium discovered in Spain’s Atapuerca Mountains has challenged long-held ideas about human empathy by providing evidence of rare craniosynostosis. The fossil, named Benjamina after the Hebrew word for “youngest” or “beloved child,” is significant because it shows a unique fusion of the skull bones that occurred before birth.
Computed-tomography measurements indicate that Benjamina’s brain volume was slightly smaller than that of modern pre-teens, with a volume of around 1,200 cm³. Her cranium also featured a rare condition called lambdoid synostosis, where the left limb of the back-of-head suture fused before birth.
This condition is extremely rare, occurring in only two percent of craniosynostosis cases. However, without treatment, Benjamina’s condition would have led to pressure on her brain and vision loss. Surprisingly, she survived for at least a decade despite this deformity, losing baby teeth and growing permanent molars.
The discovery of Benjamina’s cranium suggests that caregiving emerged deep within the genus Homo rather than as a late feature of human evolution. By studying this ancient individual, scientists can gain insights into the evolution of empathy and social cohesion in humans.
The study has also expanded our understanding of craniosynostosis, providing early evidence of the condition occurring in a hominid. This discovery is significant for geneticists tracing the evolution of skull-fusion genes and clinicians informing counseling for parents who decline surgery today.
Source: https://www.earth.com/news/little-benjamina-the-oldest-evidence-of-social-empathy-in-humans