A team of researchers in northeastern Ethiopia has made a groundbreaking discovery of fossilized teeth that could belong to a new branch of humanity. The remains, dated between 2.8 and 2.6 million years old, were found at the Ledi-Geraru archaeological site in the Afar Region.
Thirteen newly analyzed teeth have been identified as belonging to at least two early hominin lineages: Australopithecus and Homo. The fossils are significant because they suggest that there was a new species of Australopithecus, distinct from A. afarensis and A. garhi.
The researchers dated the fossils by analyzing volcanic ash layers above and below them. The oldest teeth belong to an unknown species of Australopithecus, while two teeth belonging to Homo are approximately 2.59 million years old.
The discovery provides a glimpse into human evolution’s complex history. Between three million and 2.5 million years ago, at least four different hominin lineages inhabited eastern Africa, including early Homo, A. garhi, the newly identified Australopithecus, and Paranthropus.
This find challenges the traditional view of human evolution as a linear progression from ape-like ancestors to increasingly human-like forms. Instead, our evolutionary history is more complex, with multiple branches that ended in extinction.
The researchers plan to study the chemistry of the enamel on the teeth to understand what each species was eating and how they lived together in the same range. The discovery highlights the importance of environmental factors, such as volcanic activity, in shaping our shared heritage.
Source: https://archaeologymag.com/2025/08/australopithecus-species-lived-alongside-homo-ancestors