A recent discovery in a Chinese cave has shed new light on the origins of modern humans. Fossilized remains of 20 ancient individuals, dated to around 300,000 years ago, have been found with both primitive and modern human traits. This finding could potentially challenge the widely accepted “out of Africa” theory of human evolution.
The fossils were discovered in the Hualongdong cave in Anhui province and represent the earliest known ancient human population in East Asia on their path to becoming Homo sapiens. The discovery was presented at an academic conference attended by over 100 scientists from China and internationally.
Excavation began in 2013 after the site was discovered in 1988, yielding fossils of more than 80 species of vertebrates, 400 stone artefacts, and various bone fragments with cuts. This year’s finds include a well-preserved metatarsal bone, frontal bone, femur part, and eight skull fragments.
The foot bone could provide clues about the height and walking style of these ancient humans. The discovery also includes fossils of extinct animals such as pandas and stegodon, which are related to modern elephants. These findings suggest that many of the animals may have been transported from far away, adding complexity to our understanding of human evolution.
Source: https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3290617/fossils-found-chinese-cave-could-shed-new-light-origins-modern-humans