Stranger from Siberia is new ancestor of man, claim scientists

[ensho]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/7512789/Stranger-from-Siberia-is-new-ancestor-of-man-claim-scientists.html


A new "species" of caveman that lived alongside Neanderthals and early humans up to 50,000 years ago has been identified by scientists.


The creature known as X-woman and identified by DNA taken from a tiny piece of finger bone – is a previously unknown early human, or hominin, that came "out of Africa" one million years ago.

It follows the discovery of another human species, the tiny 'Hobbit' or Homo floresiensis, found in Indonesia in 2003.

-snip-

Dr Johannes Krause and colleagues at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Lepizig analysed the genetic material contained in mitochondria that provide power to cells and is passed only down the maternal line.

The analysis indicates this mtDNA derives from a previously unrecognised African migration distinct from the ones undertaken by the ancestors of Neanderthals and anatomically modern humans.

The findings published online in Nature show the creature shared a common ancestor with modern human and Neanderthal mtDNAs about one million years ago.

The age of the fossil also suggests this hominin species might have coexisted with Neanderthals and modern humans in that region of the world.

-snip-

He said: "Representatives of three genetically distinct hominin lineages may all have been present in this region at about the same time."

-snip-

He said: "Forty thousand years ago, the planet was more crowded than we thought.
-snip-
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isn't Science wonderful! the more we know about our fore parents the better.

[brewens]

1. It's amazing the new finding that keep changing things.

I took physical anthropology in the early 80's. It was right when the movie "Quest For Fire" came out. I remember how ridiculous it was and our professor hated it. It showed what appeared to be Australopithecenes, Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons living at the same time.
While still ridiculous, it doesn't seem to be quite as bad now.

[bahrbearian]

2. Quest for Fire, Clan of the Bear Cave, it made sense to me.

Adam and Eve riding Dinosaur's still dosen't.

[awoke_in_2003]

4. are you saying

the Flintsones wasn't real :)

[brewens]

7. When Quest For Fire came out we didn't like the scene where

the primitive ape-men attacked the Neanderthals. It was believed that Neanderthals and modern humans existed at the same time but that was all.
Now I wouldn't be surprised to hear that a much more ancient hominid had actually survived somewhere much later. Unlikely they would be surviving in Europe with Neanderthals though.

[KittyWampus]

3. Nature seems to have presented quite a few hominids capable of evolving with other life on Earth.

Quite an Organizational feat on all levels from quantum all the way up to starts.

[awoke_in_2003]

5. K&R for science. nt

[Enthusiast]

6. What a fascinating discovery!

I hope they examine nearby areas that could be possible living spaces. I'm looking forward to related discoveries.

[muriel_volestrangler]

8. Bad headline - the whole point is this *isn't* an ancestor of humans

It's a distinct line, just as Neanderthals were. In family relation terms, it's a cousin, not an ancestor.

The Telegraph's science reporting is getting worse and worse.