"New Fossil Finds Push Back Origins of Homo sapiens" Topic

… by 115,000 Years.

"The fossilized remains of at least five individuals discovered at the archaeological site of Jebel Irhoud in Morocco have been dated at 315,000 years, making them the oldest known fossils of anatomically modern Homo sapiens. The discovery is described in two papers released today by the journal Nature.

Finds at the Middle Stone Age site of Jebel Irhoud, Morocco, reveal modern humans in northwest Africa 300,000 years ago. Image credit: Charles R. Knight.
Jebel Irhoud has been well known since the 1960s for its human fossils and for its Middle Stone Age artifacts, but the geological age of those fossils was uncertain.

The new excavation project uncovered 16 new Homo sapiens fossils along with stone tools and animal bones. The remains comprise skulls, teeth, and long bones of at least five individuals.

Thermoluminescence dating of heated flints yielded an age of approximately 315,000 years ago…"
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Amicalement
Armand

That's going to be a problem. Lots of things have to be re-written, and some things will need to be re-assessed. I'm thinking specifically of language. There was already an annoying gap between "anatomically modern" in the sense of gaining our "voice box" and developing speech. the current arrangement of our larynx includes a danger of choking. No point in evolving the danger of choking before you develop the behavior, language, that makes that counterbalances that risk.

Very interesting. Sure seems like they ate well.

Glad you enjoyed it my friend.

Amicalement
Armand

Lots of things have to be re-written, and some things will need to be re-assessed

That's Science for you.