Modern fossil discovery rewrites human history
Five amazing finds from the ancient world 01:11
Story highlights
- The oldest modern human fossil outside of Africa was found in Israel
- The findings suggests that modern humans migrated from Africa earlier than thought
(CNN)Scientists
have discovered the oldest known modern human fossil outside of Africa,
estimated to be between 177,000 and 194,000 years old, according to a new study
in the journal Science. The fossil of an upper jawbone that included
several teeth was found in a prehistoric cave site, Misliya Cave, in
Israel. Stone tools were also recovered at the site.
This
suggests that modern humans may have been on the move, specifically
migrating from Africa, at least 50,000 years earlier than previously
believed. It helps to explain previous findings of modern human fossils
in other parts of the world, which have been dated 90,000 to 120,000
years ago.
This rewrites the timeline of what we know about how Homo sapiens spread.
"We
now have clear fossil evidence that modern humans moved out of Africa
earlier than we previously believed," Rolf Quam, study coauthor and
anthropology professor at Binghamton University, said in an email.
"There have been previous suggestions of a possible earlier migration,
relying on both archaeological sites and ancient DNA studies, but now we
have an actual human fossil that proves it."
Three
different dating techniques were used to confirm the fossil's age and
classify it as Homo sapien, rather than Neanderthal or some other early
human ancestor.
The features of the jaw and teeth are unmistakably human, the researchers said.
Photos: Ancient finds
Nodosaurs
were herbivores who walked on four legs and were covered in tank-like
armor and dotted with spikes for protection. But this recently unveiled
110 million-year-old fossil is the most well-preserved of the armored dinosaurs ever unearthed.
Hide Caption
11 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
Microfossils found in China
have revealed what could be our earliest known ancestor on the tree of
life. Saccorhytus was a tiny, bag-like sea creature that lived 540
million years ago.
Hide Caption
12 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
In 2016, researchers discovered ancient collagen and protein remains preserved in the ribs of a dinosaur that walked the Earth 195 million years ago.
Hide Caption
13 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
By studying the skeleton of this medieval pilgrim, researchers have been able to genotype leprosy.
They also discovered that leprosy-causing bacteria have changed little
over hundreds of years, possibly explaining the decline in the disease
after it peaked in medieval Europe as humans developed resistance.
Hide Caption
14 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
The discovery of a species that lived 6.6 million years ago in southwestern China suggests that ancient otters had
"wolf-like" proportions, and weighed roughly 100 Ibs. The creature --
whose skull was excavated in Yunnan province -- would have been twice
the size of today's otters.
Hide Caption
15 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
The tail of a 99-million-year-old dinosaur
was found entombed in amber in 2016, an unprecedented discovery that
has blown away scientists. The amber adds to fossil evidence that many
dinosaurs sported feathers rather than scales.
Hide Caption
16 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
The oldest known sample of the smallpox-causing variola virus was found within the DNA of a 17th century child mummy
in 2016. The mummy was found in a crypt beneath a Lithuanian church.
The finding shortens the timeline for how long smallpox may have
afflicted humans.
Hide Caption
17 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
For the first time, researchers discovered genomic evidence of malaria in 2,000-year-old human remains from the Roman Empire. The discovery was made in 2016.
Hide Caption
18 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
Researchers found the first preserved dinosaur brain
in history in 2016. They believe it was preserved due to the dinosaur
dying in a swamp-like environment which mixed low levels of oxygen --
known to slow decay -- and acidity which can preserve soft tissue for
long periods. It is 130 million years old.
Hide Caption
19 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
An investigation of skeletons buried during the 1665 Great Plague of London revealed the DNA of the bacteria responsible for the disease in 2016. The skeletons were discovered in an ancient burial site during construction of London's Crossrail train line.
Hide Caption
20 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
Scientists reconstructed the genome of an ancient plague
in 2016, which may shed new light on how certain diseases can either
mysteriously disappear or continue to evolve and spread. An adult
woman's skeleton (on left) and adult man's skeleton (on right) tested
positive for the presence of Y. pestis, what researchers believe caused
the Justinian Plague.
Hide Caption
21 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
The
earliest modern human fossil ever found outside of Africa has been
recovered in Israel. This suggests that modern humans left Africa at
least 50,000 years earlier than previously believed. The upper jawbone,
including several teeth, was recovered in a prehistoric cave site.
Hide Caption
1 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
This
is an excavated structure at the northern edge of the Grand Plaza at
Teposcolula-Yucundaa in Oaxaca, Mexico. Researchers investigated a
"pestilence" cemetery associated with a devastating 1545-1550 epidemic.
New analysis suggests that salmonella caused a typhoid fever epidemic.
Hide Caption
2 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
Standing
about 4 feet tall, early human ancestor Paranthropus boisei had a small
brain and a wide, dish-like face. It is most well-known for having big
teeth and hefty chewing muscles.
Hide Caption
3 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
A grand grave of a great Viking warrior excavated during the 1880s has been found to be that of a woman.
She was also buried with a gaming board and pieces, hierarchically
associated with officers to use for battle strategy and tactics. The
drawing is a reconstruction of how the grave with the woman originally
may have looked.
Hide Caption
4 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
An illustration shows the dodo on Mauritius near the Mare aux Songes, where many dodo skeletons have been recovered.
Hide Caption
5 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
A 5,000-year-old dog skull
found in Germany underwent whole genome sequencing. It was found to be
very similar to the genome of modern dogs, suggesting that all modern
dogs are direct ancestors of the domesticated dogs that lived in the
world's earliest farming communities in Europe.
Hide Caption
6 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
Razanandrongobe sakalavae, or "Razana,"
was one of the top predators of the Jurassic period in Madagascar 170
million years ago. Although it looks different from modern-day
crocodiles and had teeth similar to a T. rex's, Razana was not a
dinosaur but a crocodile relative with a deep skull.
Hide Caption
7 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
An
artist's reconstruction shows Macrauchenia patachonica, which roamed
South America thousands of years ago. Combining a range of odd
characteristics from llamas and camels to rhinos and antelopes, Macrauchenia
defied clarification until now and has been added to the tree of life.
It belongs to a sister group of Perissodactyla, which includes horses,
rhinos and tapirs.
Hide Caption
8 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
This prosthetic device was made for a priest's daughter who had to have her right big toe amputated 3,000 years ago. This surprisingly lifelike toe
was made to look natural by a skilled artisan who wanted to maintain
the aesthetic as well as mobility during the Early Iron Age. It was
designed to be worn with sandals, the footwear of choice at the time.
Hide Caption
9 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
The oldest fossil remains of Homo sapiens, dating back 300,000 years, were found
at a site in Jebel Irhoud, Morocco. This is 100,000 years older than
previously discovered fossils of Homo sapiens that have been securely
dated. The fossils, including a partial skull and a lower jaw, belong
to five different individuals including three young adults, an
adolescent and a child estimated to be 8 years old.
Hide Caption
10 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
Nodosaurs
were herbivores who walked on four legs and were covered in tank-like
armor and dotted with spikes for protection. But this recently unveiled
110 million-year-old fossil is the most well-preserved of the armored dinosaurs ever unearthed.
Hide Caption
11 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
Microfossils found in China
have revealed what could be our earliest known ancestor on the tree of
life. Saccorhytus was a tiny, bag-like sea creature that lived 540
million years ago.
Hide Caption
12 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
In 2016, researchers discovered ancient collagen and protein remains preserved in the ribs of a dinosaur that walked the Earth 195 million years ago.
Hide Caption
13 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
By studying the skeleton of this medieval pilgrim, researchers have been able to genotype leprosy.
They also discovered that leprosy-causing bacteria have changed little
over hundreds of years, possibly explaining the decline in the disease
after it peaked in medieval Europe as humans developed resistance.
Hide Caption
14 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
The discovery of a species that lived 6.6 million years ago in southwestern China suggests that ancient otters had
"wolf-like" proportions, and weighed roughly 100 Ibs. The creature --
whose skull was excavated in Yunnan province -- would have been twice
the size of today's otters.
Hide Caption
15 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
The tail of a 99-million-year-old dinosaur
was found entombed in amber in 2016, an unprecedented discovery that
has blown away scientists. The amber adds to fossil evidence that many
dinosaurs sported feathers rather than scales.
Hide Caption
16 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
The oldest known sample of the smallpox-causing variola virus was found within the DNA of a 17th century child mummy
in 2016. The mummy was found in a crypt beneath a Lithuanian church.
The finding shortens the timeline for how long smallpox may have
afflicted humans.
Hide Caption
17 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
For the first time, researchers discovered genomic evidence of malaria in 2,000-year-old human remains from the Roman Empire. The discovery was made in 2016.
Hide Caption
18 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
Researchers found the first preserved dinosaur brain
in history in 2016. They believe it was preserved due to the dinosaur
dying in a swamp-like environment which mixed low levels of oxygen --
known to slow decay -- and acidity which can preserve soft tissue for
long periods. It is 130 million years old.
Hide Caption
19 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
An investigation of skeletons buried during the 1665 Great Plague of London revealed the DNA of the bacteria responsible for the disease in 2016. The skeletons were discovered in an ancient burial site during construction of London's Crossrail train line.
Hide Caption
20 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
Scientists reconstructed the genome of an ancient plague
in 2016, which may shed new light on how certain diseases can either
mysteriously disappear or continue to evolve and spread. An adult
woman's skeleton (on left) and adult man's skeleton (on right) tested
positive for the presence of Y. pestis, what researchers believe caused
the Justinian Plague.
Hide Caption
21 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
The
earliest modern human fossil ever found outside of Africa has been
recovered in Israel. This suggests that modern humans left Africa at
least 50,000 years earlier than previously believed. The upper jawbone,
including several teeth, was recovered in a prehistoric cave site.
Hide Caption
1 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
This
is an excavated structure at the northern edge of the Grand Plaza at
Teposcolula-Yucundaa in Oaxaca, Mexico. Researchers investigated a
"pestilence" cemetery associated with a devastating 1545-1550 epidemic.
New analysis suggests that salmonella caused a typhoid fever epidemic.
Hide Caption
2 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
Standing
about 4 feet tall, early human ancestor Paranthropus boisei had a small
brain and a wide, dish-like face. It is most well-known for having big
teeth and hefty chewing muscles.
Hide Caption
3 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
A grand grave of a great Viking warrior excavated during the 1880s has been found to be that of a woman.
She was also buried with a gaming board and pieces, hierarchically
associated with officers to use for battle strategy and tactics. The
drawing is a reconstruction of how the grave with the woman originally
may have looked.
Hide Caption
4 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
An illustration shows the dodo on Mauritius near the Mare aux Songes, where many dodo skeletons have been recovered.
Hide Caption
5 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
A 5,000-year-old dog skull
found in Germany underwent whole genome sequencing. It was found to be
very similar to the genome of modern dogs, suggesting that all modern
dogs are direct ancestors of the domesticated dogs that lived in the
world's earliest farming communities in Europe.
Hide Caption
6 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
Razanandrongobe sakalavae, or "Razana,"
was one of the top predators of the Jurassic period in Madagascar 170
million years ago. Although it looks different from modern-day
crocodiles and had teeth similar to a T. rex's, Razana was not a
dinosaur but a crocodile relative with a deep skull.
Hide Caption
7 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
An
artist's reconstruction shows Macrauchenia patachonica, which roamed
South America thousands of years ago. Combining a range of odd
characteristics from llamas and camels to rhinos and antelopes, Macrauchenia
defied clarification until now and has been added to the tree of life.
It belongs to a sister group of Perissodactyla, which includes horses,
rhinos and tapirs.
Hide Caption
8 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
This prosthetic device was made for a priest's daughter who had to have her right big toe amputated 3,000 years ago. This surprisingly lifelike toe
was made to look natural by a skilled artisan who wanted to maintain
the aesthetic as well as mobility during the Early Iron Age. It was
designed to be worn with sandals, the footwear of choice at the time.
Hide Caption
9 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
The oldest fossil remains of Homo sapiens, dating back 300,000 years, were found
at a site in Jebel Irhoud, Morocco. This is 100,000 years older than
previously discovered fossils of Homo sapiens that have been securely
dated. The fossils, including a partial skull and a lower jaw, belong
to five different individuals including three young adults, an
adolescent and a child estimated to be 8 years old.
Hide Caption
10 of 21
Photos: Ancient finds
Nodosaurs
were herbivores who walked on four legs and were covered in tank-like
armor and dotted with spikes for protection. But this recently unveiled
110 million-year-old fossil is the most well-preserved of the armored dinosaurs ever unearthed.
Hide Caption
11 of 21
Stone
tools recovered at the site further confirm the age and technology
being used by these modern humans. They were shaped in a unique way
called the Levallois technique, where stones were flaked around the
edges to achieve a sophisticated point used in hunting. The discovery of
the tools along with the fossil in this location is the earliest known
association between the two in the region.
Finding
the tools and fossil in such close proximity also suggests that Homo
sapiens introduced this technology to the area when they appeared.
The Misliya cave site.
"The
rich archaeological evidence reveals that the inhabitants of Misliya
cave were capable hunters of large game species such as aurochs (extinct
large cows), Persian fallow deer and gazelles," Israel Hershkovitz,
study author and professor in the department of anatomy and anthropology
at Tel Aviv University, said in an email. "They controlled the
production of fire in hearths, made a wide use of plants and produced an
Early Middle Paleolithic stone tool kit, employing sophisticated
innovative techniques, similar to those found with the earliest modern
humans in Africa."
Detailed studies
of the tools are underway. Not only were they used for hunting, but
also the processing of animal skins, scraping and cutting plants,
scraping minerals and digging of edible tubers, Hershkovitz said.
Changing 'our perception of modern human evolution'
Researchers have many takeaways from these discoveries.
The
location of the fossil supports the idea that modern humans migrated
from Africa using a northern route through the Nile valley and the
eastern Mediterranean coast. It helps to explain why a modern human
fossil was found in China, dated to 120,000 years ago. It supports the
growing research that modern humans left Africa 220,000 years ago and
interacted with Neanderthals earlier than thought. And it suggests that
other early modern human fossils recovered in the Qafzeh and Es Skhul
caves in Israel are a result of the interactions between the Misliya
people and the other local populations of the region, Hershkovitz said.
"We
have a very long biological history, much longer than previously
thought," Hershkovitz said. "We evolved through interaction with other
hominin groups. We came out of Africa as early as 250,000 years (ago).
The Qafzeh/Skhul hominins are not the earliest modern human outside
Africa as previously thought. Actually, they were not migrants at all,
but rather descendants of the Misliya people."
The
discovery of modern humans outside of Africa earlier than expected has
implications concerning evolution. This means there were even earlier
opportunities for cultural and/or biological interactions with other
local non-modern human species, Quam said.
"Misliya
really changes our perception of modern human evolution," Gerhard
Weber, study coauthor and professor in the department of anthropology at
the University of Vienna, said in an email. "This evolution seems to be
not that straightforward or simple as we had it in the textbooks the
past years. Misliya is very modern. This wouldn't be surprising if it
were 10,000 years or 40,000 years, but it is around 180-190,000 years
old."
Earlier discoveries
In 2017, the discovery of the oldest Homo sapiens fossil
in Jebel Irhoud, Morocco, was announced. It dated back to 300,000 years
ago, 100,000 years older than previously discovered fossils of Homo
sapiens that had been securely dated. It also widened the "cradle of
mankind" to include all of Africa, since previous findings had only
occurred in east and south Africa.
But
the Jebel Irhoud fossil was most likely not as "modern" as the Misliya
fossil. The Jebel Irhoud fossil captures a moment in time of evolution.
The facial features of the skull look like a modern human, but the brain
case is very elongated and archaically characteristic of early humans.
There
has been increasing evidence that the modern human lineage diverged
from Neanderthals and Denisovans 500,000 years ago, making us close
relatives rather than direct descendants. Before the Jebel Irhoud
discovery, it was believed that the early modern humans we evolved from
were in Africa 200,000 years ago and looked very similar to modern
humans. But what happened in between that time?
This
is still unknown, although the researchers suggest the possibility that
there were multiple groups of hominins, or human ancestors, overlapping
and having complex relationships.
Because
they didn't previously have fossil evidence of Homo sapiens from
300,000 years ago, this helps to fill a small part of that gap in the
fossil record. The fossils provide insight about this evolutionary time
for Homo sapiens before the early modern stage 200,000 years ago.
'A big step forward'
The Misliya discovery adds to the research that scientists hope will eventually solve the mystery of the in between time.
"Misliya
tells us that modern humans might have been in touch with other
populations, including archaic ones that were already in Eurasia," Weber
said. "Now it is conceivable that also other modern humans, even a bit
older than Misliya, might have left Africa -- I wouldn't be surprised
now if someone finds a modern human in Eurasia at a time of 220,000
years -- and encountered Neanderthals or some forms on the way to
Neanderthals.
"As any good science,
Misliya raises new questions, but we made a big step forward, away from
a too simple picture," Weber concluded.
The researchers are continuing their study of the fires from the Misliya cave, as well as the stone tools.
"We
have started excavating at two sites that were excavated in the past,
the Skhul and Tabun caves, with the hope to find some hominins that will
allow us to answer further questions relating to the late phase of
human evolution," Hershkovitz said.
NOVOSIBIRSK, RUSSIA—According to a report in 