SOUTH AFRICA: Two 1.9 million year old hominids offer clues to human evolution

Record ID: 456485

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: Two 1.9 million year old hominids offer clues to human evolution
  • Date: 9th April 2010
  • Summary: MAROPENG, SOUTH AFRICA (APRIL 8, 2010) (REUTERS) ***CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** EXTERIOR OF MAROPENG GUESTS AND JOURNALISTS SEATED INSIDE, LISTENING TO LECTURE (SOUNDBITE) (English) WITWATERSRAND UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR LEE BERGER, SAYING: "These 1.9 million year old hominids are in extraordinary condition. They lived at the same time, they died at the same time. And wh
  • Embargoed: 24th April 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: History,Science / Technology
  • Reuters ID: LVA12A9LG8HWR5ZQU2KSYJM8VU2T
  • Story Text: The two skeletons discovered in South Africa belong to a previously unclassified species of pre-human.
    Scientists revealed for the first time a new species of pre-human which could be a possible missing link in human evolution on Thursday (April 08). The ceremony took place at the Cradle of Humankind in Maropeng, some 40km outside of Johannesburg.
    Fossils of a juvenile male and female adult suggest that the newly documented species called Australopithecus Sediba walked upright and shared many physical traits with the earliest known human Homo species. The leader of the exploration team of more than 60 scientists, Professor Lee Berger from the University of the Witwatersrand, said this was a groundbreaking discovery.
    "These 1.9 million year old hominids are in extraordinary condition. They lived at the same time, they died at the same time. And when I mean that, I don't mean in the sense the we archaeologists often use it. They died within minutes, days, hours and at the very most weeks of each other. They would have know each other in life, they would have looked into each other's eyes and they may very well have been related. What is more remarkable is that they represent a completely new and unexpected species of human ancestry to science. Something we did not think was there."
    Scientists believe the human genus Homo evolved from the Australopithecus genus around two million years ago. Berger said the species had long arms, like an ape, short powerful hands, a very advanced pelvis and long legs capable of striding and possibly running like a human.
    South African President Kgalema Motlanthe said the discovery was one of many which prove that the human race originates from the African continent.
    "The Taung child, Mrs Ples and Little Foot are just three of a very large number of hominid fossils which have demonstrated conclusively that almost every critical event in the emergence of our own species, the Homo Sapiens, occurred first on this continent. Our continent, Africa."
    Motlanthe said Africa should be seen in a new light in wake of the fossil discoveries.
    "The announcement today of two more almost complete skeletons write another page in the largely unwritten record of our origins offering a new perspective on the evolution of humankind."
    The University of the Witwatersrand has opened a competition to the children of South Africa to name the juvenile skeleton who is estimated to have died at the age of 11. The fossils will be on display at the Cradle of Humakind, a world heritage sight, for public viewing for the next days.
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