This week, scholars writing in Science magazine announced a new date for the hominin Australopithecus sediba. Au. sediba was reported last year, with a bracketed date between 1.78 and 1.95 million years ago. The new date pushes Au. sediba to 1.977 mya, meaning that it is the oldest hominid fossils ever found.
But the story doesn't really end there: because Au. sediba, although currently classified as Australopithecus, has several important skeletal features that are more similar to our human ancestors, including hand, cranium and pelvic changes that are more commonly associated with Homo erectus.
How early is early?
The earliest probable H. erectus remains are from Swartkrans, 1.8-1.9 mya in Africa, and Dmanisi at 1.78-1.85 mya in the Republic of Georgia; the earliest firmly dated ones are from Koobi Fora in Kenya, at 1.88-1.9 mya.
The earliest evidence for H. habilis is A.L. 666-1, dated to 2.33 mya; but it is represented only by a fragmentary maxilla.
Whether or not Au sediba is truly the linchpin a to scholarly revamp of our entire human evolutionary tree is yet to be determined: but if there was ever a news story crying out for a photo essay, this is one.
- Photo Essay: Australopithecus sediba.
Friend and science writer Michael Balter points out that A. sediba is not the oldest hominin: the Australopithecus afarensis Lucy is 3.3 mya; Australopithecus amanuensis is 4+ mya, and Ardipithecus at nearly 5 mya, and Toumai at 6-7 mya. A. sebida might be the oldest Homo, if you don't accept the Hadar dates as 2.3 mya.
More coverage from elsewhere
- Special Collection: Australopithecus sediba, in Science magazine.
- Human Ancestor May Put Twist in Origin Story, New Studies Say, National Geographic
- African fossils put new spin on human origins story, Jonathan Amos for the BBC
- New Fossils May Redraw Human Ancestry, Nicholas Wade in the New York Times
- Extensive A. sebida coverage from John Hawks.
- My what handsome ankles and hands you have, grandma, Knight Science Journalism Tracker
Comments
I have nothing scientific to say on the bones, just something perhaps sentimental. Standing next to Karabo’s bones, I felt a certain kinship. The skeleton looked human too me (being untrained) and so lonely! I can fully believe that that is where I came from.
ps. Karabo (meaning “answer”) is the name South African children gave the ….person?
A small point. There is confusion above as to whether the name is “sebida” or “sediba”. It should be “sediba”, meaning a “spring” or “well”.
Heartburn, this story is giving me heartburn. Thanks so much! I appreciate the correction…