A new excavation found new fossils that restarted the discussions surrounding the origin of humanity. Found in the Sterkfontein Caves in South Africa, the fossils were part of a cave woman nicknamed Mrs. Ples.
Determining the age of the skeletal remains in the caves made researchers examine not just the items in the question itself, but also the radioactive decay in rocks buried at the same time as Mrs. Ples. This new method of dating work can push the age of the fossils in human evolution research, according to Dominic Stratford, the director of research in the Sterkfontein Caves.
Thanks to this methodology, the experts have estimated her fossils to date back between 3.4 to 3.6 million years ago. Because of this dating, scientists can now say that the hominins existed in South Africa around the same time as the oldest remains were found in East Africa. For reference, the skeleton is actually referring to Lucy, who was found in Ethiopia in 1974.
The discovery of Mrs. Ples now indicated that Lucy, who was an East African hominin, lived too late to be considered the ancestor of modern-day humans.
Image credit: Maël BALLAND/Pexels
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