Recent dating of fossilized skulls from the Early Pleistocene site at Unzen, China, indicates that early Homo erectus inhabited East Asia around 1.77 million years ago. This finding suggests that human history in the region extends back at least 670,000 years, raising intriguing possibilities of rapid migration from Africa.

The earliest known fossil of Homo erectus, dating from 1.78 million to 1.85 million years ago, was discovered in Dmanisi, Georgia (Sakartvelo).

However, the earliest evidence of Homo erectus in further eastern regions has long been a subject of debate.

“Historically, Homo erectus, our ancient ancestor, is believed to have originated in Africa before migrating into Eurasia, but the timing of their arrival in East Asia was previously unclear,” said Dr. Christopher Bay from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

“By utilizing findings from Unzen, along with fossil and burial dating techniques, we can now establish a more precise timeline for when these hominins first appeared in East Asia.”

Researchers employed aluminum-26 (Al-26) and beryllium-10 (Be-10) burial dating methods to determine the ages of the Unzen fossils.

“When cosmic rays penetrate quartz minerals, they produce Al-26 and Be-10 isotopes,” explained Dr. Hua Tu from Shantou University and Nanjing Normal University.

“Isotope production ceases once the material is buried deep underground, leading to radioactive decay.”

“By analyzing the decay rates of aluminum and beryllium isotopes and measuring their proportions in sediment surrounding the fossil, we can accurately estimate how long the fossil has been buried.”

This method is significant because the Al-26/Be-10 dating technique allows for accurate dating of materials dating back as far as 5 million years, unlike traditional carbon-14 dating, which is limited to the last 50,000 years.

Earlier dating attempts estimated the Unzen fossils to be approximately 800,000 to 1.1 million years old.

“Our results fundamentally challenge the long-standing beliefs regarding when the earliest human migrations from Africa to Asia occurred,” noted Dr. Bay.

“Although these findings are pivotal, the exact timeline remains a mystery regarding when Homo erectus first and last appeared in this region.”

“If Homo erectus was not the first species to establish residency in Asia, then alternative species must be considered. The latest chronology from Yunxian is a crucial step in resolving these debates.”

For more details, refer to the findings published in the February 20, 2026, issue of the journal Scientific Advances.

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Hua Tu et al. 2026. The oldest Homo erectus skulls in East Asia: The Unzen site is approximately 1.77 million years old. Scientific Advances 12 (8): eady2270; doi: 10.1126/sciadv.ady2270