Tag Archives: erectus

Coexistence of Homo Erectus and Denisovans in East Asia: New Discoveries

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Recent research into proteins extracted from the enamel of six Homo erectus teeth sheds light on our evolutionary past. Conducted on remains found in China, this groundbreaking study offers a unique perspective on the genetic heritage of one of humanity’s earliest ancestors, estimated to have lived around 400,000 years ago. The findings indicate that Homo erectus may have exhibited genetic mutations that were later inherited by Denisovans, influencing some modern human populations today.

Artist’s reconstruction of Homo erectus. Image credit: Yale University.

“Homo erectus holds a pivotal role in human evolution as the first species of our genus to migrate from Africa,” remarked lead author Qiaomei Fu, Ph.D., from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

“Despite their significance, the genetic traits, population diversity, and connections of Homo erectus to contemporary humans remain largely unexplored due to a lack of molecular evidence.”

“Thus, the contribution of Homo erectus to human evolution remains a fascinating enigma and a topic of ongoing debate.”

The research team studied Homo erectus fossils sourced from three sites across northern and southern China: Zhoukoudian near Beijing, Hexian in Anhui province, and Sunjiadong in Henan province.

Instead of attempting to recover DNA, the researchers focused on proteins found within tooth enamel.

From the six Homo erectus specimens, they identified two unique amino acid variants in a tooth development protein known as ameloblastin. One variant, AMBN-A253G, has not been registered in any other human or primate species.

The second variant, AMBN-M273V, was previously recognized exclusively in Denisovans.

These discoveries imply that ancient populations of Homo erectus in East Asia may have interbred with Denisovans, leaving behind genetic signatures.

Portrait of a young Denisovan woman based on a skeletal profile reconstructed from ancient DNA. Image credit: Maayan Harel.

“The first significant finding is the previously unidentified AMBN-A253G mutation, which serves as a potential molecular marker linked to Homo erectus‘ large population,” the researchers stated.

“Our analysis suggests that specimens from these three locations belonged to a single evolutionary lineage.”

“The second variant, AMBN-M273V, previously thought unique to Denisovans, is now shown to share a common origin with the Homo erectus population,” the team added.

This second variant likely entered the Denisovan lineage through interbreeding, eventually contributing to some modern human populations in Southeast Asia and Oceania.

“This research offers unprecedented insights into the possible connections between East Asian Homo erectus populations and their deep genetic links to certain modern humans, including Zhoukoudians and Denisovans.”

The complete findings are detailed in a recent publication in Nature.

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Q. Fu et al. studied 6 enamel proteins from Homo erectus specimens throughout China. The study was published online in Nature on May 13, 2026. doi: 10.1038/s41586-026-10478-8

Source: www.sci.news

Ancient Teeth Reveal Connections Between Denisovans and Homo Erectus

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Fossilized tooth of homo erectus from Sunjiadong, China

A tooth discovered in Sunjiadong, China. Homo erectus.

Credit: Qiaomei Fu, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

For the first time, researchers have successfully extracted significant amounts of preserved protein from fossils attributed to ancient humans, specifically Homo erectus.

While previous discoveries of H. erectus fossils exist, this is the first instance revealing substantial insights into this species. The recovered protein indicates interbreeding between H. erectus and another ancient Asian hominin, the Denisovans.

H. erectus is recognized as one of the longest-lived and widely dispersed species of hominins. They emerged in Africa approximately 2 million years ago and reached Eurasia around 1.8 million years ago, as evidenced by fossils found in Dmanisi, Georgia. Notably, some traveled to the island of Java, now part of Indonesia, where they thrived until roughly 108,000 years ago.

In 2020, a research team led by Fried Welker from the University of Copenhagen successfully extracted protein from the tooth enamel of a H. erectus specimen from Dmanisi. While this provided proof that proteins could be recovered from ancient fossils, John Hawkes of the University of Wisconsin-Madison noted that the data gathered was underwhelming, lacking substantial information about the Dmanisi fossils.

Recently, a team led by Qiao Meifu at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology in Beijing analyzed proteins from six designated H. erectus teeth. These specimens are approximately 400,000 years old and were sourced from various Chinese sites, including Zhoukoudian, Hexian, and Sunjiadong. The team identified a distinctive protein called amelogenin Y, finding that five teeth belonged to males, while one belonged to a female.

Mr. Fu did not respond to interview requests.

Among the six teeth analyzed, two unique protein variants were identified. One variant had not been observed in any human population, suggesting it is characteristic of H. erectus. The other variant was previously identified in Denisovans, who inhabited East Asia during the last several hundred thousand years. This raises intriguing questions about Denisovan interbreeding with an unidentified hominin group, potentially linked to H. erectus.

Hawkes acknowledges that while this interpretation is plausible, it’s merely one of three possible explanations for the data.

The critical uncertainty for Hawkes lies in whether the six teeth genuinely belong to H. erectus. Although results from the three sites seem reliable, the isolated tooth raises doubts regarding its classification, as its morphology does not match known H. erectus characteristics. Additionally, the historical context of H. erectus fossils in China complicates this determination, since all previously discovered fossils date back over a million years.

Hawkes posits an alternative scenario where the group may not actually be H. erectus at all but could be Denisovan. This potential mutation in protein may reflect variation within Denisovan populations. Supporting this idea, recent research analyzing Denisovan DNA across 30 modern human populations has indicated connections from three distinct Denisovan groups, each of which interbred with early Homo sapiens.

Alternatively, if the interbreeding between Denisovans and H. erectus did occur, Hu’s team suggested it hints at a lineage of Denisovans possessing H. erectus traits.

To resolve these possibilities, more fossil and molecular data will be essential, as noted by Hawkes.

Such uncertainties are not uncommon, as the study of ancient proteins is still in its nascent stages. Hawkes compares these early challenges to those faced during the initial exploration of ancient DNA.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

New Research Unveils Mosquito Menu Changes Linked to Homo Erectus Arrival in Southeast Asia

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Recent studies reveal that the ancestors of today’s malaria-spreading mosquitoes belong to the Anopheles leukophilus (Leucosphyrus) group. These mosquitoes may have begun feeding on humans approximately 1.8 million years ago, coinciding with the arrival of Homo erectus in Southeast Asia.

The arrival of Homo erectus led to the evolution of the primary human malaria vector in Southeast Asia 1.8 million years ago.

Feeding on humans is relatively rare among the 3,500 known species of mosquitoes; however, this predation behavior is a critical factor that enhances the likelihood of mosquitoes transmitting disease-causing pathogens.

“Mosquito-borne diseases represent a significant threat to public health,” stated study lead author Upasana Shamsunder Singh and her colleagues.

“The tendency of certain mosquito species to prefer humans (anthropism) significantly influences their capacity to transmit disease-causing pathogens.”

“While mosquitoes can show versatility in host selection, understanding the evolutionary roots of anthropogenicity and the circumstances that led to its development can offer valuable insights for combatting emerging diseases linked to mosquito-borne pathogens.”

For this study, researchers sequenced the DNA of 38 mosquitoes across 11 species from the genus Leucosphyllus collected in Southeast Asia between 1992 and 2020.

These DNA sequences, in conjunction with computer models and mutation rate estimates, allowed the team to reconstruct the evolutionary history of these mosquito species.

The researchers estimate that the preference for feeding on humans evolved within Leucosphyllus just once, between 2.9 million and 1.6 million years ago, in the Sundaland region, which includes the Malay Peninsula, Borneo, Sumatra, and Java.

Before this shift, the ancestors of the Leucosphyllus mosquito primarily fed on non-human primates.

This timeline aligns with the earliest proposed arrival of Homo erectus in the area around 1.8 million years ago, well before modern humans appeared approximately 76,000 to 63,000 years ago.

These findings also predate earlier estimates regarding the evolution of human-feeding preferences in the mosquito lineage that gave rise to Africa’s principal malaria vectors, such as Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles mosquito, which evolved between 509,000 and 61,000 years ago.

Prior studies indicate that shifts in mosquito dietary preferences necessitate multiple genetic changes related to the receptors that detect body odor.

The researchers suggest that the evolution of preferences for human body odors in Leucosphyllus may have been crucial due to the sizable populations of Homo erectus in Sundaland around 1.8 million years ago.

“Our findings imply that the anthropophilic Leucosphyllus group emerged in Sundaland during the Early Pleistocene. They must have been well-established and numerous in this region to adapt to preferences for human hosts,” the researchers noted.

“This supports the hypothesis that early hominins were both present and abundant in Sundaland 1.8 million years ago, before migrating through land bridges to Java.”

Middle Pleistocene fossils of Homo erectus suggest long-term habitation of the exposed Sundaland landmass, potentially linked to large river systems.

“Given the highly fragmented fossil record in tropical Southeast Asia, our findings provide crucial evidence for understanding hominin colonization in this region,” added the research team.

The team’s findings were published in the journal Scientific Reports.

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US Thin others. 2026. The arrival of early humans in Southeast Asia led to the evolution of a major human malaria vector. Scientific Reports 16, 6973; doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-35456-y

Source: www.sci.news

Homo Erectus Arrived in East Asia Sooner than Previously Believed

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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.

Reconstruction of Homo erectus.

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

Source: www.sci.news

New study suggests Homo erectus flourished in grassland and desert environments one million years ago

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homo erectusan early member of the genus homoA new study shows that a new study shows that the astronauts were able to successfully navigate longer, harsher and drier terrain in eastern Africa than previously thought.

archaic humans. Image credit: Ninara / CC BY 2.0.

For a long time, debate has centered on when this genus originated. homo They have acquired the adaptability to survive even in extreme environments such as deserts and tropical rainforests.

Traditionally, homo sapiens Archaic humans were thought to be able to sustainably occupy such ecosystems, and ancient hominids were thought to be confined to smaller ranges.

However, evidence suggests that at an early stage homo Two million years ago, they had the ability to adapt to diverse and unstable environments.

“It’s extinct now, but homo erectus Professor Michael Petraglia of Griffith University said: “Humans have existed for an estimated 1.5 million years or more, marking the successful survival of the species in our evolutionary history.” Compared to that, it is about 300,000 years until now.

Professor Julio Mercader of the University of Calgary added, “Their success is due to their ability to survive over long periods of time characterized by many changes in environment and climate.”

Investigate how climate change has affected ecological ranges, dispersal patterns, and technology. homo erectusThe authors conducted an interdisciplinary study at Engazi Nayori in Oldupai Gorge, an important early human settlement on the equator in Tanzania.

They discovered that between about 1.2 million and 1 million years ago, the region remained semi-desert, with distinctive plant life.

Archaeological data suggests the existence of the following groups: homo erectus They repeatedly settled in areas where fresh water was available, such as ponds, and adapted to local conditions by developing specialized stone tools such as scrapers and jagged tools (known as denticles).

The researchers suggest that, taken together, these findings demonstrate that: homo erectus Their ability to survive in extreme environments was far greater than previously thought.

“This adaptive profile, characterized by resilience in arid regions, challenges assumptions about the dispersal limits and location of early humans.” homo erectus As a versatile generalist and the first human to transcend environmental boundaries on a global scale,” Professor Petraglia said.

“This adaptability is probably due to homo erectus They invaded the arid regions of Africa and Eurasia and redefined their role as ecological generalists, thriving in some of the most difficult landscapes of the Middle Pleistocene,” added Professor Paul Durkin of the University of Manitoba. .

of findings Posted in today's diary Nature Communication Earth and Environment.

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J. Mercader others. 2025. homo erectus One million years ago, they adapted to the extreme climates of grasslands and deserts. common global environment 6, 1; doi: 10.1038/s43247-024-01919-1

Source: www.sci.news

The Flores hominin likely descended from ancient Asian Homo erectus

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Two recently discovered small hominin species, Homo floresiensis and Homo luzonensisraises the question of why such extreme body size reduction occurred in extinct human species in island environments. Previous research at Mata Menge on the Indonesian island of Flores has shown that early Middle Pleistocene human ancestors Homo floresiensis The jaws and teeth were even smaller. Now, paleoanthropologists have discovered additional hominid fossils in the same deposits at Mata Menge. The adult humerus (the lower half of the upper arm bone) is estimated to be 9 to 16 percent shorter and thinner than the type specimen. Homo floresiensis It is estimated to be about 60,000 years old and is smaller than the humerus of an adult human from the Plio-Pleistocene epoch. Homo floresiensis The lineage probably evolved from early Asia. Homo erectus This was a lineage that had existed for a long time on Flores Island, with a remarkably small body size, for at least 700,000 years.

Reconstruction Homo floresiensisImage courtesy of Elisabeth Daynes.

Homo floresiensis This is a small hominin species from the Late Pleistocene discovered in a limestone cave in Liang Bua, western Flores.

Archaeological evidence suggests that this species lived in Liang Bua as recently as 50,000 years ago, around the time that our species first appeared. Homo sapienshas been established in southern Australia for a long time.

The origins of the mysterious humans from Flores have been much debated.

The first hypothesis was Homo floresiensis They were dwarf descendants of early Asians Homo erectus.

Another theory is that “Hobbits” are remnants of an earlier human race that originated in Africa around 1000 BC. Homo erectus If you are naturally short, some good candidates are: Homo habilis or Australopithecus afarensisThis species includes the famous “Lucy”.

Besides Liang Bua, hominin fossils have only been found at one other site on Flores, at the open-air site of Mata Menge, 75 km east of the cave.

Located in the sparsely populated tropical grasslands of the Soa Basin, the site has previously contained several other hominin fossils, including a jaw fragment and six teeth, unearthed in sandstone deposits near a stream some 700,000 years ago.

The Mata Menge fossils are 650,000 years older than the Liang Bua man and have been found to belong to at least three individuals, with jaws and teeth slightly smaller than those of the Liang Bua man. Homo floresiensisThis suggests that small body sizes evolved early in human history on Flores.

However, because no bones below the skull have been found in the fossil record from this site, it is not possible to confirm whether these Soar Basin hominins were at least as large, or even slightly smaller. Homo floresiensis.

Furthermore, due to a lack of diagnostic specimens, it was unclear to which species the Mata Menge fossils belonged.

However, some of the teeth are thought to be intermediate in morphology to earlier Asian teeth. Homo erectus and Homo floresiensis.

This is an artist's reproduction Homo erectusImage courtesy of Yale University.

in New paper Published in the journal Nature CommunicationsProfessor Yosuke Kaifu of the University of Tokyo and his colleagues report the discovery of three additional hominin fossils at the 700,000-year-old Mata Menge site after several on-site excavations at the site.

Most importantly, this new assemblage contains the first postcranial element, the distal shaft of the adult humerus.

The fossil limb bones discovered at the Mata Menge excavation site have been long awaited as they provide a wealth of evidence regarding the origins of our human ancestors. Homo floresiensis.

Digital microscopic examination of the microstructure revealed that the small humerus belonged to an adult individual.

Based on the estimated length of the bones, the team was able to calculate that the hominin was about 100 centimetres tall.

This is about 6cm shorter than the estimated height 60,000 years ago. Homo floresiensis Liang Bua skeleton (approximately 106cm based on femur length).

“This 700,000-year-old adult humerus is Homo floresiensis“This is the smallest humerus bone in the human fossil record anywhere in the world,” Professor Adam Blum, from Griffith University, said.

“This extremely rare specimen Homo floresiensis The body size was very small.”

“But the small size of these limb bones reveals that the hobbit's early ancestors were even smaller than we previously thought.”

Two additional hominid teeth from Mata Menge are also smaller in size, one of which is an early Homo erectus Java.

This similarity is Homo floresiensis It evolved from an older, more primitive type of hominin and has never been found anywhere else, not even in Indonesia, or anywhere else in Africa.

The Mata Menge skeleton now contains a total of 10 fossil specimens, representing at least four individuals, including two children.

They are all anatomically very similar to the Liang Bu. Homo floresiensis They are now considered to be an ancient variant of this human species.

However, this early form, although directly ancestral to the “hobbits”, had a less specialized dentition (more primitive teeth) than the descendants of Liang Bua.

Furthermore, the small arm bones indicate that extreme body size reduction occurred early in the history of Flores's population.

“The evolutionary history of humans on Flores is still largely unknown,” Professor Blum said.

“But the new fossils suggest that the story of The Hobbit Homo erectus “Maybe a million years ago, it somehow became isolated on this remote Indonesian island, and over time its body size dramatically decreased.”

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Hiroyuki Kaifu others2024. Early evolution of small body size Homo floresiensis. Nat Community 15, 6381; doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-50649-7

Source: www.sci.news