What's happened
Researchers have discovered fossilized footprints in Kenya, providing direct evidence that two hominin species, Homo erectus and Paranthropus boisei, coexisted around 1.5 million years ago. This finding offers insights into their interactions and behaviors, marking a significant advancement in understanding human evolution.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to The Guardian, researchers led by Dr. Kevin Hatala found that the footprints were made by Paranthropus boisei and Homo erectus within hours or days of each other, marking a significant breakthrough in understanding human ancestry. The New York Times emphasized the clarity of the footprints as a snapshot of the past, contrasting with the often ambiguous nature of skeletal remains. The Independent highlighted the implications of this discovery for understanding how these species may have interacted, suggesting they were aware of each other's presence. Overall, the findings underscore the complexity of human evolution and the need for further exploration in this area.
How we got here
The discovery stems from excavations at the Turkana Basin in Kenya, where fossilized footprints were found alongside skeletal remains. Previous research suggested these species coexisted, but this is the first direct evidence of their simultaneous presence in the same area.
More on these topics
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Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country in Eastern Africa. At 580,367 square kilometres, Kenya is the world's 48th largest country by total area. With a population of more than 47.6 million people, Kenya is the 29th most populous country.
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Lake Turkana, formerly known as Lake Rudolf, is a lake in the Kenyan Rift Valley, in northern Kenya, with its far northern end crossing into Ethiopia. It is the world's largest permanent desert lake and the world's largest alkaline lake.