Million-year-old skull challenges human evolution timeline

October 02, 2025 / 9:54 AM

Sharjah24 - AFP: A digital reconstruction of a million-year-old skull suggests that humans may have diverged from their ancestors 400,000 years earlier than previously believed — and possibly in Asia rather than Africa. The skull, known as Yunxian 2, was unearthed in China in 1990 and initially classified as Homo erectus.

Advanced technology reveals new clues

Using CT scanning and virtual reconstruction techniques, scientists compared the skull with more than 100 other fossils. The results revealed a mix of traits: some similar to Homo erectus, but others closer to Homo longi and Homo sapiens, hinting at a larger brain capacity.

Implications for human origins

Researchers argue this could resolve the long-debated “Muddle in the Middle” of human evolution, showing that distinct human groups had already formed by one million years ago. If accurate, it challenges the long-held belief that early humans originated solely in Africa.

Expert reactions and skepticism

While some scientists, including anthropologist Chris Stringer, called the findings transformative, others remain cautious. Michael Petraglia noted it could “muddy the waters” on Africa’s central role in human dispersal, while archaeologist Andy Herries questioned whether morphology alone can reliably trace evolutionary history.

A complex human story

The study, published in Science, underscores the growing complexity of human origins research. The discovery follows recent debates around Homo longi (“Dragon Man”), identified as a new species in 2021. “Fossils like Yunxian 2 remind us how much we still have to learn,” Stringer said.