chris stringer
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Virgin Galactic Flight Carries Precious Hominin Fossils to Space’s Edge, Sparking Controversy
In a move that is garnering considerable criticism from the scientific community, a recent Virgin Galactic mission transported two ancient hominin fossils to the edge of space. Launched from Spaceport America in New Mexico on Friday, May 8, the V.S.S. Unity spaceplane carried fragments from Australopithecus sediba and Homo naledi, hominin species fundamental to understanding…
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Humanity’s Ancestor Could Get a New Name: ‘Homo Bodoensis’
The chronicling of human evolution has proven to be an onerous and complicated task, resulting in all sorts of contradictions and inconsistencies. A group of scientists is seeking to make better sense of this anthropological mess by proposing a new species of ancestral human that calls for the reassigning of certain fossils.
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Researchers May Have Found True Identity of Ancient ‘Hobbit’ Species
Anthropologists know of at least two ancient species of tiny humans that lived on the islands of southeast Asia over 50,000 years ago. The origin of these extinct humans is unknown, but new research suggests they’re more closely related to Denisovans and Neanderthals — and, by consequence, modern humans — than previously thought.