Homo Sapiens Date to 195,000 Years
Posted on: Wednesday, 16 February 2005, 21:00 CST
A new study of fossils found in 1967 near Kibish, Ethiopia, further dates the earliest known member of our human species to 195,000 years.
Earlier studies of the bones of two early humans found at the site had concluded they were 130,000 years old.
It pushes back the beginning of anatomically modern humans, says geologist Frank Brown, a co-author of the study and dean of the University of Utah's College of Mines and Earth Sciences.
Brown conducted the research with Ian McDougall of Australian National University in Canberra, and John Fleagle of New York State's Stony Brook University.
The researchers dated mineral crystals in volcanic ash layers above and below layers of river sediments that contain the early human bones.
Brown said dating the emergence of Homo is significant because the cultural aspects of humanity in most cases appear much later in the record - only 50,000 years ago - which would mean 150,000 years of Homo sapiens without cultural stuff, such as evidence of eating fish, of harpoons, anything to do with music (flutes and that sort of thing), needles, even tools.
The journal Nature published the study in its Thursday issue.
Source: United Press International
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