Stony Brook Research

Scientists Date Modern Humans Back Almost 200,000 Years

A team of scientists has determined that human fossils found in Ethiopia in 1967 are 195,000 years old--making them the oldest known remains of modern Homo sapiens. Prof. John Fleagle, Anatomical Sciences, is co-author of an article in the February 17 issue of the journal Nature detailing the research. The fossils were originally found by a team lead by Richard Leakey, Distinguished Visiting Professor of Anthropology, but there was much uncertainty and controversy surrounding their age. By applying modern radiometric dating techniques and a careful study of sediments and fossils the researchers were able to link the fossils to a specific period in time. The findings of the study also give support to the theories of an African origin for the human species.

"For over two decades now the Kibish fossils [found in 1967 by Leakey's team] have been critical evidence that modern humans were present in Africa well before we spread to other parts of the world," said Fleagle. "It is really exciting, and tremendously important, to know that we can now say human origins began even longer ago than we thought." Prof. Fleagle is a MacArthur Fellow, the author of the textbook Primate Adaptation and Evolution and the Editor of Evolutionary Anthropology.

More information can be found at:
The National Science Foundation
http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=102968&org=olpa&from=news
The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/17/science/17human.html
Nature
http://www.nature.com/cgi-taf/DynaPage.taf?file=/nature/journal/v433/n7027/full/nature03258_fs.html

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