Common Ancestor Of Humans, Modern Primates? 'Extraordinary' Fossil Is 47 Million Years Old
Tuesday, May 19, 2009 - 10:23
in Paleontology & Archaeology
Scientists have found a 47-million-year-old human ancestor. Discovered in Messel Pit, Germany, the fossil, described as Darwinius masillae, is 20 times older than most fossils that explain human evolution. Known as "Ida," the fossil is a transitional species -- it shows characteristics from the very primitive non-human evolutionary line (prosimians, such as lemurs), but is more related to the human evolutionary line (anthropoids, such as monkeys, apes and humans). At 95% complete, the fossil provides the most complete understanding of the paleobiology of any Eocene primate so far discovered.