 Scientists have discovered a fossilised skull in China unlike any other human relative found before – it has no chin. The skull, which belongs to a 12- or 13-year-old child labelled 'HLD 6', has a mix of modern human and primitive features. The findings suggest that the child may represent a new lineage of humans that coexisted with other hominins in Asia. In 2019, scientists found a number of human fossils in Hualongdong, East China, dating back to around 300,000 years ago, including a jaw bone, partial skull and leg bones. In the years since, experts at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have struggled to match the remains to a known lineage. While its face has modern human-like features, the limbs, skull, and jaw 'seem to reflect more primitive traits', according to the authors of the study, published in the Journal of Human Evolution. The jawbone in particular exhibited some unique features – a unique bend and a triangular lower edge. It was described as having no 'true' chin. The skull, which belongs to a 12- or 13-year-old child labelled 'HLD 6', has a mix of modern-human and primitive features (Picture: Wu et al., Journal of Human Evolution, 2023) Previously, genome studies on Neanderthal remains in Europe and western Asia pointed to the existence of another lineage of human ancestors, but the missing group was never officially identified in fossil records. Researchers think this fossil found in China could be the missing piece of the puzzle. The mix of physical features found in this ancient hominin supports the coexistence of three lineages in Asia – the lineage of Homo erectus, the Denisovans, and a new lineage that is 'phylogenetically close' to us. The two main branches of human evolution – and a potential third (Picture: Wu et al., Journal of Human Evolution, 2023) Homo sapiens appeared in China around 120,000 years ago, but some of our 'modern' feature){kind=link}
NEWS… BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT
Scientists have discovered a fossilised skull in China unlike any other human relative found before – it has no chin.
The skull, which belongs to a 12- or 13-year-old child labelled ‘HLD 6’, has a mix of modern human and primitive features. The findings suggest that the child may represent a new lineage of humans that coexisted with other hominins in Asia.
In 2019, scientists found a number of human fossils in Hualongdong, East China, dating back to around 300,000 years ago, including a jaw bone, partial skull and leg bones.
In the years since, experts at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have struggled to match the remains to a known lineage.