| Themes > Science > Life Sciences > Physical Anthropology > Human Fossils > New fossil find provides important clues to man's prehistory |
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The April 23 issue of the Science magazine announced the discovery of the fossilised remains of a new species of hominid [human ancestor], which provides important clues into the early history of human beings. The find was made by a multinational team of scientists headed by Ethiopian anthropologist Dr. Berhane Asfaw. The new species was originally discovered in 1996 in the Afar depression in eastern Ethiopia on the edge of the Horn of Africa. But it has taken three years to fully explore and reveal the potential of the site. The species, which has been named Australopithecus garhi, was identified by a skullcap and an upper jaw with teeth. The Berkley Geochronology Center used the argon-argon radioisotopic method to date the fossil at 2.5 million years old. |
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