New Australopithecus species lived alongside early humans: Study
Researchers just uncovered fossils of a previously unknown species of Australopithecus at Ethiopia's Ledi-Geraru site.
These remains—dating back 2.6 to 2.8 million years—show this species actually lived at the same time and place as some of the earliest humans (the Homo genus).
It's a big deal for understanding our roots.
Finding shows ancient relatives coexisted
The team found 13 teeth: 10 from the new Australopithecus and three from early Homo, plus the oldest known Homo jawbone ever (2.8 million years old).
This proves several human-like species shared East Africa, challenging the idea that one simply replaced another.
Instead, it looks like our family tree was full of overlapping branches, with different species possibly surviving by eating different foods or living in unique ways.
Scientists are now searching for more clues about how these ancient relatives really lived side by side.