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Published online 26 March 2008 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news.2008.691
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Fossil find is oldest European yet
Spanish jawbone is earliest human remains from Western Europe.
Spanish palaeontologists have dug up the remains of a 1.2-million-year-old humanlike inhabitant of Western Europe.
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Good article, and a good find. However, why rush to give it a name? Are there clear distinctions between it and Ergaster or Hidelbergensis? May it even be Erectus which lived long enough to go almost anywhere. Too early naming means entrenched positions which are hard to retreat from as new information comes along. However, good hunting.
Thanks for the intersting article.
Interesting article with a good information.
Good article. We must change our evolution concepts everyday. Congratulations
Very interesting article. I hope some day you could issue another article about the first Homo sapiens in America, especially in the Baja California peninsula. Thanks a lot.
Let us remember that the absence of fossil funds does not suggest the absence of fossils. Human origins in Europe may, and are likely to, extend back beyond the date this new find will lead experts to suggest. The theory is only as good as the caveat "based on current understanding." Let us, in each area of science, remember to ask why we are studying or postulating the subject matter. What is the broader goal of each endeavor or hypothesis--beyond the purely intellectual pursuit?
Great find. Homo sapiens, for sure. It's a pity, however, we can't ever do a proper genetic analysis (for say FOXP2) to demonstrate or exclude it's homo sapiens. When do they ever learn not to touch them barehanded?