News in Brief Anthropology

Butchered bird bones put humans in Madagascar 10,500 years ago

Cut marks on the remains of an ancient elephant bird pushes the timeline back 6,000 years

elephant bird illustration and leg bones

BACK IN TIME  Researchers say people reached Madagascar at least 10,500 years ago and began hunting now-extinct elephant birds, depicted at left. Two leg bones of elephant birds, right, display damage inflicted by meat-seeking humans.

Alain Rasolo (illustration), V.R. Pérez/Univ. of Mass. Amherst (photos)

By Bruce Bower

- More than 2 years ago

Humans made their mark on Madagascar around 6,000 years earlier than previously thought, scientists say.