Earliest Ancestor Emerges in Africa

Our ancient kin have taken a big step back in time. An international team working in Ethiopia has found bones and teeth of the earliest known hominid, a member in good standing of humanity’s evolutionary family.

Ardipithecus finds include jaw fragment (white arrow) and toe bone (yellow arrow). Hand holds a piece of a collarbone. T.D. White/Brill Atlanta

The fragmentary remains come from at least five individuals–in the genus Ardipithecus–who lived between 5.2