ch Center on Human Evolution, researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) believe they have identified a hitherto unknown ancestry – a combination of the branch that generated modern humans and the branch that created other ancient hominins in the region, like Denisovans.
The virtually reconstructed HLD 6 skull: (A) anterior view, (B) left lateral view, (C) posterior view, (D) isometric (right lateral) view, (E) superior view, and (F) inferior view. Filled-in mirror-imaged portions are shown in gray. Wu Liu et al. / National Academy of Sciences
Historically, many hominin fossils from the Pleistocene that have been found in China haven’t fitted easily into any one lineage. As a result, such remains are often explained away as intermediate variations on a straight path to modern humanity; as an archaic example of a Homo sapien, for example, or an advanced form of Homo erectus.
