Fossils in China expand human family tree

Fossils in China expand human family tree

The story of human evolution is long and complex - and it becomes more complicated every year. Discoveries over the past two decades have added new branches to humanity's family tree, including species like the hobbit-like Homo floresiensis and that powerfully built Homo naledi. In 2010, a small finger bone was discovered from Denisova Cave in the Altai Mountains of Siberia, leading to the suggestion of a distinct ancient human population called Denisovans, to which some people may be related today. Researchers are now trying to solve the mystery of a collection of human-like fossils that remained unexplained for decades.

A new discovery in the human family tree

Skull remains, teeth and jaws found at various sites in China have sparked speculation among some researchers that they have discovered remains of a previously unknown ancient human relative. Scientists suggest calling this species Homo juluensis because it is a extremely large brain possesses that is greater than that of modern humans. The name of this newly identified species is causing controversy among some experts. But researchers Christopher Bae, a professor at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and his colleague Wu Xiujie, a senior professor at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology in Beijing, believe the species may also include the elusive Denisovans - although a piece of skull that can be attributed to these cave dwellers has not yet been found.

The secret of fast radio bursts

Since the discovery of the mysterious fast radio bursts in 2007, astronomers have been trying to figure out what causes them. These flashes release more energy in milliseconds than the sun does in a whole day. Thanks to the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment radio telescope, researchers have now been able to determine the sources of two recently described eruptions. The scientists were able to trace one of these eruptions to the turbulent and magnetically active region around one rapidly rotating star called a magnetar, trace back. The other pulse came from the outskirts of a distant, old and dead galaxy that is no longer producing new stars, according to a new study. These widely different origins lead astronomers to believe that the flashes can occur in different environments, which could help unravel the phenomenon.

Survival in the Wild Kingdom

The brush-tailed gopher could be mistaken for a miniature kangaroo due to its appearance and the pouch in which it carries its young. But the little marsupial has a less cute side: It will eject the baby, called a joey, from the pouch and hop away when threatened by predators. This brutal strategy is necessary for the survival of a species that has seen its population decline by 90% and even disappeared from South Australia's Yorke Peninsula at one point. Conservation efforts are bringing the brush-goed back to its ancestral lands, where it plays an important ecological role. As the marsupials dig for their primary food, underground fungi, they aerate the soil and promote the growth of plants on which other animals depend.

Look at the sky

A Ring doorbell camera captured the moment a meteor hit the sidewalk of a home on Canada's Prince Edward Island - where local professor Joe Velaidum had been standing just moments before. Scientists have now confirmed that the specimen, named Charlottetown after the nearby capital, is actually a space rock that fell to Earth in July. While videos of meteorite impacts have been documented before, this is the first time one has in such close proximity and with sound was seen. The space rock likely spent millions of years hurtling through our solar system before landing in its new home, the University of Alberta's meteorite collection.

Secrets on alien worlds

Scientists used instruments from space probes orbiting Mars to focus on mysterious hills on the red planet's surface. Thousands of hills cover Mars' lowlands, and they could hold the key to understanding the red planet's past. These towering features resemble the buttes and mesas of Monument Valley on the Arizona-Utah border. Ancient water flows that existed between 4 and 3.8 billion years ago likely eroded and sculpted the formations, a new analysis of orbital images shows. The hills included Layers of minerals, which can reveal the history of water on Mars and may be studied by the European Space Agency's ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover, planned for 2028.

Fascinating discoveries

Expand your knowledge with these interesting articles:

• Geschmolzene Metalle im Erdinneren erzeugen ein sich ständig bewegendes Magnetfeld, was bedeutet, dass der magnetische Nordpol nicht fest ist. Er ist jetzt näher an Sibirien als vor fünf Jahren – und driftet weiterhin in Richtung Russland.
• Kameraschnappschüsse halfen Wissenschaftlern, seltene Arten zu entdecken, darunter den Sonnenbär und die erste dokumentierte Sichtung in Kambodscha einer bedrohten Hirschart, dem Großgeweihte Muntjac, in einem nahezu unerforschten Teil des südostasiatischen Landes.
• Archäologen in Dänemark legten Hunderte von Scheiben mit Schnitzereien der Sonne frei. Die Forscher glauben, dass Steinzeitbauern die „Sonnensteine“ als Reaktion auf einen verheerenden Vulkanausbruch vor fast 5.000 Jahren begruben.

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