By Tionsdragon Man
Photo of the lookalike of Dragon Man
A recent science roundup has drawn attention to new interpretations of the 鈥淒ragon Man鈥 fossil, a remarkably preserved ancient human skull discovered in northeastern China in the 1930s. Previously proposed as a new species named Homo longi, recent research now links it more closely to the Denisovans鈥攁 little-understood hominin group known mostly from DNA and fragmentary fossils. This shift is based on both morphological comparisons and genetic evidence, which show that Dragon Man shares key features with known Denisovan remains.Estimated to be over 140,000 years old, the Dragon Man skull could be the most complete Denisovan specimen ever found.Its discovery challenges prior assumptions about the geographic range and diversity of the Denisovans, who are believed to have interbred with early modern humans in Asia. The skull鈥檚 size, thick brow ridges, and robust jaw align with what little is known about Denisovan anatomy from bone fragments found in Siberia and Tibet.If confirmed, this fossil would help bridge major gaps in the human evolutionary timeline and shed light on the physical characteristics of a group previously known mostly through genetic studies.Live EventsIt also raises the possibility that other fossils previously assigned to Homo erectus or unidentified archaic humans in Asia may belong to the Denisovan lineage. Further study of the Dragon Man skull could help scientists better understand how Denisovans adapted to diverse climates, interacted with other hominins, and contributed to the genetic makeup of modern human populations in Asia and Oceania.(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)
Read More News onDragon Man fossilDenisovansHomo longihuman evolutionancient human skull discoveryearly modern humans
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(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)Read More News onDragon Man fossilDenisovansHomo longihuman evolutionancient human skull discoveryearly modern humans(Catch all the US News, UK News, Canada News, International Breaking News Events, and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.) Download The Economic Times News App to get Daily International News Updates….moreless