Sensational find in Ethiopia.

Sensational find in Ethiopia. A 2.6-million-year-old jawbone has been discovered in Ethiopia, filling an important gap in the puzzle of human evolution, according to a study. The discovery is the first fossil evidence of the robust, large-toothed hominin genus Paranthropus in Ethiopia's Afar region and extends its known range by about 1,000 kilometers northward, as a new study in Nature, led by researcher Zeresenay Alemseged, shows. The fossil is the first confirmed Paranthropus specimen from the Afar region, which is also home to other early human relatives such as Australopithecus and Homo. Its discovery challenges previous theories that Paranthropus was geographically restricted or unable to compete with early members of the genus Homo. The find suggests that Paranthropus was more widespread and ecologically adaptable than previously thought. According to Alemseged, the discovery helps rewrite the narrative of human evolution by showing that Paranthropus thrived in diverse landscapes alongside our ancestors and was not a marginalized species. *1) Paranthropus is an extinct genus of hominins classified as robust australopithecines, exhibiting pronounced adaptations for heavy chewing, such as massive jaws, large molars (megadontia), and sagittal ridges for powerful jaw muscles. It comprises two generally recognized species: P. robustus from southern Africa and P. boisei from eastern Africa, with P. aethiopicus sometimes considered an early form. These hominins lived approximately 2.9 million to 1 million years ago and inhabited Pliocene and Middle Pleistocene sites in South Africa (e.g., Kromdraai, Swartkrans), Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania. Recent discoveries in Ethiopia's Afar region (2026) expand our understanding of their adaptability to diverse ecosystems beyond forests and savannas. Paranthropus exhibited pronounced sexual dimorphism, with males being larger (up to…). Males (approximately 1.2 m tall, 54 kg) were significantly larger than females (approximately 1 m tall, 40 kg), suggesting social structures similar to gorilla-like harems. Their extremely robust skulls, powerful mandibles, and cup-shaped faces suggest a predominantly vegetarian diet focused on tough, fibrous plants. Paranthropus is often considered a side branch rather than a direct ancestor of humans. It likely diverged from Australopithecus around 2.8–2.5 million years ago, along with early Homo, possibly due to environmental changes that favored specialized foraging. In some debates, it is grouped with Australopithecus, but it represents a distinct adaptive lineage in human evolution. *2) The Afar region is a northeastern regional state in Ethiopia and home to the Afar people. It is characterized by extreme desert landscapes, including the Danakil Depression, one of the hottest and lowest points in Africa. The Afar region encompasses the Afar Triangle, part of the Great Rift Valley, with active volcanoes, salt lakes, and the Awash River valley. It borders Eritrea, Djibouti, and Ethiopian regions such as Tigray and Somali, and in areas like Dallol, it extends below sea level. https://www.stern.de/panorama/wissen/mensch/4-4-millionen-jahre-altes-skelett-weder-mensch-noch-affe-3444954.html