The latest steps of human evolution: What the hard evidence has to say about it?

Abstract

The latest periods of human evolution are a heated topic of debate and have been at the center of paleoanthropological discussions since the beginning of the field. In the last twenty years, new excavations increased the geographic range of paleoanthropological data, new fossil hominins of the last third of the Pleistocene were found, and old key fossils were redated by modern and more accurate methods. The new picture emerging from this research changed the discussion about the neandertal-sapiens interaction, the finding of their common ancestor, and the understanding of how our lineage evolved. To integrate these new discoveries and to better contextualize how they fit in the hominin framework of the Chibanian, we compared the cranial morphology of 86 well-preserved fossils from Europe, Africa, and Asia of the last 500 thousand years. 25 linear measurements were used to describe the cranial morphology of the fossils, and their biological affinities were explored though multivariate discriminant function analyses. These analyses allow us to assess affinities and possible phylogenetic relationships of Archaic Homo species, including the expressive morphological variability of the specimens included under the umbrella-term “Homo heidelbergensis” from Africa, Asia, and Europe. Our results support that cannot be accommodated in one same species. Additionally, we contribute to the disputable discussion about the origin of H. sapiens, adding support to an African origin for our species.