A recent review published in Science highlights the ongoing uncertainty surrounding human evolutionary history, emphasizing that the last common ancestor shared with apes has yet to be identified. Researchers note that the fossil record and current models present conflicting interpretations, with no consensus among paleoanthropologists. The divergence between humans and chimpanzees, our closest living relatives, is estimated to have occurred between 9.3 million and 6.5 million years ago, yet the precise characteristics of this ancestor remain elusive.
The review, led by Sergio Almécija from the American Museum of Natural History, points out that different scientific approaches—studying living chimpanzees ("top-down") versus examining fossil apes ("bottom-up")—have yet to be reconciled, contributing to the confusion. Co-author Ashley Hammond stresses that reliance solely on extant apes is insufficient since they represent specialized species, distinct from the broader diversity of now-extinct Miocene apes. The authors argue for an integrative approach that includes fossil evidence and genetic data from both living and extinct species to better understand human origins.
This ongoing challenge matters because it underscores fundamental gaps in our understanding of human evolution, a field that has significantly evolved since Charles Darwin’s 19th-century hypothesis of a shared African ancestor. Despite numerous fossil discoveries supporting evolutionary theory, the absence of a definitive “missing link” highlights the complexity of tracing lineage through incomplete records. Clarifying this evolutionary narrative is crucial not only for anthropology but also for comprehending the processes that shaped modern human biology and behavior.
Source: Ancient Code
