Nearly 1.5 million years ago, two species of humans lived alongside each other, may be aware of the existence of the other and even interact. A study has revealed that the two species of ancient humans crossed paths on a lakeshore in what is now modern-day Kenya. That ancient lakeshore is part of the Koobi Fora fossil site.

The revelation was made by fossilised footprints in the sand in the area that have preserved the unexpected and extraordinary moment. Scientists say they likely lived as friendly neighbours instead of squabbling over their differences.&nbsp;

The study was published in the journal Science on Thursday (Nov 28).

"Their presence on the same surface, made closely together in time, places the two species at the lake margin, using the same habitat," geologist and anthropologist Craig Feibel of Rutgers University in the United States said.

The footprints were so closely made that they indicated that the two species passed each other in this area within hours to a couple of days.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-blame-ancient-humans-for-extinction-of-woolly-rhinoceros-10000-years-ago-729200">Scientists blame ancient humans for extinction of woolly rhinoceros 10,000 years ago</a>

Kevin Hatala, first author of the study and an associate professor of biology at Chatham University in Pittsburgh, said, “We see them in the very same lake margin environment, passing within this area within hours to a couple of days of one another."

"They probably would have been aware of each other’s existence. They saw each other and they might have interacted,” added Hatala.

<h2>Footprints in Kenya</h2>

The footprints at Koobi Fora were first spotted in 2007. They are the oldest known example of hominins walking upright like modern-day humans. In the same region, the skeletal remains of several ancient human relatives have also been found.&nbsp;

More footprints have been found since then, with the most recent ones in 2021. Scientists noted deep and perfectly preserved prints gouged out of what was once soft, squishy mud. They were covered with sediment over time, but Hatala's team excavated them in 2022.&nbsp;

“There’s one long trackway with 12 (hominin) footprints in it. It was made at a decent walking pace … especially since they were walking through mud. There’s not a clear destination at the end,” Hatala said.

<h2>They lived peacefully</h2>

The researchers discovered that based on the imprints, two distinct walking styles existed at the time. They were made by two different species of hominin and both inhabited the site. The prints appear in the same sediment layer, which led them to conclude that they were made at the same time.

Researchers say that the two species coexisted with each other because they had different diets and lifestyles. They did not have to compete with each other, and so lived peacefully.

They are confident that the footprints were made within hours to a few days of one another since there is no cracking on the surface of the footprints. That would have happened if they were exposed to air.

Nearly 1.5 million years ago, two species of humans lived alongside each other, may be aware of the existence of the other and even interact. A study has revealed that the two species of ancient humans crossed paths on a lakeshore in what is now modern-day Kenya.

Nearly 1.5 million years ago, two species of humans lived alongside each other, may be aware of the existence of the other and even interact. A study has revealed that the two species of ancient humans crossed paths on a lakeshore in what is now modern-day Kenya. That ancient lakeshore is part of the Koobi Fora fossil site. The revelation was made by fossilised footprints in the sand in the area that have preserved the unexpected and extraordinary moment. Scientists say they likely lived as friendly neighbours instead of squabbling over their differences. The study was published in the journal Science on Thursday (Nov 28). "Their presence on the same surface, made closely together in time, places the two species at the lake margin, using the same habitat," geologist and anthropologist Craig Feibel of Rutgers University in the United States said. The footprints were so closely made that they indicated that the two species passed each other in this area within hours to a couple of days. Also Read: Scientists blame ancient humans for extinction of woolly rhinoceros 10,000 years ago Kevin Hatala, first author of the study and an associate professor of biology at Chatham University in Pittsburgh, said, “We see them in the very same lake margin environment, passing within this area within hours to a couple of days of one another." "They probably would have been aware of each other’s existence. They saw each other and they might have interacted,” added Hatala. Footprints in Kenya The footprints at Koobi Fora were first spotted in 2007. They are the oldest known example of hominins walking upright like modern-day humans. In the same region, the skeletal remains of several ancient human relatives have also been found. More footprints have been found since then, with the most recent ones in 2021. Scientists noted deep and perfectly preserved prints gouged out of what was once soft, squishy mud. They were covered with sediment over time, but Hatala's team excavated them in 2022. “There’s one long trackway with 12 (hominin) footprints in it. It was made at a decent walking pace … especially since they were walking through mud. There’s not a clear destination at the end,” Hatala said. They lived peacefully The researchers discovered that based on the imprints, two distinct walking styles existed at the time. They were made by two different species of hominin and both inhabited the site. The prints appear in the same sediment layer, which led them to conclude that they were made at the same time. Researchers say that the two species coexisted with each other because they had different diets and lifestyles. They did not have to compete with each other, and so lived peacefully. They are confident that the footprints were made within hours to a few days of one another since there is no cracking on the surface of the footprints. That would have happened if they were exposed to air.

Footprints in sand made 1.5 million years ago reveal something shockingly unexpected

#Gravitas As per reports, the Y chromosome which is a crucial determinant of the male sex is shrinking at an alarming rate. According to studies, over the last 166 million years, the Y chromosome has been gradually losing its genetic material, from 900 genes to just 55 now. If this trend continues unchecked, the Y chromosome could completely disappear. Without an alternative to the Y chromosome, the very survival of men, and by extension, the human species could be at risk.

Gravitas: Survival of men and by extension, the human species at risk?

A new study finds a key piece of the puzzle about how human speech and language evolved to be what it is today. This comes after researchers spent decades studying non-human primates and might have found the answer in tree-dwelling apes like orangutans, rather than ground-dwelling apes (gorillas, bonobos and chimpanzees).&nbsp;

Published in the Trends in Cognitive Sciences on Tuesday, the study was conducted by a researcher from the University of Warwick, United Kingdom. The study found that orangutans produce consonant-like calls more often and of a greater variety than their ground-dwelling cousins, which could also be because&nbsp;humans and orangutans share at least 97 per cent of their DNA.&nbsp;

While the study attributes this to&nbsp;the orangutans’ arboreal lifestyle which has seemingly driven them to develop different vocal repertoires, with large and varied inventories of consonant-like calls. Therefore, the study also suggests that our ancestors were more tree-dwelling than previously thought.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/to-show-coolness-orangutans-like-humans-use-slang-says-study-464507">To show coolness, orangutans like humans use slang, says study &nbsp;</a>

In a statement, the author of the study and associate professor of psychology at the University of Warwick, Dr Adriano Lameira, said, “Existing theories of speech evolution have thus far, focused exclusively on the connection between primate laryngeal anatomy and human use of vowels.” He added, “This doesn’t explain, though, how voice-less, consonant-like sounds became a fundamental component of every language spoken around the globe.”&nbsp;

This is of course in reference to how all spoken languages are composed of both vowels and consonants, while the former is always produced by the larynx, a cartilaginous segment of the throat, while the latter is typically more voiceless and produced moving lips, tongue, and mandible (lower jaw).&nbsp;

Therefore, in order to understand the origins of speech and the root-cause of consonant sounds in humans, the researcher compared patterns of consonant-like vocal production in the three aforementioned major great ape lineages. Additionally, unlike most primates and similar to human languages the great ape communication also consisted of both consonant-like and vowel-like calls, said the study.&nbsp;

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/orangutans-struggle-to-breathe-health-affected-by-toxic-haze-250413">Orangutans struggle to breathe; health affected by toxic haze</a>

“Wild gorillas, chimpanzees and bonobos don’t use a huge variety of consonant-like calls…Gorillas for example, have been found to use a particular consonant-like call, but this is only prevalent in some gorilla populations and not others,” Lameria noted.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, some chimpanzee populations produce one or two consonant-like calls associated with a single behaviour, like grooming, he added. &nbsp;However, these same grooming calls are uncommon in other chimpanzee populations.&nbsp;

On the other hand, wild orangutans use “consonant-like calls universally and consistently across different populations and for multiple behaviours, much like humans do with speech”, said the researcher. He also describes the orangutans’ vocal repertoire as a “rich display of smacking, clicks, kiss-sounds, splutters and raspberries.”&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/uk-scarlet-fever-on-significant-rise-with-10000-new-cases-what-is-scarlet-fever-and-its-symptoms-545009">UK: Scarlet fever on 'significant rise' with 10,000 new cases, what is scarlet fever and its symptoms?</a>

The author also believes that orangutans’ arboreal lifestyle and their limitation of using at least one limb constantly to provide stability among the trees to them overtime developing “greater control over their lips, tongue and jaw and can use their mouths as a fifth hand to hold food and manoeuvre tools.”&nbsp;

He also gives an example of how arboreal-dwelling apes can peel an orange using just their lips, “so their oral neuro-motoric control is far superior to that of African apes which evolved to become an integral part of their biology”. Therefore,&nbsp;research suggests that living in trees could have been a preadaptation for&nbsp;orangutans’ consonant-like calls which eventually led to&nbsp;speech evolution in our human ancestors.&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

A new study finds a key piece of the puzzle about how human speech and language evolved to be what it is today. This comes after researchers spent decades studying non-human primates and might have found the answer in tree-dwelling apes like orangutans, rather than ground-dwelling apes (gorillas, bonobos and chimpanzees).

A new study finds a key piece of the puzzle about how human speech and language evolved to be what it is today. This comes after researchers spent decades studying non-human primates and might have found the answer in tree-dwelling apes like orangutans, rather than ground-dwelling apes (gorillas, bonobos and chimpanzees). Published in the Trends in Cognitive Sciences on Tuesday, the study was conducted by a researcher from the University of Warwick, United Kingdom. The study found that orangutans produce consonant-like calls more often and of a greater variety than their ground-dwelling cousins, which could also be because humans and orangutans share at least 97 per cent of their DNA. While the study attributes this to the orangutans’ arboreal lifestyle which has seemingly driven them to develop different vocal repertoires, with large and varied inventories of consonant-like calls. Therefore, the study also suggests that our ancestors were more tree-dwelling than previously thought. ALSO READ | To show coolness, orangutans like humans use slang, says study In a statement, the author of the study and associate professor of psychology at the University of Warwick, Dr Adriano Lameira, said, “Existing theories of speech evolution have thus far, focused exclusively on the connection between primate laryngeal anatomy and human use of vowels.” He added, “This doesn’t explain, though, how voice-less, consonant-like sounds became a fundamental component of every language spoken around the globe.” This is of course in reference to how all spoken languages are composed of both vowels and consonants, while the former is always produced by the larynx, a cartilaginous segment of the throat, while the latter is typically more voiceless and produced moving lips, tongue, and mandible (lower jaw). Therefore, in order to understand the origins of speech and the root-cause of consonant sounds in humans, the researcher compared patterns of consonant-like vocal production in the three aforementioned major great ape lineages. Additionally, unlike most primates and similar to human languages the great ape communication also consisted of both consonant-like and vowel-like calls, said the study. ALSO WATCH | Orangutans struggle to breathe; health affected by toxic haze “Wild gorillas, chimpanzees and bonobos don’t use a huge variety of consonant-like calls…Gorillas for example, have been found to use a particular consonant-like call, but this is only prevalent in some gorilla populations and not others,” Lameria noted. Meanwhile, some chimpanzee populations produce one or two consonant-like calls associated with a single behaviour, like grooming, he added. However, these same grooming calls are uncommon in other chimpanzee populations. On the other hand, wild orangutans use “consonant-like calls universally and consistently across different populations and for multiple behaviours, much like humans do with speech”, said the researcher. He also describes the orangutans’ vocal repertoire as a “rich display of smacking, clicks, kiss-sounds, splutters and raspberries.” ALSO READ | UK: Scarlet fever on 'significant rise' with 10,000 new cases, what is scarlet fever and its symptoms? The author also believes that orangutans’ arboreal lifestyle and their limitation of using at least one limb constantly to provide stability among the trees to them overtime developing “greater control over their lips, tongue and jaw and can use their mouths as a fifth hand to hold food and manoeuvre tools.” He also gives an example of how arboreal-dwelling apes can peel an orange using just their lips, “so their oral neuro-motoric control is far superior to that of African apes which evolved to become an integral part of their biology”. Therefore, research suggests that living in trees could have been a preadaptation for orangutans’ consonant-like calls which eventually led to speech evolution in our human ancestors. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Study finds evolution of human speech by studying orangutan communication

More than a tenth of plant and animal species on Earth could go extinct by the end of the century if the current trends on emissions continue, according to a recently published paper that seeks to raise awareness even as the world governments are on their final leg of negotiations for COP15 in Montreal.

WION Climate Tracker: More than 1 in 10 species could go extinct by end of 21st century, says study

Scientists claim to have discovered a new species of humans. They've named the species 'Homo Longi' or 'Dragon Man'. They believe it was a separate branch of humanity which existed 146,000 years ago. What did it look like?

Gravitas: New Species of Human discovered

The ‘Hobbit’ species that lives in Southeast Asia 50,000 years ago may be closer to modern humans than previously thought, a new research reveals.

Published in Nature Ecology and Evolution, the new research suggests that the ‘Hobbits’ are closely related to Denisovans and Neanderthals, and based on this, also&nbsp;human beings. Fossils recovered of 'Homo Floresiensis'&nbsp;(‘Hobbits’) and another species 'Homo Luzonensis' revealed that both the species&nbsp;stood at 3 feet, 7 inches (109 cms).&nbsp;

Scientists say this dwarfism was a product of evolutionary processes over time which shrank the species due to unavailability of resources. Now, they have found that there was no inter-breeding among the two species.&nbsp;

The new research, led by João Teixeira from the University of Adelaide claims that interbreeding took place between Denisovans and modern human beings especially in Southeast Asia.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/residents-of-pompeii-suffocated-within-15-minutes-after-volcanic-eruption-finds-study-372466" hreflang="en">Residents of Pompeii suffocated within 15 minutes after volcanic eruption, finds study</a>

Denisovans are closely related to Neanderthals who roamed the Earth 50,000 to 60,000 years ago. But no fossil remains of this species has been found, even though genetic similarities link them to the region.

The new study, co-authored by National History Museum’s Chris Stringers claims that moderns humans actually interbred with the Denisovans, but not the ‘Hobbit’ species. This suggests that both the ‘Hobbit’ species are closer to contemporary humans than previous thought, Gizmodo reported.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/science/new-findings-rewrite-time-frame-for-neanderthals-disappearance-from-europe-369291" hreflang="en">New findings rewrite time frame for Neanderthals' disappearance from Europe</a>

Turns out... Denisovans’ fossils have not been found so far because they’re in fact the so-called ‘Hobbit’ species!

Upon study, researchers also ascertained that humans interbred with Denisovans, which means humans inhabiting those areas may possess the DNA of these 'Hobbit' species.

The ‘Hobbit’ species that lives in Southeast Asia 50,000 years ago may be closer to modern humans than previously thought, a new research reveals. Published in Nature Ecology and Evolution, the new research suggests that the ‘Hobbits’ are closely related to Denisovans and Neanderthals, and based on this, also human beings.

The ‘Hobbit’ species that lives in Southeast Asia 50,000 years ago may be closer to modern humans than previously thought, a new research reveals. Published in Nature Ecology and Evolution, the new research suggests that the ‘Hobbits’ are closely related to Denisovans and Neanderthals, and based on this, also human beings. Fossils recovered of 'Homo Floresiensis' (‘Hobbits’) and another species 'Homo Luzonensis' revealed that both the species stood at 3 feet, 7 inches (109 cms). Scientists say this dwarfism was a product of evolutionary processes over time which shrank the species due to unavailability of resources. Now, they have found that there was no inter-breeding among the two species. The new research, led by João Teixeira from the University of Adelaide claims that interbreeding took place between Denisovans and modern human beings especially in Southeast Asia. Also read: Residents of Pompeii suffocated within 15 minutes after volcanic eruption, finds study Denisovans are closely related to Neanderthals who roamed the Earth 50,000 to 60,000 years ago. But no fossil remains of this species has been found, even though genetic similarities link them to the region. The new study, co-authored by National History Museum’s Chris Stringers claims that moderns humans actually interbred with the Denisovans, but not the ‘Hobbit’ species. This suggests that both the ‘Hobbit’ species are closer to contemporary humans than previous thought, Gizmodo reported. Also read: New findings rewrite time frame for Neanderthals' disappearance from Europe Turns out... Denisovans’ fossils have not been found so far because they’re in fact the so-called ‘Hobbit’ species! Upon study, researchers also ascertained that humans interbred with Denisovans, which means humans inhabiting those areas may possess the DNA of these 'Hobbit' species.

Scientists discover true origins of 'Hobbit' species that roamed Asia 50,000 years ago!

Scientists have recently discovered remnants of ancient humans who lived in Africa about half a million years ago.

The genes of these humans continue to live on in people inhabiting the planet contemporarily, The Guardian reported.

It has been dubbed the ''ghost population''

The researchers stumbled upon the traces while analysing genomes from populations in West Africa.

They claimed that a fifth of the sample DNA came from the ''ghost population''.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/california-academy-of-sciences-discovers-71-new-species-of-animals-and-plants-this-year-267509">California Academy of Sciences discovers 71 new species of animals and plants this year</a>

According to researchers, modern west Africans interbred with the yet-to-be-discovered archaic humans over thousands of years ago, similar to the copulation of ancient Europeans with Neanderthals.

“In the west Africans we looked at, all have ancestry from this unknown archaic population,” said Sriram Sankararaman, a computational biologist who led the research at the University of California in Los Angeles to The Guardian.

A long time ago, the world was inhabited by human species or subspecies that were related to each other. Upon interaction with each other, mating was inevitable.

<h6><img alt="pppp" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1264ad2e-eaf9-458a-b7da-2f05508d40f2" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%283%29.jpg" /> 
Handout photo released by the CNRS on September 2, 2014 shows lines engraved into rock made by Neanderthals at the Gorham's Cave in Gibraltar | AFP</h6>

&nbsp; 
Consequently, modern Europeans have bit of Neanderthal genes. Similarly, Australians, Polynesians, and Melanesians carry genes from Denisovans.

There were speculations earlier of ancient humans roaming Africa, but with no proof.

Arun Durvasula and Sankararaman, the researchers on the project gathered 405 genomes from multiple West African populations, and followed it up with statistical techniques.

The goal was to ascertain whether interbreeding had possibly happened in the past, which the results suggested it did.

Then the researchers looked out for inconsistencies in the DNA, ie, the ghost population. With extrapolation, they realised that these probably came from ancient relatives that had no proof of existence.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/dna-research-reveals-two-new-species-of-eel-that-delivers-strongest-electric-jolt-249193">DNA research&nbsp;reveals&nbsp;two new species of eel that delivers strongest electric jolt</a> 
 
“They seem to have made a pretty substantial impact on the genomes of the present day individuals we studied,” Sankararaman said. “They account for 2% to 19% of their genetic ancestry”, the researcher added.

The sample populations grouped as four came from three countries: two from Nigeria, and one each from Sierra Leone and the Gambia.

Even though difficult to ascertain, the researchers believe that that ''ghost population'' split from the ancestors of Neanderthals and modern humans between 360,000 and 1 million years ago.

“It’s very likely that the true picture is much more complicated,” he said.

“We do not know what this African population may have been. It is tempting to speculate. But I’ve got to say it is just too soon to know. We haven’t discovered enough fossils in most of Africa to say we know what was there”, Sankararaman added.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/scientists-warn-a-million-species-at-risk-of-extinction-216395">One million species risk extinction due to modern civilisation</a>

Scientists have recently discovered remnants of ancient humans who lived in Africa about half a million years ago. The genes of these humans continue to live on in people inhabiting the planet contemporarily, The Guardian reported.

Scientists have recently discovered remnants of ancient humans who lived in Africa about half a million years ago. The genes of these humans continue to live on in people inhabiting the planet contemporarily, The Guardian reported. It has been dubbed the ''ghost population'' The researchers stumbled upon the traces while analysing genomes from populations in West Africa. They claimed that a fifth of the sample DNA came from the ''ghost population''. Also read: California Academy of Sciences discovers 71 new species of animals and plants this year According to researchers, modern west Africans interbred with the yet-to-be-discovered archaic humans over thousands of years ago, similar to the copulation of ancient Europeans with Neanderthals. “In the west Africans we looked at, all have ancestry from this unknown archaic population,” said Sriram Sankararaman, a computational biologist who led the research at the University of California in Los Angeles to The Guardian. A long time ago, the world was inhabited by human species or subspecies that were related to each other. Upon interaction with each other, mating was inevitable. Handout photo released by the CNRS on September 2, 2014 shows lines engraved into rock made by Neanderthals at the Gorham's Cave in Gibraltar | AFP Consequently, modern Europeans have bit of Neanderthal genes. Similarly, Australians, Polynesians, and Melanesians carry genes from Denisovans. There were speculations earlier of ancient humans roaming Africa, but with no proof. Arun Durvasula and Sankararaman, the researchers on the project gathered 405 genomes from multiple West African populations, and followed it up with statistical techniques. The goal was to ascertain whether interbreeding had possibly happened in the past, which the results suggested it did. Then the researchers looked out for inconsistencies in the DNA, ie, the ghost population. With extrapolation, they realised that these probably came from ancient relatives that had no proof of existence. Also read: DNA research reveals two new species of eel that delivers strongest electric jolt “They seem to have made a pretty substantial impact on the genomes of the present day individuals we studied,” Sankararaman said. “They account for 2% to 19% of their genetic ancestry”, the researcher added. The sample populations grouped as four came from three countries: two from Nigeria, and one each from Sierra Leone and the Gambia. Even though difficult to ascertain, the researchers believe that that ''ghost population'' split from the ancestors of Neanderthals and modern humans between 360,000 and 1 million years ago. “It’s very likely that the true picture is much more complicated,” he said. “We do not know what this African population may have been. It is tempting to speculate. But I’ve got to say it is just too soon to know. We haven’t discovered enough fossils in most of Africa to say we know what was there”, Sankararaman added. Also read: One million species risk extinction due to modern civilisation

Ghost populations? Scientists find evidence of unnacounted human species in Africa

human-species

Human Species, News on Human Species, stories on Human Species, articles on Human Species, Human Species stories at Wion, Human Species news, Human Species latest news