Early Homo erectus inhabited high-altitude Ethiopia and used two distinct tool industries
In short: Researchers examining an ancient infant mandible from the Ethiopian highlands found that early Homo erectus lived at high altitudes approximately 2 million years ago. The study also revealed that this population was associated with both the Oldowan stone tool industry and the earliest known Acheulean assemblage.
By using synchrotron imaging to analyze internal tooth structures and revised paleomagnetic dating, the team linked a specific fossil to H. erectus. This discovery is significant because it connects early human ancestors to high-altitude environments and shows a transition between different stone tool technologies.
The findings are based on a single fossil specimen, which may limit the ability to generalize these behaviors to all early Homo erectus populations.
Why it matters: This discovery links early Homo erectus to high-altitude living and the emergence of new stone tool technologies.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Research: Mussi et al. (2023). Early Homo erectus lived at high altitudes and produced both Oldowan and Acheulean tools. Science.
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