Scientists Unearth 18-Million-Year-Old Ape Fossils in Egypt Challenging Human Origin Theories

Scientists unearthed 17- to 18-million-year-old fossils of a previously unknown ape species in northern Egypt's Wadi Moghra.

“Scientists have spent years searching for the origins of modern apes in specific regions, but a new fossil from Egypt is now changing that direction”

Earth

The new genus and species, Masripithecus moghraensis, was identified from jaw fragments and teeth that didn't belong to any known ape species.

Earth

The find places Masripithecus on the ancestral line of living apes, just before the split between great apes and lesser apes.

This implies the last common ancestor of all living apes may have lived in northern Afro-Arabia.

The discovery has sparked debate, with some experts calling the interpretation a bit far-fetched.

The Masripithecus fossils closely resemble predictions of the common ancestor of all modern apes.

The species likely depended mainly on fruits but could also process harder foods like nuts and seeds.

International Business Times UK

Researchers created an evolutionary tree placing Masripithecus very close to the last common ancestor of all living apes.

This challenges the focus on East Africa as the cradle of modern apes.

The discovery fits with known evidence that today's nonhuman great apes are found in Africa and Southeast Asia.

The discovery has significant implications for understanding natural selection and genetic diversity.

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Live Science

Populations in North Africa likely developed adaptations to survive in changing climates.

Fossil evidence combined with ancient DNA studies shows that distinct populations coexisted and sometimes interbred.

The find has sparked debate about North Africa's role in early human evolution.

Large parts of Africa have not been explored in detail, so more important fossils may still be waiting underground.