Archaeologists have discovered fossilized cranial remains from an early human species that roamed the Earth approximately 1.4 million years ago, as detailed in a study released in Nature .
In 2022, remnants were uncovered within the Sima del Elefante cave located in Burgos, Spain. This individual, playfully referred to as "Pink," had their facial bones identified by researchers. It is presumed they resided in ancient Iberia approximately one million years prior to when Homo Sapiens populated Europe. Scientists came to this determination following extensive examinations of both Pink's remains and those from the site which likely belonged to creatures coexisting during that era, estimated at some point between 1.1 million to 1.4 million years ago.
Initially, it was believed that Pink belonged to a group associated with earlier fossil finds from the area. However, upon examining the specimen, researchers have concluded that Pink represents an entirely novel species not previously identified. These remnants, dating back to ancient times and considered the earliest known facial bones in Western Europe, consist of various pieces of fractured bone as well as sections of two teeth.
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MarÃa MartÃnez, the director of the National Center for Research on Human Evolution and one of the study's co-authors, explained, "Homo antecessor has a more contemporary appearance in both its facial traits and pronounced nasal bones when compared to Homo sapiens. In contrast, Pink exhibits characteristics closer to those found in Homo erectus—specifically a flatter and less developed nose."
Martinón and her team propose that Pink might be part of one of the initial human species to arrive in Western Europe. It's possible that Pink’s species existed before Homo erectus, known for being the first to walk upright. Additional findings from the remains indicate that these individuals could have lived in the area around 1.8 million years ago.
While the discovery could illuminate Scientists report an undiscovered phase in human evolution, indicating that details about Pink and his community are scarce. Although they seem to have occupied the region nearly two million years ago, their culture vanished just as abruptly as it emerged.
Different studies suggest that Pink’s culture might have vanished around 1.1 million years ago because of major climatic changes. Despite this, scientists remain optimistic that additional investigations could uncover new information regarding early human ancestors. “There is evidence indicating various groups of hominins inhabited Western Europe during the Early Pleistocene, which implies that this area played an essential role in the evolution of the genus Homo,” stated paleontologist and lead researcher Eudald Carbonell.
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