A tiny fossil from North Africa suggests humans and apes shared a common ancestor in the savanna
The discovery of a 17-million-year-old fossil in northern Egypt suggests that the common ancestor of humans and apes lived in the North African savanna rather than the deep forests of Central Africa.
A tiny fossilized primate named Masripithecus is reshaping our understanding of human origins by shifting the focus from East African forests to the ancient savannas of Egypt. Measuring only 10 to 15 centimeters in skull length, this 17-million-year-old creature possessed a unique combination of dental and cranial features that bridged the gap between old and new world monkeys.
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