Denisovan Fossil Trove Unearthed in Yunnan Cave Reveals Tools, Teeth, and Forearm Bone
In a significant discovery, researchers unearthed Denisovan fossils, tools, and animal remains from Bianfu Cave located in Yunnan Province, China, providing the first concrete evidence of Denisovans in this area. These findings, detailed in studies released on September 9 in Nature, consist of two skull fragments, four teeth, and a forearm bone belonging to at least four individuals, dating back 134,000 to 167,000 years. Notably, the forearm bone bears similarities to those of modern humans. Additionally, over 1,300 tools were recovered, suggesting Denisovan activity between 70,000 and 190,000 years ago. Pollen analysis indicates a conifer forest, while cut marks on bones reveal hunting practices. Denisovans, also known as Homo longi, inhabited Asia from 400,000 to 30,000 years ago, first recognized in 2010.
Key facts
- Two studies published September 9 in the journal Nature describe the discovery.
- Fossils came from Bianfu Cave in China's Yunnan Province, the first direct evidence of Denisovans in southwestern China.
- Researchers sorted more than 60,000 bone fragments and identified two skull fragments, four teeth, and part of a forearm bone from at least four individuals.
- The fossils date to between 134,000 and 167,000 years ago.
- The forearm fragment is the first such bone ever found belonging to a Denisovan.
- More than 1,300 stone and bone tools were unearthed from layers suggesting hominin presence between 70,000 and 190,000 years ago.
- DNA was not preserved in the warm cave, so researchers used protein analysis of ancient amino acids instead.
- Denisovans, formally called Homo longi, lived in Asia between 400,000 and 30,000 years ago and were first identified in 2010 from a finger bone in Denisova Cave, Siberia.
Entities
Artists
- Antonio Rosas
- Hao Li
- Qiaomei Fu
- Shara Bailey
- Song Xing
- Gayoung Lee
- Katie Hunt
- Tom Metcalfe
- Kristina Killgrove
- Michael Marshall
- Freda Kreier
- Margherita Bassi
Institutions
- Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology
- Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research
- National Museum of Natural Sciences
- New York University
- University of Wollongong Australia
- Nature
- CNN
- Gizmodo
- Scientific American
- Live Science
- New Scientist
- Science News
- Smithsonian Magazine
- BBC Travel
- Discover magazine
- Atlas Obscura
- Hidden Compass
Locations
- Siberia
- Russia
- Denisova Cave
- China
- Yunnan Province
- Bianfu Cave
- Spain
- New York University
- United States