The discovery of a 1.4 million-year-old human hand bones rule out that humans have evolved. This discovery indicates that at the end of the styloid process of the wrist bones have been there more than half a million years earlier than previously known.
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| The styloid process allows the hand to lock into the wrist bones. (Picture from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/) |
More recently, researchers from the University of Missouri and their international team have discovered hand bones of human ancestors who have explored East Africa. It is estimated, that the hand bone age reached 1.42 million years. The researchers suspect that bones is owned by early human species, Homo erectus.
This discovery was made by a team of West Turkuna Paleo Project led by Carol Ward, a professor of pathology and anatomical sciences at the University of Missouri and Fredrick Manthi, as co-author of the National Museum of Kenya.
The bones were found near the site where Acheulian tools have been found previously. Ancient Acheulian tools, including stone hand axes were older than 1.6 million years. "This bone is the third metacarpal in the hand, which connects to the middle finger. It was found at the Kaitio site in West Turkana, Kenya," said Ward.
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| The styloid process can be clearly seen in the Kaitio bone. (Picture from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/) |
Ward said, which makes it so different bones is the presence of styloid process, or bony projection at the end of which is connected to the wrist. Until now, she said, styloid process has been found only in our bodies, Neanderthals and other archaic humans.
Ward and her colleagues noted, the lack of styloid process creates challenges for ancient apes and humans when they are trying to make and use tools. This discovery indicates that at the end of the styloid process of the wrist bones have been there more than half a million years earlier than previously known.
The study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Ward team members who help find and analyze bones include: Matthew Tocheri of the National Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian Institution, J. Michael Plavcan of the University of Arkansas, Francis Brown of the University of Utah, and Fredrick Manthi of the National Meseum Kenya. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | SCIENCEDAILY | BBC]
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