An ancient skull found in China is like nothing scientists have ever seen. If it is an undiscovered human ancestor, it could rewrite the story of human evolution. The skull has facial features that are similar to early modern humans, which scientists think began to branch away from Homo erectus between 750,000 to 550,000 years ago. Human history is messier than we thoughtThis isn't the first time human remains have shaken up the neat evolutionary path that is thought to have led to humans. Findings of archaic human remains in Israel and Greece over the past few years dating back about 200,000 years also suggested human ancestors may have left Africa a lot earlier than previously thought.

---

Persons: Xiujie Wu, Maayan Harel, sapiens, Will Oliver Organizations: Service, Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences Locations: China, Wall, Silicon, Hualongdong, East China, East, East Asia, Saharan Africa, Morocco, Israel, Greece, Africa, London, Britain