DNA analysis of present-day human populations has supported the hypothesis that early modern humans left Africa around 50,000 to 60,000 years ago, and archaeologists have thought our early ancestors likely followed coastlines and islands through southeast Asia toward Australia.
However, a growing number of older human remains discovered in China and the Levant show that this chapter in the human story is more complicated than first thought.
The cave was occupied by early humans for about 50,000 years, archaeologists believe.
At a nearby site, known as Cobra Cave, a tooth believed to belong to a Denisovan, an elusive early human, has been found.
The team expects to unearth more human fossils from the region.
Persons:
sapiens, ”, Kira Westaway, ” Westaway, Westaway, Tam Pa Ling, Tam Pà Ling
Organizations:
CNN, Macquarie University, UNESCO, Heritage, Nature Communications
Locations:
Africa, Laos, Australia, Asia, China, Tam Pa, Sumatra, Philippines, Borneo, Indonesia