In a groundbreaking revelation, a new study suggests that our human and ape ancestors may have originated in Europe before migrating to Africa. The discovery of a new ape species, named Anadoluvius turkae, dating back almost nine million years in Turkey, has lent support to this theory. This prehistoric ape, related to present-day African apes and humans, might rewrite the narrative of human evolution, suggesting that apes developed in Europe for about five million years before making their way into Africa, where modern humans emerged.

The Anadoluvius turkae, roughly the size of a female gorilla, is believed to have lived on the ground amidst a dry forest environment, surrounded by animals we now associate with Africa, such as giraffes, rhinos, and zebras. Researchers posit that this ancient ape followed these animals from the eastern Mediterranean into Africa around eight million years ago. This research, led by a team from the University of Toronto, was based on a well-preserved Anadoluvius skull found near Çankırı, Turkey, in 2015. The findings could potentially upend the long-held belief that human evolution took place exclusively in Africa.

Europe, Not Africa: Origin of Human Ancestors

Europe: The Cradle of Evolution

A groundbreaking study has challenged the prevailing theory that human evolution originated in Africa. Instead, the study suggests that our ape ancestors may have first evolved in Europe before migrating to Africa. A fossil discovery in Turkey of a 8.7-million-year-old ape, Anadoluvius turkae, supports this theory. The Anadoluvius turkae, about the size of a female gorilla, is believed to have lived in a dry forest environment, sharing its habitat with animals we now associate with Africa, like giraffes, zebras, and elephants.

Anadoluvius turkae: The Apes’ European Roots

Scientists now hypothesize that Anadoluvius, which is related to living African apes and humans, followed these animals from the eastern Mediterranean into Africa around eight million years ago. The University of Toronto team’s study of a well-preserved Anadoluvius skull, discovered near Çankırı in 2015, bolsters this theory. Mediterranean fossil apes, including Anadoluvius, are part of the first known early hominine radiation – the group that encompasses African apes and their fossil ancestors, including humans.

Evolutionary Journey from Europe to Africa

Modern humans, or Homo sapiens, are believed to have evolved around 300,000 years ago, beginning their journey out of Africa around 180,000 years ago. However, this study suggests that the roots of the human lineage can be traced back to western and central Europe, where hominins evolved and spread to the eastern Mediterranean for over five million years before dispersing into Africa due to changing environments and shrinking forests. This theory is supported by the fact that species from the Anadoluvius radiation are currently only found in Europe and Anatolia.

Anadoluvius: The Missing Link

The Anadoluvius skull, along with other fossil apes from Greece and Bulgaria, provide the most compelling evidence to date that early hominines originated in Europe before moving into Africa. The comprehensive analysis of these fossils reveals that Balkan and Anatolian apes evolved from ancestors in western and central Europe. This contradicts the alternative theory of separate ape branches independently moving from Africa to Europe and then going extinct.

Conclusion: Rewriting Human Evolution

Despite the enduring belief that African apes and humans exclusively evolved in Africa, this research proposes a European origin. Early hominine remains are abundant in Europe and Anatolia but absent from Africa until the first hominins appeared there around seven million years ago. While this study does not definitively prove a European origin for hominines, it does underscore the need for further fossil discoveries in Europe and Africa to establish a definitive connection between the two groups.

My Takeaways

This study not only challenges conventional beliefs about human evolution but also underscores the dynamic nature of scientific understanding. It reminds us that as new evidence emerges, our understanding of the world and our place in it evolves. The discovery of Anadoluvius turkae and the subsequent research have opened an exciting new chapter in the story of human evolution, one that takes us back to Europe’s ancient forests rather than Africa’s savannahs. However, more research is needed to cement this theory as fact, reminding us that science is an ongoing journey of discovery.