Footprints reveal that two different species of ancient human relatives coexisted in the same area simultaneously.

Ancient footprints discovered in Kenya belong to two different species of human relatives, Homo erectus and Paranthropus boisei, who walked on the same ground at the same time 1.5 million years ago. The footprints were embedded in dried mud near a lake in northern Kenya and buried in sediment at a prominent fossil site. The discovery raises questions about the relationship and interactions between the two species, as they likely co-existed and interacted in the same general area for hundreds of thousands of years. The footprints show that the two species walked on two feet differently, with Homo erectus having humanlike anatomy and tools and Paranthropus boisei featuring smaller brains, large molar teeth, and massive chewing muscles. The footprints provide evidence of direct overlap between the two species, despite their evolutionary differences. The researchers believe the two species may have co-existed in the area due to their different diets and possibly competed for resources. The discovery adds to the growing understanding that ancient human relatives likely interacted and co-existed, as evidenced by the footprints of Homo erectus and Paranthropus boisei. The site where the footprints were discovered is considered unique and special, providing valuable insights into the complex and messy evolution of different human species, including those that represent evolutionary dead ends. The researchers carefully reburied the footprints to protect them from erosion and preserve them for future study.

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