The Liujiang human fossils have been re-evaluated by researchers, who have provided updated age estimates and provenance information. This new information sheds light on the presence of Homo sapiens in the region. Advanced dating techniques, such as U-series dating on human fossils and radiocarbon and optically stimulated luminescence dating on fossil-bearing sediments, were used in the study. The new ages revealed range from approximately 33,000 to 23,000 years ago. Previous studies had reported ages of up to 227,000 years for the skeleton. The emergence of Homo sapiens in Eastern Asia has been a topic of intense research interest for a long time.The scarcity of well-preserved and dated human fossils presents significant challenges in the field of research. The Tongtianyan cave in Southern China has been a key area of focus in this research, as it houses one of the most important fossil finds of Homo sapiens. However, the age of the fossils found within has been a topic of debate until now. A new international study published in Nature Communications, with contributions from Griffith University, has provided updated age estimates and provenance information for the Liujiang human fossils, offering new insights into their significance.The study focused on the existence of Homo sapiens in the area. The use of advanced dating methods such as U-series dating on human fossils, as well as radiocarbon and optically stimulated luminescence dating on sediments containing fossils, revealed new ages between approximately 33,000 to 23,000 years ago. Previous studies had reported ages of up to 227,000 years for the skeleton. Professor Michael Petraglia stated that these updated age estimates are consistent with dates from other human fossils in northern China, indicating a widespread presence of H. sapiens across Eastern Asia after 40,000 years ago.Co-author and Director of Griffith’s Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution, along with Dr. Junyi Ge from the Chinese Academy of Sciences who led the study, stated that the discovery of the Liujiang skeletal remains has important implications for understanding human dispersals and adaptations in China. This challenges previous interpretations and provides valuable insights into the region’s occupation history. The Liujiang skeletal remains, found in 1958, are considered significant human fossils from Eastern Asia due to their excellent preservation of cranial, dental, and postcranial remains.Extensive comparisons of biology and physical features across Eurasia were conducted. Dr. Qingfeng Shao from Nanjing Normal University stated that the study’s findings challenge previous age estimates and interpretations of human evolution. This emphasizes the importance of reliable dating methods and thorough documentation of the origins of findings in the study of human evolution. The study’s thorough analysis of dating underscores the significance of accurate age estimates in furthering our understanding of the origins and movements of modern humans.
Journal Reference:
- Junyi Ge, Song Xing, Rainer Grün, Chenglong Deng. (n.d.). Comprehensive dating analyses highlight the significance of accurate age estimates in modeling modern human origins and dispersals. [Insert Journal Name Here]The article titled “New Late Pleistocene age for the Homo sapiens skeleton from Liujiang southern China” by ng Deng, Yuanjin Jiang, Tingyun Jiang, Shixia Yang, Keliang Zhao, Xing Gao, Huili Yang, Zhengtang Guo, Michael D. Petraglia, and Qingfeng Shao was published in Nature Communications in 2024. The DOI for the article is 10.1038/s41467-024-47787-3.