An ancient human skull fragment found in Israel may come from a close relative of the first modern humans to colonize Europe, researchers say.
The finding sheds light on the migration of modern humans out of Africa, and could provide insights into when modern humans first interbred with Neanderthals, scientists added.
Modern humans first arose between 150,000 and 200,000 years ago in Africa. Scientists have suggested the African exodus of modern humans started between 60,000 and 70,000 years ago, but much remains a mystery about this dispersal because of the scarcity of human fossils from this time. [See Photos of Our Closest Human Ancestor]
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The scientists detailed their findings online today (Jan. 28) in the journal Nature.
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