Likeness of the oldest human ancestor reconstructed

(Patria) – Scientists have reconstructed the likeness of the oldest human ancestor based on a skull discovered in Ethiopia in 2016.

The discovered fossil, belonging to the species Australopithecus anamensis, which first appeared 4.2 million years ago, will provide researchers with insight into a key period that preceded human evolution.

The skull, registered as MRD, was found in 2016 in the Afar region of Ethiopia.

A partial reconstruction of MRD's face was published in the journal Nature.

Yohannes Haile-Selassie, a paleontologist at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History in the US, who led the research team, said it is the first specimen that gives an idea of what the face of the first species known as Australopithecus anamensis looked like 3.8 million years ago.

He also stated that until recently, they only had fragments of teeth and jaws, based on which they could not reconstruct the entire face.

In addition to facial appearance, the discovered skull will help determine the species' diet and brain size, writes Euronews.