Ancient Bones Reveal Our Roots and a Magnetic Twist

Deep in a cave in Morocco, old bones tell a story.

They show where our species might have started. These bones are over 773,000 years old. They were found in layers of earth that formed when Earth's magnetic field flipped. This flip happened a long time ago. The north pole was near the south pole. This rare event helps scientists date the bones.

Discoveries in the Cave

The bones include:

• Teeth
• Jaw pieces
• Spine bits

They belonged to early humans. One thigh bone had bite marks. This suggests a predator might have eaten the person. The cave was mostly a den for meat-eaters. But early humans visited now and then.

The Puzzle of the Jawbone

A thin lower jawbone was found in 2008. It puzzled scientists. Jaws from that time were usually bigger. The team tried many ways to date the bone. They finally succeeded by linking it to the magnetic flip.

Filling the Gap in Human History

These findings fill a gap in human history. They show our ancestors lived in Africa. This supports the idea that our species started there. It also suggests that the split between us and our cousins, like Neanderthals, happened earlier than thought.

Traits and Travel

The bones have traits from older humans and our cousins. They are similar but not the same as bones found in Spain. This shows different groups were forming. It hints at possible travel between Africa and Europe. Lower sea levels might have made this easier.