In the late 1950s, fossils found in Toyohashi, Japan, were proclaimed as Japan’s oldest humans. But doubts were cast upon the discovery and have now been put to rest, revealing that the bones were actually that of an ancient brown bear. This revelation has prompted a re-examination of prevailing assumptions about our ancestry.
Ushikawa Man
The bones fragments, originally discovered in a quarry between 1957 and 1959 some 140 miles southwest of Tokyo, became known as “Ushikawa Man” and were initially believed to be human remains dating back 20,000 years. The discovery unearthed what was thought to be human upper arm and leg bones but have now been confirmed as the forearm and leg bone of an ancient bear.
The Misidentification
Doubts about the bones’ identification started in the 1980s and persisted until late last year when Gen Suwa, a professor emeritus at the University of Tokyo’s University Museum, decided to investigate further. His research, recently published in the Anthropological Science journal, revealed the true origin of the bones.
Suwa’s Research
Suwa and his team used computer tomography (CT) scans and visual analysis to compares the bone fragments to that of 11 brown bear and 13 Asian black bear samples. Their findings revealed that the fossils had the same shape and curvature as bears. Further studies, using the estimated age of the fossils and the characteristics and locations of ancient bears of the time, confirmed that the fossil bones were from a brown bear.
The Discovery’s Significance
Suwa stated that bear fossils from 20,000 years ago have rarely been found in archaeological sites in Japan, making it hard for scientists and paleontologists alike to correctly identify the bones. Despite their limited understanding of ancient brown bears, the original archaeological team made “detailed and very accurate” descriptions that eventually lead to correcting the identification.
The Oldest Human Fossils
This new discovery means that the oldest human remains in Japan actually originate from a limestone quarry near Hamakita, some 25 miles east of the Ushikawa. These remains include human leg and arms bones as well as a collarbone and skull. Analysis suggests that the fragments came from two individuals who lived roughly 14,000 and 17,000 years ago.
Challenging the “Out of Africa” Theory
The “Out of Africa” theory has been the basis for explaining human origins. It suggests that modern humans evolved in Africa and migrated to other parts of the world, replacing with other hominid populations. However, discoveries of ancient hominid fossils in Asia and elsewhere have challenged this linear narrative, suggesting a more complex picture of interbreeding and regional evolution.
New Technologies, New Discoveries
Advances in technology, such as DNA analysis, dating techniques, and imaging, allow scientists to constantly push the boundaries of paleoanthropology. These tools allow us to extract more information from fossil remains, revealing new insights into human evolution, migration patterns, and genetic relationships. These new insights will foster a better understanding of how Homo sapiens evolved and put the pieces of our ancestry into place.
The Future of Hominid Fossil Research
Paleontological and archaeological research is an ongoing endeavor, with new discoveries constantly reshaping our understanding of human origins. Future research will see the exploration of new regions, using advanced technologies to examine existing fossil collections, and collecting data to create a better understanding of our evolutionary past.
The Search Continues
The story of human origins is not a simple as we originally thought, but instead, it is a complex tapestry woven from multiple strands of evolution, migration, and interbreeding. The discovery of 20,000-year-old fossils, along with other groundbreaking finds, continues to challenge existing theories and reveals the intricate story of our shared ancestry with our wildlife counterparts.
Sources
‘Bear bones’: Japan’s 20,000-year-old ‘Ushikawa man’ fossils found in 1950s are not of a human at all
20,000-Year-Old Human Fossils from Japan Actually Bear Bones
Researchers Stunned After Discovering 20,000-Year-Old Fossil Belonged to a Bear, Mistook It to Be of a Human Initially
Scientist challenges ‘out of Africa’ theory with new origin for modern humans
CARTA: Future of Fossil-Based Human Origins Research with Yohannes Haile-Selassie
