The latest fossil unearthed in Africa allows scientists to link together the most complete chain of human evolution so far.
The 4.2 million-year-old fossil discovered in northeastern Ethiopia helps scientists fill in the gaps of how our human ancestors made the giant leap from one phase of development to another. That's because the newest fossil was found in the region where seven other types of human-like fossils spanning nearly 6 million years and three major phases of human development were previously discovered.
``We just found the chain of evolution, the continuity through time,'' Berhane Asfaw, one of the co-authors of the study said. ``One form evolved to another. This is evidence of evolution in one place through time.''
PHOTO: AFP
Although the kind of fossil the scientists discovered is not new, its location is what helps explain the shift from one early phase of human-like development to the next, they say. All eight fossils were within an easy day's walk of each other.
Until now, scientists had individual pictures of human evolution scattered around the world. Finding everything all in one general area makes those pictures more like a short movie about evolution.
``It's like ... a home movie, but a home movie covering 6 million years,'' said study lead author Tim White, co-director of Human Evolution Research Center at the University of California at Berkeley.
Scientists believe this latest discovery will help them connect the dots of human evolution. The new fossil is from a group that is believed to have evolved into modern man at some point. Additionally, the new fossil shows a connection between an even older fossil and modern human beings. (AP)
非洲最新出土的化石讓科學家得以將人類迄今最完整的進化鍊連接起來。
這個在伊索比亞東北部被人發現的四百二十萬年前的化石，有助於科學家填補人類祖先是如何從一個階段大幅進化到下一階段的空白。這是因為這個最新化石被發現的地區，是其他七種近似人類的化石稍早被發現的所在。這七種化石的時間涵括六百萬年，跨越人類三個主要進化階段。
「我們剛剛發現了演化鏈，穿越時光的進程，」這項研究的共同作者之一伯哈尼．亞斯法說：「一種形式進化到另一種。這是一個地區跨越時間的演化證據。」
科學家表示，雖然他們所發現的化石種類並非新化石，其地理位置卻有助於解釋近似人類的動物從早期階段進化到下一階段的發展。這八種化石的發現地都在方圓一天步行的距離內。
迄今，科學家已取得散落在全世界的人類進化的個別圖像。找到了某一概括地區的所有物件，讓這些圖像看起來更像是一部進化的短片。
這項研究的主導作者提姆．懷特說：「這就像是??一部家族史電影，不過卻是橫跨六百萬年的家族史電影。」他也是加州大學柏克萊分校人類進化研究中心的副主任。
科學家相信，最新的發現將有助於他們把人類進化的進程串連起來。這個新化石是從一個群組中發現，在某方面來說，據信這個群組已進化成現代人類。此外，新化石也顯示出更古老的化石與現代人類之間的關連。 （美聯社／翻譯：賴美君）
★ Bilingual Story is a fictionalized account. 雙語故事部分內容純屬虛構。 Kevin leaned over the bubbling pot. “Hey. . . are you okay? You’ve barely touched your food.” Zoey blinked. Her face was red — not from blushing, but from the “mala” spice and the heat of the room. Her blond hair clumped to her face like strands of fine spaghetti. Her carefully applied makeup now streaked. “This isn’t what I expected,” she said softly, forcing a smile. All around them, Kevin’s friends were laughing, shouting, and tossing ingredients into the broth. The air smelled of chili oil and garlic.
Picture this: contestants are walking gracefully across a stage, competing for the highly desired title of “most beautiful.” However, these participants aren’t fashion models—they’re camels. Welcome to the extraordinary world of the Pushkar Fair, where beauty contests take on an entirely different meaning. The Pushkar Fair is held annually in the small desert town of Pushkar, India, usually in November. It began as a livestock trading event where farmers and herders gathered to buy and sell camels, horses and cattle. Over time, it has grown into a major cultural carnival that attracts thousands of tourists from around the world.
A: Major League Baseball’s 2025 World Series took place last week. The games between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays were so exciting. B: As the highest-paid baseball player in the world, Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers was an incandescant superstar. A: The Dodgers signed a record-breaking 10-year, US$700 million contract with Ohtani in 2023. As former ESPN reporter Joon Lee analyzed, the team quickly made back all the investment in the player’s first season. B: Wow, how is that possible? A: Firstly, tourism from Japan to Los Angeles has surged by 90 percent since Ohtani signed the deal, with the
Continued from yesterday（延續自昨日） https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang If plushie charms are cute little nods to people’s interests, ita bags are full-on declarations. The term “ita” comes from the Japanese word itai, which means “painful” and reflects the overwhelming visual intensity of these bags. An ita bag is essentially a handbag, backpack, or tote meticulously decorated with an extensive collection of merchandise dedicated to a specific character or idol. These bags usually feature a clear plastic window to display carefully arranged pins, badges, keychains, or fan art. Both the interior and exterior may be covered in fandom memorabilia, creating an aesthetic so intense that it’s almost “painful”
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