Ancient jaw bone found in Israel shows modern humans left Africa 180,000 years ago

Modern humans were wandering out of Africa at least 180,000 years ago — some 60,000 years earlier than previously thought.

The new migration date comes after ancient stone tools and part of a fossilised Homo sapiens jaw bone with teeth were discovered in a cave in northern Israel.

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The owner of the jaw bone wasn’t necessarily part of the modern human population that went on to populate the world, said Professor Hiscock.

They may have moved back to Africa. Or maybe they died out.

Perhaps, he added, our ancestors acquired cultural characteristics in Africa that allowed them to colonise the globe that these early modern humans didn’t have.

Continue reading:  Ancient jaw bone found in Israel shows modern humans left Africa 180,000 years ago