Fossils show that modern people come to Asia earlier than Europe

Fossil teeth found in a cave in southern China show that ancient people from Africa migrated to Asia tens of thousands of years earlier than Europe.

Modern people come to Asia earlier than Europe

According to Live Science, fossils found in Fuya n cave, Hunan province date to about 80,000 to 120,000 years, the oldest evidence of modernity found outside Africa.

Previously, scientists said that modern Homo sapiens appeared in Asia about 50,000 years ago.

"Until now, most scientists thought that Homo sapiens were not present in Asia until 50,000 years ago," said Wu Liu, an anthropologist with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and author. research, said.

Sample of fossil teeth found in China.(Photo: Live Science).

47 fossils of human teeth found in Fuyan from 2011 to 2013, with many bones of humans and animals such as pandas and pigs. Scientists today published the discovery in the journal Nature.

Modern humans first appeared in East Africa about 200,000 years ago, then migrated to other continents, however, the scientific world is still unclear about the time and place of migration.

"This finding, along with other research findings, shows that southern China may be the central area of ​​the emergence and evolution of modern people in East Asia, " Wu Liu said.

The researchers say this finding may shed light on why modern humans migrate rather late to Europe. There is no evidence that modern people are present in Europe from 45,000 years ago, while they were in southern China at least 80,000 years ago. Most likely, the Neanderthals prevented modern humans from entering Europe.

"Perhaps Europe was too small for the two species to have complex intelligence and habit to live," said study co-author María Martinón-Torres, Colleage London. Later, when Neanderthals gradually disappeared because of their isolation for thousands of years and suffered from harsh winter winters, Homo sapiens set foot in Europe.