If additional research supports the "Out of Asia" ancestry of higher primates, Ida and other ancient lemur-like animals would then be placed on the lowest branch of the primate family tree. This branch, according to Beard, "ultimately leads to living lemurs, which are the most distantly related primates to us that remain alive today." Beard still believes modern humans descended from an African population that lived around 200,000 years ago. "But," he said, "some extinct species of humans, such as the 'hobbit' Homo floresiensis, almost certainly evolved in Asia." The "out of Asia" finding comes on the heels of another surprise announcement that could affect the primate family tree. Jeffrey Schwartz, a University of Pittsburgh anthropologist, and his colleagues believe humans most likely share a common ancestor with orangutans, relegating chimpanzees and gorillas to a separate group. They came to this conclusion after studying hundreds of physical characteristics of various primates, including humans. Beard hopes future government funding will allow for continued research on primates and their ancient relatives, which he said has the added benefit of promoting scientific and cultural exchanges between people "that otherwise would not have much contact with each other." Related Links: Discovery News Blog: Born Animal Carnegie Museum of Natural History |
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