H5N1 cranium of a four-million-year-old fossil, that, inwards 1995 was described equally the oldest bear witness of human development inwards South Africa, has shown similarities to that of our own, when scanned through high resolution imaging systems.
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| Original motion-picture exhibit (left) in addition to virtual rendering of the Jacovec cranium (middle) alongside 2 sections |
revealing the inner construction (right) [Credit: Amelie Beaudet] The cranium of the extinct Australopithecus genus was flora inwards the lower-lying deposits of the Jacovec Cavern inwards the Sterkfontein Caves, almost 40km North-West of Johannesburg inwards South Africa. Dr Amelie Beaudet from the School of Geography, Archaeology in addition to Environmental Studies of the University of the Witwatersrand in addition to her colleagues from the Sterkfontein squad scanned the cranium at the Evolutionary Studies Institute, based at the University of the Witwatersrand, inwards 2016 in addition to applied advanced imaging techniques inwards "virtual paleontology" to farther explore the anatomy of the cranium. Their inquiry was funded past times the Centre of Excellence inwards Palaeosciences, the Claude Leon Foundation in addition to the French Institute of South Africa in addition to was published inwards the Journal of Human Evolution.
"The Jacovec cranium represents a unique chance to larn to a greater extent than almost the biological scientific discipline in addition to diverseness of our ancestors in addition to their relatives and, ultimately, almost their evolution," says Beaudet. "Unfortunately, the cranium is highly fragmentary in addition to non much could hold upward said almost the identity nor the anatomy of the Jacovec specimen before."
Through high resolution scanning, the researchers were able to quantitatively in addition to non-invasively explore fine details of the inner anatomy of the Jacovec specimen in addition to to study previously unknown information almost the genus Australopithecus.
"Our study revealed that the cranium of the Jacovec specimen in addition to of the Ausralopithecus specimens from Sterkfontein inwards full general was thick in addition to essentially composed of spongy bone," says Beaudet. "This large percentage of spongy bone, too flora inwards our ain cranium, may dot that blood menses inwards the encephalon of Australopithecus may accept been comparable to us, and/or that the braincase had an of import purpose inwards the protection of the evolving brain."
In comparison this cranium to that of unopen to other extinct grouping of our solid unit of measurement tree, Paranthropus, that lived inwards South Africa along alongside the origin humans less than two-million-years ago, their study revealed an intriguing in addition to unexpected human face of the cranial anatomy inwards this genus.
"We too flora that the Paranthropus cranium was relatively sparse in addition to essentially composed of compact bone. This consequence is of exceptional interest, equally it may advise a unlike biology," says Beaudet.
Situated inwards the Cradle of humankind, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the South African paleontological sites accept played a pivotal purpose inwards the exploration of our origins. In particular, the Sterkfontein Caves site has been 1 of the most prolific fossil localities inwards Africa, alongside over 800 hominin remains representing three genera of hominin recovered since 1936, including the origin adult Australopithecus, the iconic "Mrs Ples" in addition to "Little Foot," the most consummate unmarried skeleton of an early on hominin nevertheless found.
"The Jacovec cranium exemplifies the relevance of the Sterkfontein fossil specimens for our agreement of human evolution," says Beaudet. "Imaging techniques opened upward unique perspectives for revisiting the South African fossil assemblage."
Source: University of the Witwatersrand [June 25, 2018]
Sumber http://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.com
"The Jacovec cranium represents a unique chance to larn to a greater extent than almost the biological scientific discipline in addition to diverseness of our ancestors in addition to their relatives and, ultimately, almost their evolution," says Beaudet. "Unfortunately, the cranium is highly fragmentary in addition to non much could hold upward said almost the identity nor the anatomy of the Jacovec specimen before."
Through high resolution scanning, the researchers were able to quantitatively in addition to non-invasively explore fine details of the inner anatomy of the Jacovec specimen in addition to to study previously unknown information almost the genus Australopithecus.
"Our study revealed that the cranium of the Jacovec specimen in addition to of the Ausralopithecus specimens from Sterkfontein inwards full general was thick in addition to essentially composed of spongy bone," says Beaudet. "This large percentage of spongy bone, too flora inwards our ain cranium, may dot that blood menses inwards the encephalon of Australopithecus may accept been comparable to us, and/or that the braincase had an of import purpose inwards the protection of the evolving brain."
In comparison this cranium to that of unopen to other extinct grouping of our solid unit of measurement tree, Paranthropus, that lived inwards South Africa along alongside the origin humans less than two-million-years ago, their study revealed an intriguing in addition to unexpected human face of the cranial anatomy inwards this genus.
"We too flora that the Paranthropus cranium was relatively sparse in addition to essentially composed of compact bone. This consequence is of exceptional interest, equally it may advise a unlike biology," says Beaudet.
Situated inwards the Cradle of humankind, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the South African paleontological sites accept played a pivotal purpose inwards the exploration of our origins. In particular, the Sterkfontein Caves site has been 1 of the most prolific fossil localities inwards Africa, alongside over 800 hominin remains representing three genera of hominin recovered since 1936, including the origin adult Australopithecus, the iconic "Mrs Ples" in addition to "Little Foot," the most consummate unmarried skeleton of an early on hominin nevertheless found.
"The Jacovec cranium exemplifies the relevance of the Sterkfontein fossil specimens for our agreement of human evolution," says Beaudet. "Imaging techniques opened upward unique perspectives for revisiting the South African fossil assemblage."
Source: University of the Witwatersrand [June 25, 2018]
Sumber http://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.com
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