News Anthropology

Asian primates hit hard by ancient climate change

Fossil finds may explain why humans evolved in Africa, not Asia

Primate jaw

ASIAN SURVIVOR  This lower left jaw comes from one of six new fossil primate species unearthed in southern China. The fossils’ discoverers suspect dropping temperatures and declining rainfall around 34 million years ago changed the course of primate evolution in Asia.

KU News Service/Univ. of Kansas 

By Bruce Bower

- More than 2 years ago

Fossil discoveries in southern China point to an evolutionary crossroads around 34 million years ago that resulted in humans evolving in Africa rather than Asia, scientists say.