An adult fossil has strengthened the case that Homo erectus was present in southern Africa roughly 2 million years ago, Phys.org reported on Wednesday.
The find adds to the evidence for the species in the region during that period, according to the outlet. Phys.org did not provide further details of the fossil in the headline and summary of its report.
Homo erectus is a well-known early human relative, and questions about when and where it lived remain central to the study of human evolution. The new adult specimen is being treated as evidence that the species occupied southern Africa about 2 million years ago, Phys.org reports.
The report follows ongoing scientific interest in mapping where early human ancestors lived and how they spread across the continent. Each new fossil can help researchers test existing ideas about the timing and geography of those populations.
Because the available summary from Phys.org is brief, key specifics — including where the fossil was found, who studied it, and how it was dated — are not yet clear from the material provided.
What to watch next: fuller reporting or a peer-reviewed study that describes the fossil, its age, and its place in the Homo erectus record.
