Researchers have found fossil teeth in Ethiopia indicating that early Homo and an unknown Australopithecus species shared the landscape between 2.6 and 2.8 million years ago. The discovery adds to evidence that human evolution involved multiple overlapping lineages rather than a single straight path.
An international team working at the Ledi Geraru field site recovered 13 teeth from ancient sediments. These remains belong to both the earliest known Homo and a distinct Australopithecus species not previously recorded at the location. Volcanic ash layers above and below the fossils allowed precise dating through feldspar crystals.