Hey! A New Species of Hominid Just Dropped!

Just last week, news has begun to spread of a new hominid called Homo juluensis discovered in East Asia. Known for their large skulls, this emerging group is certainty making a splash in the anthropological community, which has been confused for years by the "muddle in the middle"--the lack of solid distinctions between hominid fossils of the Middle Pleistocene era, when Homo juluensis is dated. Including this new species of hominid has helped offer some structure to the hominid puzzle of that time, becoming the fourth distinction of hominid from the Middle Pleistocene era.

Very little is known--or released--currently about Homo juluensis but it is hypothesized based on archeological and fossil evidence that they had similar abilities with tools to Homo neanderthalesis and may have hunted horses as a primary source of nutrition. Interesting, isn't it?

Still, even if much remains uncertain about this human cousin now, it means one thing for certain: our history as humans is much more nuanced than any of us can hope to understand. We are a vast collection of tens of species all converging together through the glue of time. Next time you look back into your ancestry, consider that Homo juluens may very well hang off one branch!

If you're interested in further reading, Archeology News has a great article going over what we know now! And if you're curious what they may look like...

Meet your long-lost cousin: Homo juluensis!