Yet Another Ancestor/Cousin - With Bigger Brains Than Ours

https://greekreporter.com/2024/11/30/new-human-species-china/

A team of researchers has identified a new human species
that vanished approximately 200,000 years ago in China.
Named Homo juluensis, the species is shedding new light
on the complexity of human evolution.

The discovery, made at the Xujiayao site, includes fossilized
remains of 16 individuals. The species stood out due to its
large skulls, wide craniums, and oversized teeth, features
that distinguish it from Neanderthals and modern humans.

Measurements of their skulls ranged between 103 and 109
cubic inches, significantly larger than Neanderthals’ 88
cubic inches and modern humans’ 82 cubic inches.

. . .

   Usually you find just a few bits and pieces - but HERE
   there were 16 individuals, giving a very good picture.

   Due to the teeth, there's now wonder whether the Denisovians
   were an outlying offshoot of HJ.

   Like the Denisovians, who eventually migrated southeast,
   it's a fair bet that HJ just got absorbed by our species
   over time.

   I suppose there's still more investigation to be done.
   There ought to be enough for a decent DNA profile. It'd
   also be interesting to see if those huge brains yielded
   unusually advanced tech and/or cultural artifacts.

   Anyway, more and more plain, there is no human "family
   tree" as such - more a big tangled BUSH.

-- 
033-33