Analysis of human teeth from caves in southern China does not support the previously proposed hypothesis that anatomically modern humans arrived in the region as early as 120,000 years ago, a study finds. Genetic studies suggest that anatomically modern humans migrated from Africa approximately 65,000 to 45,000 years ago, supporting the late dispersal hypothesis. Based on fossil evidence from caves in southern China, some paleoanthropologists have instead proposed that anatomically modern humans settled in the region between 120,000 and 70,000 years ago. Xue-feng Sun, Shao-qing Wen, Darren Curnoe, Hui Li, and colleagues took a comprehensive approach, combining ancient DNA analysis and multiple geological dating methods to estimate the age of human remains in five caves in southern China. Ancient DNA analysis and direct carbon-14 dating of teeth from two caves suggest that the remains date to later than 16,000 years ago, in contrast to the early dispersal hypothesis. On the other hand, analysis of sediment samples from the same layer containing the human teeth produced incorrect estimates ranging from 302,000 to 90,000 years ago. According to the authors, the study highlights the importance of directly applying ancient DNA analysis and carbon-14 dating to human remains to accurately estimate their age and establish the timing of key events in human evolution.
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Article #20-19158: "Ancient DNA and multimethod dating confirm the late arrival of anatomically modern humans in southern China," by Xue-feng Sun, Shao-qing Wen, et al.
MEDIA CONTACTS: Xue-feng Sun, Nanjing University, CHINA; email: <xuefeng@nju.edu.cn>; Darren Curnoe, Australian Museum Research Institute, Sydney, AUSTRALIA; email: <darrencurnoe@icloud.com>; Hui Li, Fudan University, Shanghai, CHINA; email: <LHCA@fudan.edu.cn>
Journal
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences