A New Human Species Might Have Been Found In China - The Red Deer Cave People

[newyorklily]

From Human fossils hint at new species by Jonathan Amos, Science Correspondent, BBC News

The remains of what may be a previously unknown human species have been identified in southern China.
The bones, which represent at least five individuals, have been dated to between 11,500 and 14,500 years ago.
But scientists are calling them simply the Red Deer Cave people, after one of the sites where they were unearthed.
The team has told the PLoS One journal that far more detailed analysis of the fossils is required before they can be ascribed to a new human lineage.
"We're trying to be very careful at this stage about definitely classifying them," said study co-leader Darren Curnoe from the University of New South Wales, Australia.
"One of the reasons for that is that in the science of human evolution or palaeoanthropology, we presently don't have a generally agreed, biological definition for our own species (Homo sapiens), believe it or not. And so this is a highly contentious area," he told BBC News.

Read more at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17370170

[Doc]

From the linked article:

Human fossils hint at new species

By Jonathan Amos
Science correspondent, BBC News


Scientists say the specimens display features that are quite distinct from fully modern humans


Continue reading the main story Related Stories

• Human origins story takes new turn
• Humans 'got to Asia much earlier'
• Fossil finds extend human story

The remains of what may be a previously unknown human species have been identified in southern China.

The bones, which represent at least five individuals, have been dated to between 11,500 and 14,500 years ago.
But scientists are calling them simply the Red Deer Cave people, after one of the sites where they were unearthed.
The team has told the PLoS One journal that far more detailed analysis of the fossils is required before they can be ascribed to a new human lineage.
"We're trying to be very careful at this stage about definitely classifying them," said study co-leader Darren Curnoe from the University of New South Wales, Australia.
"One of the reasons for that is that in the science of human evolution or palaeoanthropology, we presently don't have a generally agreed, biological definition for our own species (Homo sapiens), believe it or not. And so this is a highly contentious area," he told BBC News."

Read the rest here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-17370170

This started as one of those throw-away stories that is beginning to gain some credibility as more details emerge. There a few more reconstructed skull pictures out there that look pretty convincing to my amateur eyes. The researchers and other sources seem legitimate so far, as well.