Australopithecus sediba at 1.977 Ma and implications for the origins of the genus Homo.

Published

Journal Article

Newly exposed cave sediments at the Malapa site include a flowstone layer capping the sedimentary unit containing the Australopithecus sediba fossils. Uranium-lead dating of the flowstone, combined with paleomagnetic and stratigraphic analysis of the flowstone and underlying sediments, provides a tightly constrained date of 1.977 ± 0.002 million years ago (Ma) for these fossils. This refined dating suggests that Au. sediba from Malapa predates the earliest uncontested evidence for Homo in Africa.

Full Text

Duke Authors

Cited Authors

  • Pickering, R; Dirks, PHGM; Jinnah, Z; de Ruiter, DJ; Churchil, SE; Herries, AIR; Woodhead, JD; Hellstrom, JC; Berger, LR

Published Date

  • September 8, 2011

Published In

Volume / Issue

  • 333 / 6048

Start / End Page

  • 1421 - 1423

PubMed ID

  • 21903808

Pubmed Central ID

  • 21903808

Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)

  • 1095-9203

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 0036-8075

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1126/science.1203697

Language

  • eng