In the fossil record, the human lineage is represented by over 15 hominin species that generally fit into four groups:Facultative bipeds, e.g. He added, "While some experts suggested that dietary specialization restricted Paranthropus to southern regions, others hypothesized that this could have been the result of Paranthropus' inability to compete with the more versatile Homo." This new find shows that Paranthropus was as widespread and versatile as Homo and was not necessarily outcompeted by Homo. But the new Paranthropus from Afar reveals that starting from its earliest origins, Paranthropus was widespread, versatile, and able to crack more than just nuts. First Afar Paranthropus fossil expands the distribution of a versatile genus " was published in Nature in January 2026.

Source: Ethiopian News January 21, 2026 16:51 UTC