[Paper] A Middle Pleistocene Denisovan molar from the Annamite Chain of northern Laos

via Nature Communications, 17 May 2022: A discovery of an ancient tooth in Laos, with suggestions that it belonged to a Denisovan girl.

The Pleistocene presence of the genus Homo in continental Southeast Asia is primarily evidenced by a sparse stone tool record and rare human remains. Here we report a Middle Pleistocene hominin specimen from Laos, with the discovery of a molar from the Tam Ngu Hao 2 (Cobra Cave) limestone cave in the Annamite Mountains. The age of the fossil-bearing breccia ranges between 164–131 kyr, based on the Bayesian modelling of luminescence dating of the sedimentary matrix from which it was recovered, U-series dating of an overlying flowstone, and U-series–ESR dating of associated faunal teeth. Analyses of the internal structure of the molar in tandem with palaeoproteomic analyses of the enamel indicate that the tooth derives from a young, likely female, Homo individual. The close morphological affinities with the Xiahe specimen from China indicate that they belong to the same taxon and that Tam Ngu Hao 2 most likely represents a Denisovan.

Source: A Middle Pleistocene Denisovan molar from the Annamite Chain of northern Laos | Nature Communications

See also:

• Ancient tooth unlocks mystery of Denisovans in Asia | Science Daily, 17 May 2022
• A fossil tooth places enigmatic ancient humans in Southeast Asia | The Conversation, 17 May 2022
• 150,000-year-old Denisovan girl’s TOOTH discovered in Laos suggests Southeast Asia was a hotspot of diversity for early human species, study claims | Daily Mail, 17 May 2022
• Child’s tooth could offer clues to ancient human relative | Phys.org, 17 May 2022
• Tooth from mysterious human relative adds new wrinkles to their story | National Geographic, 17 May 2022
• Tooth from Laotian cave sheds light on enigmatic extinct humans | Reuters, 17 May 2022
• Tooth of an Ancient Girl Fills Gap in Human Family Tree | New York Times, 17 May 2022
• Explained: What a child’s tooth tells us about our ancient cousins | The Indian Express, 19 May 2022
• Prehistoric tooth of young girl found in Laos could help us understand modern human evolution | USA Today, 19 May 2022
• Archaeology breakthrough: 130,000-year-old tooth unlocks early human species mystery | The Express, 21 May 2022