400,000 year old teeth challenge evolutionary theory

ELEANOR HALL: Israeli archaeologists say they've uncovered evidence that could challenge the accepted theories on human evolution.


A team from Tel Aviv found human teeth that they estimate are 400,000 years old: twice as old as any previous finds.


But they say they can't be sure of the significance of their discovery until further tests are done as Middle East correspondent Anne Barker reports.


ANNE BARKER: The accepted theory among evolutionary scientists is that homo sapiens originated in Africa around 200,000 years ago and gradually migrated around the world.


And until now the earliest human remains were found in eastern Africa.


But now Israeli archaeologists have uncovered a set of teeth that they believe are twice as old and if so would force a complete rethink of the whole concept of human evolution.


AVI GOPHER: This conclusion may be of great importance because it may be a first hint at changing some of the paradigms we are used to think about, used to use in terms of human evolution.


ANNE BARKER: Professor Avi Gopher at Tel Aviv University heads the team which was excavating the Qesem Cave, a prehistoric site in central Israel that was discovered 10 years ago where they found eight teeth believed to be 400,000 years old.


AVI GOPHER: The dating of the cave shows that the presence of homo sapiens in this part of the world is earlier than any other evidence we have to date.


The earliest we know until now is Homo sapiens found in eastern Africa dated to around 200,000 years.


That means that we have to rethink the basic reconstructions we have for human evolution and spread.


ANNE BARKER: Professor Gopher says more research is needed to confirm the remains are the earliest evidence of the existence of modern man.


But scientists have already done a morphological analysis of the teeth which included CT scans and X-rays that indicate their size and shape are very similar to those of today's humans.


And he says other findings suggest that whoever it was who lived in the cave were hunters who used fire and shared animal meat, all of which are consistent with modern man.


Many other remains have also been found but he says the teeth are by far the most important.


AVI GOPHER: Among the finds in the last few years we had a few human remains: one piece of a skull which wasn't very indicative, it was too small and the rest were teeth that we found in different parts of the sequence of the cave.


ANNE BARKER: But it could take some work yet before the Israeli team can convince the wider archaeological community.


At least one scientist Sir Paul Mellars a prehistory expert at Cambridge University says it's premature to say the remains are from modern humans and he believes they're more likely related to man's ancient relatives the Neanderthals. hostgator coupon 2011