Ancient Human Relatives Engaged in Cannibalistic Behavior, Fossil Evidence Suggests
Researchers from the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History have discovered the earliest evidence of probable cannibalism among human ancestors, dating back 1.45 million years ago. They found nine cut marks on a fossil shin bone belonging to a hominin species in northern Kenya, indicating butchery for meat consumption. The discovery redefines early tool use and highlights the potential for new discoveries in museum collections. While the evidence suggests cannibalism, it is not enough to determine if the eater and the eaten were from the same species.