It has long been believed that our ancestors originated exclusively in Africa – but the skull of an 8.7-million-year-old ape found in Turkey suggests they first appeared in Europe.

The skull is a newly identified ape named Anadoluvius turkae and is said to be the first known radiation of early hominines – a group that includes African apes and humans. …

The widely-held view that our ancestors evolved in Africa largely stems from the skull of Sahelanthropus tchadensis, which is believed to be the oldest known species in the human family tree – it lived up to seven million years ago.

[Read on to find out why researchers claim this is more compelling, which relates to the comparison of the size of the brain cases between the two fossils as well as the carbon dating. If nothing else, let this be a reminder that the science is never “settled.” New evidence requires challenging old hypotheses. — Ed]