47 Million Year Old Primate Fossil Revolutionizes Human Evolution Theory

History Channel, together with the University of Oslo and the Senckenberg Research Institute, today reveal a landmark scientific find: the 47 million year old fossilized remains of a primate. The most complete fossil primate ever found, the young female specimen — known as “Ida” — is set to revolutionize our understanding of human evolution.

Twenty times older than most fossils that explain human evolution, “Ida” is a transitional species showing characteristics from the very primitive non-human evolutionary line (prosimians, such as lemurs), but she is more related to the human evolutionary line (anthropoids, such as monkeys, apes and humans). This places Ida at the very root of anthropoid evolution — when primates were first developing the features that would evolve into our own. The scientists’ findings are published today by PLoS One, the open source journal of the Public Library of Science.

For the past two years, a team of esteemed scientists, led by world-renowned Norwegian paleontologist Dr. Jorn Hurum of the University of Oslo Natural History Museum, has secretly conducted a detailed forensic analysis of the extraordinary 95% complete fossil, studying the data to decode humankind’s ancient origins.
“This specimen is like finding the lost ark for archaeologists,” said Hurum. “This fossil will probably be the one that will be pictured in all textbooks for the next 100 years.”

Dr. Jorn Hurum first heard about the fossil at an annual fossil fair in Hamburg, Germany. Following a private meeting with a fossil dealer, he was invited to view a fossil the scientific world has been waiting for since the dawn of modern paleontology. After confirming its authenticity, Hurum raised funds to purchase the fossil for the University of Oslo Natural History Museum and returned to his lab in Oslo, Norway where he selected a “dream team” of world experts to help decode the fossil. Among the experts involved are:

1. Dr. Holly Smith, top U.S. dental anthropologist, University of
Michigan: “In terms of a complete skeleton, it’s hard to think of
anything else in primate evolution that’s as complete as this fossil.
It’s certainly the most beautiful fossil primate I’ve ever seen.”

2. Dr. Jens Franzen, German fossil and Messel Pit expert, Senckenberg
Research Institute: “This is by far the most complete fossil primate
ever found in the world. When the results of our investigations are
published this will be just like an asteroid hitting the earth.”

3. Prof. Philip Gingerich, leading U.S. primate specialist, University of
Michigan: “It’s really a kind of Rosetta Stone because it ties together
parts we haven’t been able to associate before.”

4. Dr Jorg Habersetzer, German fossil expert and radiologist, Senckenberg
Research Institute: “This fossil rewrites our understanding of the
evolution of primates.”

Unlike Lucy and other famous primate fossils found in Africa’s Cradle of Mankind, “Ida” is a European fossil, preserved in Germany’s Messel Pit; the mile-wide crater and oil-rich shale is a significant site for fossils of the Eocene period. Fossil analysis reveals that the prehistoric primate was a young female. Opposable big toes and nails instead of claws confirm the fossil is a primate. It is the evidence in Ida’s ankle that links her to us; her talus bone is the same shape as ours only smaller.

In addition to the 95% complete skeleton, measuring approximately three feet in length, the fossil also features the complete soft body outline as well as the gut contents; an herbivore, “Ida” fed on fruits, seeds and leaves before she died. X-rays reveal both baby and adult teeth, but also the lack of a “toothcomb” or a “toilet claw” — attributes of lemurs. The scientists estimate Ida’s age to be approximately nine months.

The fossil was revealed publicly for the first time today at a news conference held at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. A cast of the specimen will be on display in the “Extreme Mammals” exhibition at the American Museum of Natural History in NYC.

For more information, please visit www.history.com/thelink, or the dedicated website www.revealingthelink.com.

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