New Fossil Teeth in Ethiopia Point to Unknown Human Ancestor!
In the arid landscapes of north-eastern Ethiopia, scientists have made an extraordinary discovery: fossilised teeth that could belong to a previously unknown branch of the human family tree. The remains, found at the Ledi-Geraru site in the Afar Region, date back between 2.8 and 2.6 million years and offer fresh insights into a critical chapter in human evolution.
The Afar Region is already world-famous for finds such as the oldest known human jawbone and some of the earliest stone tools. Now, 13 newly examined teeth have revealed the presence of at least two early hominin lineages: one from the genus Australopithecus, best known for the celebrated “Lucy” (A. afarensis), and the other from the genus Homo, which includes modern humans (Homo sapiens).
Photo Credit: B. Villmoare et al., Nature (2025)
According to research published in Nature, the Australopithecus teeth are unlike those of A. afarensis or A. garhi, hinting at an entirely new species that has yet to be named. “These specimens suggest that Australopithecus and early Homoexisted as two non-robust lineages in the Afar Region before 2.5 million years ago,” the team reported.
Dating the fossils involved analysing layers of volcanic ash above and below the finds. Ten Australopithecus teeth were dated to around 2.63 million years ago, two Homo teeth to about 2.59 million years, and one Homo tooth to roughly 2.78 million years. The Homo specimens may be linked to the 2.8-million-year-old jawbone previously unearthed in the same area, although this connection is still unconfirmed.
What emerges is a far more tangled human story than the old “straight line” version of evolution. Between three million and 2.5 million years ago, eastern Africa was home to at least four distinct hominin lineages: early Homo, A. garhi, the newly identified Australopithecus from Ledi-Geraru, and Paranthropus. Meanwhile, A. africanus lived in southern Africa, and Paranthropus species roamed parts of present-day Kenya, Tanzania, and southern Ethiopia.
Photo Credit: B. Villmoare et al., Nature (2025)
The Ledi-Geraru site’s rich fossil record may be due in part to volcanic activity, which preserved remains beneath layers of ash. Animal fossils found alongside the hominin teeth point to a dry, open grassland, although geological evidence suggests a more varied environment at the time, one with rivers, vegetation, and shallow lakes that appeared and disappeared over the centuries.
One puzzle still to solve is how these early humans and their close relatives shared the same territory. Modern great apes, such as chimpanzees and gorillas, typically occupy separate ranges. To investigate further, scientists plan to analyse the chemical composition of the tooth enamel to discover what each species ate, which may reveal whether they were competitors or occupied different ecological niches.
Although the newly found Australopithecus fossils remain nameless for now, their unique dental features strongly suggest they represent a distinct species. More skeletal evidence, however, will be needed before a formal name can be given.
For now, this discovery offers a rare glimpse into a time when several human-like species lived side by side in Africa, adapting to shifting landscapes and leaving behind tantalising clues to our shared past.