Researchers say the remains belong to an adult member of an extinct species that lived up to 1.4 million years ago.
Researchers have uncovered bone fragments from an ancient cave in Spain, revealing the oldest known human face in Western Europe. The fossilized r
emains, consisting of the left cheek and upper jaw of an adult, belong to an extinct human species that lived between 1.1 million and 1.4 million years ago on the Iberian Peninsula.
This groundbreaking discovery provides new insights into early human history, suggesting that two distinct human species may have inhabited the region during the early Pleistocene. At the time, the cave, now known as the Sima del Elefante (Pit of the Elephant) cave near Atapuerca in Burgos, was surrounded by a lush landscape of humid woodlands, rivers, and streams rich in wildlife.
Dr. Rosa Huguet from the University of Rovira i Virgili in southern Catalonia, who contributed to the excavation, described the discovery as a crucial step in understanding human evolution in Europe. She said, "This paper introduces a new actor in the story of human evolution in Europe."
Until now, the oldest human remains in Western Europe were jawbones and teeth dating back to 1.1 million to 1.2 million years ago. Earlier discoveries from nearby caves, such as the Gran Dolina cavern, also uncovered human remains around 800,000 years old, which were attributed to Homo antecessor, or "pioneer man." However, th
e newly discovered remains at Sima del Elefante are more primitive and closely resemble Homo erectus, the first human species to leave Africa.
Due to the uncertainty of the fossil’s exact identity, researchers have coined the species Homo affinis erectus, indicating its close relationship with Homo erectus. Informally, the researchers have nicknamed the fossil “Pink,” after Pink Floyd’s iconic album The Dark Side of the Moon, symbolizing the "hidden face" of early humans.
Dr. María Martinón-Torres, director of the National Centre for Research on Human Evolution in Burgos, highlighted some key differences between the new fossil and earlier species. Pink’s flatter nasal structure sets it apart from Homo antecessor, which had a more modern-looking face and prominent nasal bones similar to Homo sapiens.
Chris Stringer, a leading researcher on human evolution at the Natural History Museum in London, called the find “a very important discovery.” The fossil’s age aligns with a period of extreme cooling around 1.1 million years ago, which might have pushed early human populations out of Western Europe, possibly explaining the shift in the types of humans found at Sima del Elefante.
The site itself paints a picture of the environment in which these early humans lived—a rich landscape with oaks, pines, and hazel trees, and rivers teeming with animals such as hippos, bison, and deer. Tools made of quartz and flint were also found, alongside animal bones showing evidence of butchering.
Among the most fascinating findings is a groove on the partial crown of Pink’s tooth, believed to be a wear mark from a rudimentary toothpick, hinting at the early humans' daily habits and tool use.
Dr. José María Bermúdez de Castro, co-director of the Atapuerca Project, explained, "This is another step towards understanding the first Europeans." He added that more fossils from contemporary sites are needed to better understand the unique characteristics of this species.
This discovery at Sima del Elefante offers a window into the distant past, expanding our knowledge of human evolution in Europe and the diverse forms of early humans that once roamed the continent.
On April 28, 2025, Spain experienced one of the most severe electrical failures in modern European history, with effects cascading across the Iberian Peninsula.
Europe needs to invest trillions of dollars to modernize its outdated electricity grids and expand energy storage, as green energy use rises and demand surges, analysts and industry leaders say.
Thousands of passengers experienced major delays on Spain's high-speed rail network after signaling cables were stolen from four different locations along the line connecting Madrid and Seville, officials reported Monday.
Electricity had been restored to most of Spain and Portugal early on Tuesday after huge nationwide blackouts, although authorities were still trying to find out what caused the sudden outage.
Power began returning to parts of Spain and Portugal late on Monday after a massive blackout paralysed both countries, grounding flights, halting public transport, and suspending hospital operations.
Germany has called on India and Pakistan to avoid further escalation and protect civilians following deadly cross-border missile strikes between the two nations.
Ukrainian drones targeted Moscow for the third day in a row on Wednesday, disrupting air traffic at the capital’s airports just hours before Chinese President Xi Jinping's scheduled arrival for a high-profile visit.
Pakistan has restored access to X months after imposing a ban following its controversial February 2024 general elections, despite earlier claims that the platform posed a national security threat.
Slovakia has rejected the European Commission's proposal to phase out Russian gas and other energy imports by the end of 2027. Prime Minister Robert Fico called the plan "unacceptable" in its current form, warning it would raise energy prices across the EU and hurt its economic competitiveness.
Moscow airports are experiencing major flight disruptions due to ongoing Ukrainian drone threats ahead of Russia's 9 May Victory Day celebrations.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has announced the upcoming release of a documentary film about Russian President Vladimir Putin.
India has fired a series of missiles into Pakistani-controlled territory, in what it has described as “Operation Sindoor”
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Discover every major VE Day 80 event in Britain, 5‑8 May 2025—from London’s parade and fly‑past to street parties, concerts and museum exhibitions.
New Tesla registrations in Denmark collapsed 67 % in April to 180 vehicles, industry data showed Thursday, underscoring a sharp demand drop for the EV maker in one of its once-strong European markets.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted SpaceX regulatory approval to significantly increase the number of Starship rocket launches from its Texas facility, marking a major step forward in the company's efforts to develop its next-generation Mars rocket.
Scientists in the UK have developed a super-strong antibody that could dramatically improve how the immune system attacks cancer cells by boosting its activation power.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled a €500 million incentive package to enhance scientific research in Europe and attract leading researchers, particularly those from the U.S.
OpenAI announced Monday that it will retain its nonprofit governance structure while proceeding with a major restructuring of its for-profit subsidiary to enable greater capital-raising capacity amid intensifying competition in the artificial intelligence sector.
Fans of Rockstar Games' iconic franchise will need to exercise more patience, as the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI has officially been delayed again—this time until May 26, 2026.
Germany has called on India and Pakistan to avoid further escalation and protect civilians following deadly cross-border missile strikes between the two nations.
Ukrainian drones targeted Moscow for the third day in a row on Wednesday, disrupting air traffic at the capital’s airports just hours before Chinese President Xi Jinping's scheduled arrival for a high-profile visit.
Pakistan has restored access to X months after imposing a ban following its controversial February 2024 general elections, despite earlier claims that the platform posed a national security threat.
Slovakia has rejected the European Commission's proposal to phase out Russian gas and other energy imports by the end of 2027. Prime Minister Robert Fico called the plan "unacceptable" in its current form, warning it would raise energy prices across the EU and hurt its economic competitiveness.
Moscow airports are experiencing major flight disruptions due to ongoing Ukrainian drone threats ahead of Russia's 9 May Victory Day celebrations.
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