The PALEO researchers delivered two thought-provoking presentations at the European Society for the Study of Human Evolution (ESHE) 2024 conference in Zagreb. Their cutting-edge research highlights novel perspectives on human evolution and chimpanzee tool use, pushing the boundaries of our understanding of early hominins and non-human primates.
Coastal Forests and the Origins of Hominins
Presented by René Bobe, the first talk explored the ecological context and potential geographical origin of the last common ancestor (LCA) of Pan and Homo. Drawing on a new database of 87 Neogene paleontological sites across Africa, the researchers proposed that hominins likely emerged 8.5–10 million years ago, possibly within Africa’s coastal forests.
The presentation underscored how the middle and late Miocene environmental shifts, including the expansion of C4 grasslands and the East African Rift’s development, created isolated ecosystems that may have driven allopatric speciation. These findings suggest that coastal forest ecosystems played a pivotal role in shaping the evolutionary trajectory of the clade that includes humans, chimpanzees, and gorillas. These ideas align with Jonathan Kingdon’s theories of a eastern coastal ape as the ancestor of the earliest hominins as well as recent discoveries from Gorongosa National Park.
Chimpanzee Engineering and Tool Selection
The second presentation, led by Alejandra Pascual-Garrido and co-authored by a team of interdisciplinary researchers, examined wild chimpanzee tool-making at Gombe Stream National Park. The study revealed how chimpanzees select raw materials based on their mechanical properties to create termite-fishing tools—a behavior indicative of advanced engineering skills.
Their findings demonstrated that preferred plant materials offered greater flexibility and compliance, optimizing tool performance for termite mound navigation. This ability to evaluate material properties provides compelling parallels to early hominin tool-making and raises questions about the cultural transmission of these technical skills.
Alejandra is shifting the focus beyond lithic tools, emphasizing the evolutionary significance of perishable tools often overlooked in archaeological records.
Expanding the Frontiers of Paleoanthropology
These presentations reflect the innovative and interdisciplinary approaches embraced by the PALEO group. From hominin origins to chimpanzee engineering, these lines of research provide fresh insights into our evolutionary past and underscore the importance of underrepresented ecological and technological factors.
Congratulations to all involved for their impactful contributions to ESHE 2024!