The Search for the First Human

In this episode, we talk about the discovery of Orrorin tugenensis, also known as Millennium Man, by British, French, and Kenyan scientists in Kenya’s Tugen Hills. We break down how 13 fossil fragments dated to over six million years old may be the oldest known human ancestor ever found. We cover the anatomical evidence that shows this creature walked upright, the CT scans that confirmed its bipedal structure, and the geological analysis used to date the find. We also dive into the forest environment it lived in, its social behavior, diet, and how its discovery flips long-held theories about how and where bipedalism evolved. Featuring institutions like the French National Museum of Natural History, the University of Illinois, Chuo University in Japan, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the story of Orrorin tugenensis forces a major rethinking of the early human evolutionary timeline.

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