Fossils in Morocco reveal unprecedented clues about the origin of Homo sapiens.

Researchers discovered hominid fossils in Morocco that could change what is known about the origins of Homo sapiens. The remains, found in the Grotte à Hominidés within the Thomas quarry near Casablanca, date back about 773,000 years, a key moment in human evolution.

At that time, the ancestors of our species were beginning to diverge into different lineages that would later give rise to Neanderthals and Denisovans. The finding, published in the journal Nature in January 2026, reinforces the idea that northwest Africa played a central role in this process.

The fossils include fragments of adult jaws, one from a child, and several teeth and vertebrae. Their gracility surprised scientists, as they do not entirely fit with what was expected for that region and period. Jean-Jacques Hublin, the lead author of the study, emphasized that these characteristics clearly differentiate them from other known specimens.

Previous genetic tests placed the oldest common ancestor of modern Homo sapiens between 765,000 and 550,000 years ago, but physical evidence was lacking. This new set provides concrete data from Africa, where the most indisputable ancient specimens of our species are also found.

Comparison with previous findings

Previously, the Homo antecessor from Atapuerca in Spain was one of the main candidates, with an estimated age between 950,000 and 770,000 years. However, the Moroccan remains lack dental and mandibular traits that link them to European Neanderthals, retaining more primitive characteristics associated with the African continent.

Researchers believe these fossils could belong to an isolated group of Homo erectus in the process of divergence. From this ancient population, both Homo antecessor and, eventually, Homo sapiens would have emerged.

The analysis suggests that the divergence of the human species was firmly established in Africa, surpassing the temporal precision of the Spanish finding and placing the origin of our evolutionary line on the continent.

Additionally, the sediments around the fossils record the Matuyama-Brunhes transition, the last major reversal of the Earth's magnetic field that occurred about 773,000 years ago. This precise dating makes these remains some of the oldest and best temporally located.

Implications for the "middle confusion"

The period between one million and 300,000 years ago is known as the "middle confusion" due to the difficulty in reconstructing relationships among different hominids. Although these fossils do not resolve all doubts, they provide a valuable piece to the puzzle.

Experts like José María Bermúdez de Castro and Chris Stringer agreed on the importance of the discovery, although they noted that more evidence is still needed for definitive claims. The remains show similarities to modern Homo sapiens but lack some later characteristics.

The Thomas Quarry archaeological site was already known for containing the oldest evidence of stone tool manufacturing in northwest Africa, at 1.3 million years. The Grotte à Hominidés now adds crucial information about the very humans who inhabited the area.

For the scientists involved, beyond the technical data, the finding has a profound human value: it allows us to connect with beings who lived, moved, and died in that ancient landscape, confronting us with our origins in a concrete way.