Adrian Woolfson

The roots of humanity remain obscure

Ardipithecus ramidus, discovered in 1994, is currently considered our oldest ancestor. But we may not have sprung from a single species, says Kermit Pattison

Skull of Ardipithecus ramidus, discovered in Ethiopia in 1994. Credit: Alamy

  • Fossil Men: The Quest for the Oldest Skeleton and the Origins of Humankind

    Kermit Pattison

    William Morrow, pp. 544, £25

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