Missing Link, 47 Million-Year-Old Fossil

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Scientists finally declared on Tuesday in New York, the discovery of a 47 million year old fossil (human ancestor). Secretly working on a a detailed forensic analysis of the extraordinary fossil for previous two years, world-renowned Norwegian fossil scientist Dr Jørn Hurum, led an international team of scientists at University of Oslo Natural History Museum, studying the data to know humankind's ancient origins. At 95% complete, Ida will impact our understanding of human evolution.

Known as 'Ida' this fossil is twenty times older than most fossils that explain human evolution, which was discovered in Messel Pit, Germany. 'Ida' is placed at the very root of anthropoid evolution - when primates were first developing the features that would evolve into our own. This fossil is a transitional species showing characteristics from the very primitive non-human evolutionary line (prosimians, such as lemurs), but she is more related to the human evolutionary line (anthropoids, such as monkeys, apes and humans).



Different from Lucy and other famous primate fossils found in Africa's Cradle of Mankind, Ida is a European fossil which was preserved in Germany's Messel Pit, the mile-wide crater and oil-rich shale is a significant site for fossils of the Eocene Epoch. Fossils Forensic analysis reveals that the 47 million year old human ancestor prehistoric primate was a young female. Opposable big toes and nails confirm the fossil is a primate, and a foot bone called the talus bone confirms Ida directly to humans.

The fossil also features the complete soft body outline as well as the gut contents; a herbivore, Ida feasted on fruits, seeds and leaves before she died. X-rays reveal both baby and adult teeth, and the lack of a 'toothcomb' or a 'toilet claw' which is an attribute of lemurs. The scientists estimate Ida's age when she died to be approximately nine months, and she measured approximately three feet in length.