28 August 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

1.5-Million-year-old Footprints have Revealed the Co-Existence of two Ancient Human Species in Kenya

Thanks to a set of preserved footprints on the ancient shores of Lake Turkana in Kenya, researchers have uncovered the coexistence of two ancient human species more than a million years ago.

Estimated to be 1.5 million years old, fossilized footprints offer the first verifiable proof that Homo erectus and Paranthropus boisei, two different hominin species, coexisted in the same habitat. In addition to confirming that these species coexisted, scientists say this discovery provides a unique window into how they interacted and competed in their environment.

The more recent term “hominin” refers to a subgroup of the broader group known as hominids. All living and extinct species regarded as belonging to the human lineage that developed following the split from the great apes’ ancestors are referred to as hominins. This is thought to have happened between six and seven million years ago.

In July 2021, researchers uncovered a hominin footprint alongside tracks made by other animals, such as large birds. A more detailed excavation in 2022 revealed a 12-print trackway and three isolated footprints, along with 94 nonhuman tracks from ancient birds and hoofed animals in Koobi Fora.

Craig Feibel, an author of the study and a professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences and Department of Anthropology in the Rutgers School of Arts and Sciences., used his expertise in stratigraphy and dating to establish that these footprints were formed 1.5 million years ago.

The footprints belong to two species from the Pleistocene: Homo erectus and Paranthropus boisei. Although they were both bipedal and walked upright, they differed greatly in anatomy, indicating different behavioral and movement patterns.

A footprint hypothesized to have been created by a Paranthropus boisei individual. Image Credit: Kevin Hatala/Chatham University
A footprint hypothesized to have been created by a Paranthropus boisei individual. Image Credit: Kevin Hatala/Chatham University

 He also determined that both sets of footprints were made within a few hours of each other, in soft sediments near the lake. While it is not possible to confirm if the two hominin groups interacted directly, it is clear that they shared the same habitat in a brief time interval.

Kevin Hatala, a biology professor at Chatham University, explained that the footprints were preserved in a “perfect zone of mud” near the lake’s edge, ensuring their survival under layers of fine sediment. “It’s hard to say exactly what they were doing,” he noted, “but they walked in the perfect area for their footprints to be made, which is very lucky for us.”

The species that left the footprints was determined by the researchers using comparative analysis and sophisticated 3D imaging. It was determined that Paranthropus boisei was responsible for the trackway of 12 prints, which featured a slightly spread big toe and a deeper forefoot strike. The three isolated footprints, on the other hand, were associated with Homo erectus because they showed a heel-to-toe motion resembling that of modern humans.

The footprints suggest that these species, with their differing diets and anatomical features, utilized the same habitat, possibly even crossing paths. Hatala emphasized that Paranthropus boisei, known for its robust jaws and plant-based diet, differed greatly from Homo erectus, which had a more human-like body and omnivorous diet.

The footprints are significant, Feibel said, because they fall into the category of “trace fossils” – which can include footprints, nests and burrows. Trace fossils are not part of an organism but offer evidence of behavior. Body fossils, such as bones and teeth, are evidence of past life, but are easily moved by water or a predator. Trace fossils cannot be moved, Feibel said.

A trackway of footprints hypothesized to have been created by a Paranthropus boisei individual. Image Credit: Neil Roach
A trackway of footprints hypothesized to have been created by a Paranthropus boisei individual. Image Credit: Neil Roach

A new understanding of early human evolution is provided by this discovery, which is the first tangible proof of direct coexistence between two hominin species. By suggesting intricate relationships that influenced their survival and adaptation, the findings cast doubt on the notion that hominin species avoided one another.

In addition to offering concrete proof of the coexistence of two hominin species, this discovery poses fascinating queries regarding their interactions in terms of culture and reproduction. Paranthropus boisei went extinct within a few hundred thousand years, while Homo erectus survived for another million years. The reasons behind this divergence in evolutionary fates are still unknown to scientists.

The findings of the study are published in the journal Science. DOI: 10.1126/science.ado5275

Rutgers University

Cover Image Credit: A 3D computerized model of the surface of the area near Lake Turkana in Kenya shows fossil footprints of Paranthropus boisei (vertical footprints) with separate footprints of Homo erectus forming a perpendicular path. Image Credit: Kevin Hatala/Chatham University

Related Articles

Persian plateau unveiled as crucial hub for early human migration out of Africa, study suggests

29 March 2024

29 March 2024

60,000 to 70,000 years ago, our species Homo sapiens walked out of Africa and began to find new homes around...

Jordan’s mysterious ancient wall “Khatt Shebib”

22 October 2022

22 October 2022

The accomplishments of ancient civilizations are typically woefully underappreciated because we stereotype them as primitives who only wore loincloths, and...

A 3200-year-old trepanned skull discovered in eastern Turkey’s Van province

12 November 2022

12 November 2022

A 3200-year-old trepanned skull was discovered in eastern Turkey’s Van province. In the prehistoric era, Anatolia served as a transitional...

INAH Archaeologists recover the coyote-man of Tacámbaro

26 January 2022

26 January 2022

Archaeologists win the coyote-man trial that lasted 30 years in Mexico. The litigation regarding the coyote-man of Tacámbaro, an important...

History of 8,500 years waits for a museum

19 June 2023

19 June 2023

The conservation process of the Yenikapı shipwrecks, which were discovered during the Marmaray project and considered the largest collection of...

The Enigmatic Architecture of Sacsayhuaman: The Sacred Stronghold of Massive Stones and Mysteries

14 March 2025

14 March 2025

Sacsayhuaman Fortress, located just outside Cusco, Peru, is one of the most astonishing archaeological complexes in the world. Initiated by...

Marvelous Marble Floor Of Sunken Roman Villa Restored in Bacoli

19 July 2024

19 July 2024

In Bacoli, Italy, an underwater restoration project has uncovered the marvelous marble floor of a submerged Roman villa. This remarkable...

Archaeologists discover bones of a woman who lived 14,000 years ago at a site in The Iberian Peninsula

13 August 2021

13 August 2021

Archaeologists have discovered the bones of a lady who lived 14,000 years ago, the earliest traces of a modern burial...

In the Mediterranean Oldest Hand-Sewn Boat is Preparing for its Next Journey

25 January 2024

25 January 2024

The oldest hand-sewn boat in the Mediterranean was discovered in the Bay of Zambratija near Umag on Croatia’s Istrian peninsula....

Archaeologists Discovered Medieval Silver Communion Set and 70 Silver Coins in Hungary

16 June 2024

16 June 2024

A 14th-century silver communion set (chalice and wafer holder) and a treasure trove of 70 silver coins were discovered in...

Two more Giants discovered at Mont’e Prama in Sardinia, Italy

7 May 2022

7 May 2022

Two more Giants have emerged from the Mont’e Prama excavations in Sardinia: both of the new statues have been described...

Archaeologists Discover 2,000-Year-Old Jug in Tajikistan Bearing Woman’s Name

4 July 2025

4 July 2025

In a discovery of rare historical and cultural significance, archaeologists in southern Tajikistan have uncovered a 2,000-year-old clay jug bearing...

The “food” thousands of years ago may be the ancestor of a Turkish dessert

25 July 2021

25 July 2021

The rock paintings and kitchen materials found in the cave, which were discovered by a shepherd and emerged as a...

In the ancient city of Syedra: a unique mosaic with the 12 labors of Heracles depicted on a single panel found

25 July 2022

25 July 2022

During the excavations in the ancient city of Syedra in the Alanya district of Antalya, approximately 164 square meters of...

“Ladies of Anavlochos”: Crete’s Puzzle in Pieces

9 May 2025

9 May 2025

Perched high on the rugged slopes of Mount Anavlochos, overlooking the azure expanse of the Mediterranean Sea, lie the silent...