Scientists have discovered a new fossil ape species, Masripithecus moghraensis, in northern Egypt, dating back 17 to 18 million years.
The remarkably preserved jaw and teeth suggest the ape had a flexible diet that helped it survive changing environments.
More importantly, the discovery fills a major gap in the fossil record and raises the possibility that the common ancestor of all living apes originated in North Africa or the Middle East, offering a new perspective on the evolutionary journey that ultimately led to humans.
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