Almost certainly not—but some researchers are hoping it is.
The recent discovery of Anadoluvius turkae in northern Turkey is stirring debate. This fossil isn’t a hominin (a direct-line ancestor of humans) but a hominid, meaning it’s part of the broader family of great apes, including humans, chimps, gorillas, and orangutans.
Some researchers suggest it could hint at hominin evolution, even proposing that early hominins may have evolved in Eurasia before spreading to Africa. The media, however, has latched onto the provocative and often-debunked idea that humans evolved in Europe, not Africa. But let’s be real—this trope is almost certainly not going to hold up. Remember, media outlets often chase headlines, promoting fringe ideas or even the absurd in their quest to stand out.
The likelier scenario? Anadoluvius was an intriguing offshoot of great apes, not part of our direct lineage. Any traits it shares with later African hominins are likely the result of convergent evolution, showing how different ape species adapted to open environments. Without limb fossils to reveal whether it climbed trees or walked on the ground, its lifestyle remains speculative.
For now, Anadoluvius turkae is a fascinating chapter in the story of great apes—but not a page in the book of human ancestry.
