Scientists discover a 17-million-year-old ape fossil in Egypt that could rewrite early ape evolution

Africa Science Fri, 24 Jul 2026 22:16:04 GMT Moderate confidence — 73/100

image AI generatedFor decades, discussions about the earliest stages of ape evolution have largely centred on East Africa.
Many of the fossils that shaped scientific thinking were discovered there, leading to the view that the region was the primary setting where the ancestors of modern apes first diversified before spreading elsewhere.
That picture has now become less straightforward.

Unverified

image AI generatedFor decades, discussions about the earliest stages of ape evolution have largely centred on East Africa.
Many of the fossils that shaped scientific thinking were discovered there, leading to the view that the region was the primary setting where the ancestors of modern apes first diversified before spreading elsewhere.
That picture has now become less straightforward.

Sources: Times of India