Human Bite Stronger Than Thought


To put a human face on our ancestors, scientists from the Senckenberg Research Institute used sophisticated methods to form 27 model heads based on tiny bone fragments, teeth and skulls collected from across the globe.


The heads are on display for the first time together at the Senckenberg Natural History Museum in Frankfurt, Germany.


This model is Sahelanthropus tchadensis, also nicknamed "Toumai," who lived 6.8 million years ago. Parts of its jaw bone and teeth were found nine years ago in the Djurab desert in Chad.


This model was fashioned from pieces of a skull and jaw found among the remains of 17 pre humans (nine adults, three adolescents and five children) which were discovered in the Afar Region of Ethiopia in 1975.


The ape man species, Australopithecus afarensis, is believed to have lived 3.2 million years ago. Several more bones from this species have been found in Ethiopia, including the famed "Lucy," a nearly complete A. Ples," the popular nickname for the most complete skull of an Australopithecus africanus, unearthed in Sterkfontein, South Africa in 1947.


It is believed she lived 2.5 million years ago (although the sex of the fossil is not entirely certain).


Crystals found on her skull suggest that she died after falling into a chalk pit, which was Wholesale Jerseys later filled with sediment.


A. Judging from his anatomy, scientists believe this Homo ergaster was a tall youth about 13 to 15 years old.


According to research, the boy died beside a shallow river delta, where he was covered by alluvial sediments.


Comparing the shape of the skull and teeth, H. Judging by the skull and Wholesale Jerseys cranium, scientists believe he probably died from a massive infection that caused a facial deformation.


The model, shown here, does not include the deformity.


This species is believed to be an ancestor of Neanderthals, as seen in the shape of his face. He lived 56,000 years ago.


His relatively old age, thought to be between 40 to 50 years old, indicates he was well looked after by a clan.


The old man's skeleton indicates he suffered from a number of afflictions, including arthritis, and had numerous broken bones.


Scientists at first did not realize the age and afflicted state of this specimen when he was first discovered. She was about 1 meter tall (about 3'3") and lived about 18,000 years ago.


The discovery of her species, Homo floresiensis, brought into question the belief that Homo sapiens was the only form of mankind for the past 30,000 years.


Scientists are still debating whether Homo floresiensis was its own species, or Cheap NFL Jerseys merely a group of diseased modern humans. Experts often assume or make educated guesses to fill in the Wholesale NFL Jerseys gaps in mankind's family tree, and to develop a sense what our ancestors may have looked like.