Earlier discoveries had hinted at the possibility of multiple hominin species coexisting, but the footprints from the Turkana Basin give the first direct evidence of this interaction.
The researchers suggest that the differing physical adaptations of Homo erectus and Paranthropus boisei indicate evolutionary differences in their lifestyles, including bipedal walking and dietary strategies.
The identification of the two distinct species from the footprints highlights a significant moment in human evolutionary history, showing that diverse human relatives shared the same environment.
Study co-author Kevin Hatala expressed that seeing the footprints is like a moment frozen in time, showcasing the potential for interaction between these two ancient species.
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