Scientists have recently analyzed hominin fossils found in Morocco that date back 773,000 years. The bones were discovered in a cave at the Thomas Quarry I site. To determine their age with high precision, researchers used a method that tracks prehistoric flips in the Earth's magnetic field.

An analysis of the remains shows a blend of primitive and more modern physical traits. Researchers believe these individuals belonged to an African population closely related to the last common ancestor shared by modern humans, Neanderthals, and Denisovans.