Sahelanthropus tchadensis



Sahelanthropus tchidensis was discovered between July 2001 and March 2002 from Djurab Desert of northern Chad, Africa,by French paleontologist Michael Brunet, Alain Beauvilain, Adoum Mahamat, Djimdoumalbaye Ahounta, and Gongdibe Fanone. Also called "Toumai" which means "hope of life" in African. claimed that this specie is oldest known human ancestor. Discovery of this specie is important because before this specie is discovered, fossil of apes were only found in east Africa and South Africa but Shelanthropus was found in west-central Africa. which shows that earliest human or apes were spread throughout Africa not only small portion of Africa. Research team found little portion of cranium, fragment of jawbone, and fragments of tooth. Also known to be upright walking specie.

Discovery
Fossils of Sahelanthropus tchadenis is first discovered between July 2001 and March 2002 from Djurab Desert of northern Chad, Africa,specifically TM247, TM266, TM292 by French paleontologist Michael Brunet, Alain Beauvilain, Adoum Mahamat, Djimdoumalbaye Ahounta, and Gongdibe Fanone. They claimed that this specie is oldest known human ancestor. Discovery of this specie is important because before this specie is discovered, fossil of apes were only found in east Africa and South Africa but Shelanthropus was found in west-central Africa. which shows that earliest human or apes were spread throughout Africa not only small portion of Africa. Michael Brunet also found out that this specie walked upright because the foramen megnum was further forward like humans now. This feature makes them that they were walking with two legs. When Michael Brunet discover this specie, he found single skull,jaw, and few tooth fragments. according to fossils that they found, scientists are estimating Sahelanthropus was about size of chimpanzee. Also research team led by Michael Brunet stated that, fragments of skull, jaw, and tooth shows us that it has hominid-like traits. Also they are predicting it could be chimpanzee's ancestor because the fossil show that it had relatively flat face and tip of canine tooth was worn down like humans now. Scientist also predicted that this specie probably lived near lake and swamp area about six to seven million years ago. Also suspected that hominid-chimpanzee split was five million years earlier than currently known date because of discovery of Sahelanthropus.

Fossils
Michael Brunet and his research team found little portion of cranium, fragment of jawbone, and fragments of tooth. Cranium that he found is also called Toumai which means "hope of life" in African. This cranium's size was similar to chimpanzee's and little smaller than human's skull now in volume wise. According to Michael Brunet's discovery this specie had flat face, small canines, U-shaped dental, and anterior foramen magnum. When Michael Brunet discovered Cranium it was dorsoventrally flattened and the right side was depressed. which question most scientist how can you examine so disfigured portion of Cranium and predict it was oldest human ancestor.

Questions


There were few questions which have not been answered and cannot be answered by Discoverer of this specie. what do they look like? Michael Brunet did not found Cranial fossil. Pictures on web is only mere image of imagination of an artist. what did they eat? they only found fragments of this specie's tooth and it does not really tell what they used to eat. primary form of locomotion?, why do Sahelenthropus has smaller canines? Chimpanzees and other primates had long canines too compete with others and Michael Brunet said this specie was split from Chimpanzee but they don't really have same trait. Was there female Sahelenthropus and male Sahelanthropus? an most importantly is this specie a common ancestor of humans? these are the questions that everyone asks but have not been answered.

Creationist View
Marvin Lubenow is a christian who believes that Sahelanthropus tchadensis is not ancestor of human. He claims that Michael Brunet unveiled his discovery as a human ancestor because of Michael Brunet's reputation. Marvin Lubenow said that "finding a human ancestor guarantees celebrity status...". also Marvin Lubenow said Michael Brunet wanted to be funded from National science foundation because whether it is actual ancestor of human or not he wanted to do more research on this specie and he needed to be funded to do more research in future. Basically Marvin Lubenow stated that, even though Michael Brunet did not have enough evidence and proof that the fossil is part of out human ancestor, he claimed it to be out ancestor to become famous and gain fame and also to get fund from National science foundation to continue his research.

Other creationist name Dr. Carl Wieland said there are a lot pf problems with this specie. First, Michael Brunet stated that Sahelanthropus was existing 6 to 7 million years ago but then it's older than austalopithecines, such as Lucy. Also stated Michael Brunet only found portion of bones and tooth, not below the neck. which explains that he did not have enough evidence and Michael Brunet found Jawbone and smaller canines, Australopithcines also had flatter face and some of it's tooth were small too. Dr. Carl Wieland said "It is already clear from existing fossil finds that there was a great deal of variation in various primate kinds in the early post-Flood period."

Video
Search for the First Human Sahelanthropus Tchadensis - NEW+ Science Documentary U9lBKx_5u60