IT could be evidence that humans first settled in the Philippines 67,000 years ago, thousands of years earlier than what archaeologists thought.
A foot bone, found in an extensive cave network in the Callao Caves near Penablanca by archaeologists from the University of the Philippines, is said to be the oldest human remains ever found in the Philippines. According to Taj Vitales, a researcher with the National Museum, the discovery of the bone predates the 47,000-year-old Tabon Man that was previously believed as the first human to have lived in the country. The Tabon Man was first discovered by a National Museum team in a cave in Palawan in 1962.
However, there is more to just finding a piece of bone in determining the existence of our species. Mijares stressed that discovering that the Callao Man belongs to Homo sapiens was still provisional, as some the bone’s features were similar to that of Homo habilis and Homo floresiensis, which are distinct species from humans. To determine this, the team must pursue further excavations to hopefully find other parts or fragments, as well as tools and fossils that will show the existence of other potential humans.
Our struggle for our existence and proof of the evolution of man goes way back to Charles Darwin’s theories. In his book, The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, Darwin said, “As many more individuals of each species are born that can possibly survive; and as, consequently, there is a frequently recurring struggle for existence, it follows that any being, if it vary however slightly in any manner profitable to itself, under the complex and sometimes varying conditions of life, will have a better chance of surviving, and thus be naturally selected. From the strong principle of inheritance, any selected variety will tend to propagate its new and modified form.”
There is no doubt that earlier species of man lived years ago, but knowing how they survived and evolved is an important factor. The discovery of the Callao Man will help us trace back our roots much further and learn how he lived sans the technology and comforts of this world. In this age where we depend on so many devices, we might be able to pick up some ways how to survive. (AJPress)
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( Published August 7, 2010 in Asian Journal Los Angeles p. A12 )
