Anthropology

Homo erectus’ last known appearance dates to roughly 117,000 years ago

New evidence helps resolve a debate over how long ago the hominid survived in what’s now Indonesia

Homo erectus skullcap

A new study finds that the last known appearance of Homo erectus, at Java’s Ngandong site, dates to between 117,000 and 108,000 years ago. A H. erectus skullcap previously found at the site is shown.

The Natural History Museum/Alamy Stock Photo

By Bruce Bower

Homo erectus, a humanlike species that dispersed from Africa into parts of Europe and Asia roughly 2 million years ago, eventually reached the Indonesian island of Java before dying out.