Discovery of primate fossil shows critical step in evolution, research team says

The discovery of a new fossil primate in Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, illuminates a critical step in the evolution of early anthropoids, which is the group that includes humans, apes and monkeys, an international team of researchers has announced.

It also builds on evidence that anthropoids — humans’ early ancestors — originated in Asia before migrating to Africa where humans would evolve many millions of years later.

It also helps counter long-held theories that anthropoid evolution was rooted in Africa.