New Homo Erectus Fossils Reveal Ancient Migration Across Drowned Sundaland

Two Homo erectus skull fragments recovered from the seafloor near Java have rewritten the species’ migration story. Once thought isolated to Java, H. erectus likely roamed the now-submerged plains of Sundaland 140,000 years ago. These ancient humans hunted turtles and large mammals and may have adopted modern hunting techniques, possibly through cultural exchange with Neanderthals or Denisovans. This discovery, detailed in studies led by archaeologist Harold Berghuis, reveals how glacial-era land bridges shaped early human evolution in Southeast Asia.