, March 28 -- A newly discovered fossil from northern Egypt is reshaping scientists' understanding of early ape evolution and the origins of modern humans. The find suggests that the closest ancestors of today's apes may have lived in northern Africa, not East Africa as previously believed.

The fossil, dating back around 17-18 million years, belongs to a newly identified species named 'Masripithecus moghraensis'. Experts say it represents the closest known relative to the lineage that eventually led to all living apes, including humans. Researchers David Alba and Julia Arias-Martorell note that the discovery "confirms paleontologists may have been looking for early hominoid ancestors in the wrong region."

Most scientists agree that the ...