Discovery in northern Egypt, at Wadi Moghra: the fossil Masripithecus moghraensis could rewrite the origin of modern primates

A recent discovery made at the Wadi Moghra site in Egypt could radically change the way we understand the origin of modern primates, including humans.

Researchers have identified a new genus of primate, Masripithecus moghraensis, which is believed to have lived around 18 million years ago and seems to occupy a key position in the evolutionary tree, just before the split between great apes and lesser apes. The discovery suggests that this crucial stage of evolution may have occurred further north than previously thought, not exclusively in East Africa, thus opening an important debate in the scientific community.