[JP] Bone fragments found in Laotian cave provide new evidence of early failed human expansions out of Africa, according to a study published on June 13.The peer-reviewed study, which was published in the academic journal Nature Communications, investigated bone fragments found in the Tam Pà Ling cave in Laos. The cave's name means Cave of the Monkeys and has previously been investigated for pre-historic human evidence.
Traditional models for human expansion out of Africa hold to two broad categories, either an early dispersal model in which humans left Africa 130-80,0000 years ago and a later dispersal occurring after this period.
Genomic evidence strongly supported the second theory in which there was rapid dispersal out of Africa around 60-50,000 years ago, which split into two groups one heading to Europe and one heading to South Asia.
There is some genetic evidence showing earlier dispersal in present-day Australasian populations, however, this is not considered significant as it contributed less than 1% of their total genetic makeup.