Bashed Skull Is Earliest Evidence of Human Aggression?
Ancient human found in China got "a real good knock to the head."
The discovery is based on CT scans of a 126,000-year-old human known as Maba Man, so named because his fossil remains were found near Maba in Guangdong Province in 1958.
(Related: "Oldest Modern Human Outside of Africa Found.")
The scans revealed a skull fracture caused by blunt force trauma. The victim was probably clubbed with a weapon such as a stone, heavy bone, or lump of wood, according to a new study.
"This person had a pretty serious injury—it would have been a real good knock to the head," said team member Lynne Schepartz, of the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa.
The blow likely caused bleeding and a concussion—inducing nausea, vomiting, and perhaps even brain damage—leaving the victim prone and
