HOMO SAPIENS come in many shapes and sizes, yet we know one when we see one. If only classifying our extinct relatives were as simple.
With fossils in short supply, deciding where a species starts and ends is contentious. 鈥淟umpers鈥� tend to group fossils into relatively few species, while 鈥渟plitters鈥� see each morphological idiosyncrasy as potentially signifying a new species. Now the ability to sequence entire ancient genomes provides a new tool (see 鈥淧atchwork people: Our hybrid origins鈥�). What will it reveal?
A previously unknown hominin has already been identified by its genes alone, and there could be more as further bones are probed. The result is likely to be a cornucopia of discoveries. We have already welcomed 鈥渉obbits鈥� and Denisovans into our extended family. Who knows what other surprises lie in store.
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Whether these are separate species is an open question, which the lumpers and splitters will continue to argue over. But instead of obsessing about how to chop up our family tree, ancient genomes may finally help us see human evolution for what it is: a dynamic process of constant interaction and change.