Friday 27/March/2026 – 02:20 AM
Dr. Shorouk Al-Ashqar, the principal researcher for the first Egyptian study published in the international journal Science, revealed the success of an international team led by scientists from Egypt in discovering fossils of a type of great ape that lived about 17 to 18 million years ago inside Egyptian territory.
Al-Ashqar explained in a live broadcast on Cairo 24 that the discovery, which came through a research team led by Mansoura University, represents an important scientific transformation, as it indicates that great apes may have originated in North Africa and the Arab region, specifically in Egypt, before later spreading to the rest of the world, which contradicts the prevailing scientific belief that their origin was in East Africa, especially in Kenya and Uganda.
Shorouk Al-Ashkar reveals the details of publishing the first Egyptian study in Science
She added that the discovered fossil belongs to a type of great ape, and parts of the front of the jaw were found, in addition to a canine and back teeth, which is sufficient evidence to classify this type among the ancestors of the great apes to which chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans belong.
She pointed out that the importance of the discovery lies in the fact that it opens a new door to understanding the origins and evolution of primates, especially since most of the previous discoveries were concentrated in East Africa, making it the primary reference for origin hypotheses.
Al-Ashqar revealed that the research journey began in 2021, while the samples were found in 2024, before the results were officially published in 2026, after years of careful analysis and study.
She concluded her statements by emphasizing her sense of pride, saying that seeing Egypt’s name written in Arabic in the international magazine Science was a touching moment that made her cry, stressing that this achievement reflects the ability of Egyptian researchers to achieve global scientific achievements when they have the capabilities and support.
