Researchers China have shown an ancient skull to the world the first time. The skull could belong to a completely new species humans that lived Asia over 146,000 years ago. It could be a group of humans that are the closest relatives to us. The researchers have nicknamed the person the skull came "Dragon Man". It was originally found in the city of Harbin in 1933 but was kept hidden. The Japanese army occupied the city the time. The Chinese worker who found the skull decided to keep it safe. He hid it the bottom of his family's well. It stayed there nearly 90 years. The man recently told his family the skull before he died. His family located it and gave it to scientists.
Scientists say Dragon Man could greatly change our understanding human evolution. They say it belonged to "a large-brained male his 50s deep-set eyes and thick eyebrow ridges". He looked more today's humans than any other extinct members the human family tree. The species Dragon Man belonged to is probably closer to modern-day humans than Neanderthals were. Researcher Chris Stringer the Natural History Museum in London described Dragon Man's group. He said: "This population would have been hunter-gatherers, living the land. From the winter temperatures Harbin today, it looks they were coping even harsher cold than the Neanderthals."
