Scientists in China have potentially identified a new lineage of ancient humans by analyzing fossilized remains dating back around 300,000 years. The researchers, from various institutions including the Chinese Academy of Sciences, discovered the fossils in Hualongdong, East China. The mandible and partial cranium, known as HLD 6, displayed a combination of traits from different human lineages, resembling both modern humans and late Middle Pleistocene hominins. The absence of a chin suggests a closer connection to older species, while facial bones showed more similarities to modern humans. This discovery could represent a distinct lineage, distinct from Denisovans and Homo erectus, but with links to Homo sapiens.