An ancient human species, which was thought to be extinct long time ago, likely survived until about 14,000 years ago, a new study has suggested. Researchers unearthed a fragment of thigh bone in a Chinese cave, which they believe could reveal human ancestors’ unexpected survival.

The femur found in southwest China is about 14,000-year-old. After analysis, the researchers found the bone resembles those human species thought to be vanished by the Late Pleistocene. The fossilized femur was compared with modern human leg bone and found that the specimen belongs to an ancient human species that survived recently.

If the researchers are believed, it will be right to say that an ancient species of humans survived until at least the last Ice Age. Homo sapiens is the only human species living on earth, but the history wasn’t the same.

Before our species, other human species like Denisovans, Neanderthals, H. habilis and H. erectus walked the planet. Some of these species intermingled with Homo sapiens. As per historians, about tens of thousands years ago, there were more human species ruling the world. Neanderthals are believed to have died approximately 40,000 years ago.

Darren Curnoe, lead author of the study, said in a statement, “Until now, it was thought that archaic humans on mainland Asia had survived no later than around 100,000 years ago. So, to find a human bone that resembles very ancient humans that is only around 14,000 years old is a real surprise”.