Girl’s ‘mammoth’ bone find may be 500,000 years old

Girl’s ‘mammoth’ bone find may be 500,000 years old

A seven-year-old girl’s discovery on Felixstowe beach has sparked speculation that the ancient relic could date back as far as 500,000 years, according to an evolutionary biologist. Nina Evans, from Ipswich, unearthed the bone while exploring the shoreline with her father, David Evans, 41, and younger brother, Ivan, nine, on Easter Saturday. The find initially appeared to be a piece of wood, but further inspection revealed it was a bone. An AI tool, after analyzing photographs, suggested it might belong to a mammoth.

Expert analysis offers multiple possibilities

“The bone could originate from creatures larger than a cow, such as mammoths, Irish elk, or aurochs, as well as less common species like wild horses or rhinos,” said Professor Ben Garrod from the University of East Anglia. “It is old, sub-fossilised, and likely from the Pleistocene era—though the exact age remains uncertain. It’s a massive ballpark, but probably between 100,000 and half a million years old.”

Garrod added that the bone might have coexisted with early humans. “When it was alive, it could have traversed from Suffolk to mainland Europe, as the North Sea didn’t exist then,” he noted. “It’s a lovely find and a real piece of prehistory.”

Suffolk is recognized for its Pleistocene-era fossils, including those of mammoths, according to UK Fossils. David Evans shared that he often visits Felixstowe and Southwold with his children to search for interesting finds. However, the identification of a bone from such an ancient period was unexpected. “Nina asked me what type of stone it was, and I thought it might be a piece of wood,” he explained. “But it became clear that it was a bone, so we were quite excited.”

Nina has stored the bone in a special box within her bedroom safe, treating it with care. “She’s a quiet girl who doesn’t like to brag, so I think she’ll be content with her discovery without seeking attention,” David said. “She’s not one to claim credit for it.”

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