Humans originated from Andamans?
Rajiv Mani
Source - http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-05-23/science/29574013_1_andaman-tribes-andaman-and-nicobar-islands-jarawa
Contrary to the popular belief that humans originated from the African continent, a recent study by an anthropologist from Allahabad University (AU) suggests that the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the South Asian Islands witnessed the genesis of mankind.
According to Prof Vijoy Shankar Sahay, HoD of the department of Anthropology of AU, suggests that the twin island along with Malaysia, Philippines, Papna and New Guinea, Australia and the Tasmania, were among the regions where the earlier mankind evolved and spread to various parts of the world.
"The physical evidence of the four Andaman tribes including Andamanies, Jarawa, Sentinelese and Onge show that the hypothesis propounded by Haeckle that 'the genesis of human race has to be from a region of tropical country' stands true. Among these Jarawa and Sentinelese are in the purest form, untouched by the modern amenities and racial mixing," revealed Prof Sahay.
Detailing about the evidence which strengthens his findings Sahay said, "Darwin's theory about the evolution of mankind had a missing link between ape and man which was solved by Haeckle who named this missing link as 'Phecanthropus', the ape man".
He further said that a Danish anthropologist, Eugene Dubois, found out a fossil at Java Island, skull of which had the cranium capacity (cc) of 800 cc. "This was certainly skull of the ape man as skull cc of Anthropological ape ranges from 300-600 cc whereas that of human is 1000-1600 cc", said Sahay.
"When we closely study the physical appearance of Sentinelese and Jarawa tribes we find that the skin of these tribes are totally hairless and smooth that too in such an inhospitable ecology", said Sahay. This suggests that the tribes of Andaman and Nicobar region are the offsprings of early human race, he added.