A recent archaeological breakthrough in Côte d’Ivoire has uncovered 150,000-year-old stone tools, radically altering our understanding of early human history. This discovery, made at the Bété I site, shows that early Homo sapiens inhabited dense African rainforests far earlier than previously thought. Until now, secure evidence of human rainforest habitation dated only to 18,000 years ago.

Researchers from the Max Planck Institute and Spain’s National Centre for Human Evolution used modern excavation and dating technologies to analyze artifacts initially found in the 1980s. With techniques unavailable decades ago, the team confirmed that early humans adapted to and thrived in the lush, humid rainforest environment—a landscape once considered too harsh for early human life. This shifts the narrative of human evolution, highlighting that our ancestors were far more ecologically adaptable than previously assumed.

The excavation was a collaborative effort, with support from local experts. Unfortunately, despite its scientific significance and protected status, the Bété I site was destroyed by mining during the COVID-19 pandemic, raising concerns over heritage preservation.

According to Professor Eleanor Scerri of the Max Planck Institute, the findings underscore how early human populations weren’t confined to open savannahs or dry regions, but rather spread across diverse ecosystems, adapting in remarkably different ways. This supports a more complex view of human evolution—one shaped by ecological diversity and population variation across Africa.

The discovery not only extends the timeline of rainforest habitation but also opens new pathways for exploring the interactions between ancient humans and their environments. It is a powerful reminder of both our species’ resilience and the importance of protecting archaeological sites.