Newly published findings by Swedish and Chinese researchers indicate that the famous "Peking Man" fossil may have actually been a woman.
According to Swedish researcher Martin Kundrat, the Peking man's crown and root teeth are smaller than other teeth, suggesting that he was actually a woman. Chinese researcher Liu Wu disputed the idea, saying that the size of teeth alone does not prove the gender of the individual.
The Peking Man was discovered by Swedish archaeologists in China between 1923 and 1927. Most of the collection mysteriously disappeared in 1941 before it was due to be shipped to the United States.
"It is possible that they were using their teeth as tools or they could bite some solid objects, such as nuts or animal bones," Kundrat told Xinhua.
According to the researchers, the full development of the teeth and their state indicate that the fossil was a fully grown adult between 30 and 40 years old.
