Final answer:
Homo habilis is more closely related to modern humans than Paranthropus boisei because it belonged to the same genus Homo, and it displayed anatomical features more similar to those of modern humans. It lived from about 2.5 to 1.4 million years ago and is believed to have been ancestral to Homo erectus.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question is asking which fossil, Homo habilis or Paranthropus boisei, is more closely related to modern humans. Homo habilis is considered to be more closely related to modern humans because it is part of the same genus Homo. Homo habilis, which lived from about 2.5 to 1.4 million years ago in East Africa, is believed to have been ancestral to Homo erectus, and by extension, more closely related to modern humans. In contrast, Paranthropus boisei existed alongside early Homo species, but it is not considered to be a direct ancestor of modern humans due to its specialized adaptations and distinct cranial features.
Homo habilis had a larger brain volume and less prognathic jaw compared to austropithecines, and was initially thought to have been the first hominin to create stone tools, a characteristic that is particularly homo-like. However, it is now known that stone tool use predated Homo habilis. Nevertheless, the genus Homo, which includes modern humans, shares more similarities with Homo habilis than with the robust australopithecines like Paranthropus boisei.