Final answer:
The fossils from Gran Dolina attributed to Homo antecessor, dating to about 850,000 years ago, are significant in studying human evolution. They represent one of the earliest presences of Homo in Europe and provide insights into the ancestral links to later species such as Homo heidelbergensis, Neanderthals, and modern humans.
Step-by-step explanation:
The human fossils from Gran Dolina that date to about 850,000 years ago are placed within the genus Homo. Specifically, Homo antecessor is believed to represent the oldest fossil evidence of the presence of Homo in Europe. These Early Archaic Homo specimens suggest a possible ancestral link to Homo heidelbergensis and ultimately to modern humans and Neanderthals. The fossils found at the Sima de los Huesos site display physical characteristics that later appear in Neanderthals, and genetic evidence suggests a divergence from Denisovans earlier than 430,000 years ago.
Human evolution is a complex process with many species contributing to the lineage of modern humans. Homo habilis, known as "handyman," is the first known species in the genus Homo and possibly ancestral to Homo erectus. Homo erectus is a critical early species that not only evolved about 1.9 million years ago in East Africa but also migrated to Eurasia before going extinct around 800,000 years ago. This species is a probable ancestor to Homo heidelbergensis, which in turn evolved into both Homo neanderthalensis and early Homo sapiens.
Neanderthals, another significant member of the genus Homo, evolved from Homo erectus and lived in Europe and western Asia between 200,000 and 30,000 years ago. The discovery of Homo antecessor contributes to our understanding of these archaic Homo species and their relationships with modern humans.