The announcement of a new genus and species, Kenyanthropus platyops, was made based on a skull discovered in Kenya. Dating to about 3.5 million years ago, this flat-faced hominid added to the diversity of early human ancestors in East Africa. The species' validity is debated, with some scientists arguing the skull may be a misreconstructed specimen of Australopithecus afarensis.

The discovery of Kenyanthropus platyops, regardless of its eventual classification, underscores the complexity and branching nature of the human family tree. It has inspired poets to engage with the idea that the path of human evolution was not a straight line but a bush with many branches, some of which may not have led to modern humans. This concept of a diverse and sometimes contentious past has enriched the poetic imagination of human origins.