Giant kangaroos survived in New Guinea until around 6,500 years ago, and a remarkable fossil discovery is forcing scientists to rethink long-held ideas about megafauna extinction.

A newly discovered fossil challenges the extinction timeline of giant kangaroos. This finger bone suggests some populations survived much longer than previously believed. Earlier research indicated these marsupials vanished around forty-one thousand years ago. The finding implies a complex mix of factors caused their eventual disappearance. Further paleontological investigations in New Guinea are now considered essential.