In the study, University of Reading researcher Jorge Avaria-Llautureo and his colleagues used statistical modeling and fossil data to reconstruct ancient environments and trace where the common ancestors of all modern primates lived.

“For decades, the idea that primates evolved in warm, tropical forests has gone unquestioned,” Dr. Avaria-Llautureo said.

“Our findings flip that narrative entirely. It turns out primates didn’t emerge from lush jungles — they came from cold, seasonal environments in the northern hemisphere.”

“Understanding how ancient primates survived climate change helps us think about how living species might respond to modern climate change and environmental changes.”

Primates that could travel far when their local weather changed quickly were better at surviving and having babies that lived to become new species.

When primates moved to completely different, more stable climates, they traveled much further distances — about 561 km on average compared to just 137 km for those staying in similar, unstable climates.