We knew that early humans and protohumans lived in grassy savanna environments, but
"Humans were thought to have not lived in rainforests until relatively recently".
There were less humans alive in the past than there are now.
Having lived in an Australian rainforest, flesh and bones rot very quickly and the native insect and animal count is higher than what you'd see on the plains, so they would likely be eaten by larger predators before they even had the chance to rot.
I have hunted and killed pigs, leaving their carcasses that had decomposed to basic materials in less than three years. Getting buried in a rainforest wouldn't guarantee that a body would survive the below-ground decomposition either. Many first growth and second growth trees roots rot due to the sheer amount of decomposition and matter churn in rainforest floor.
We knew that early humans and protohumans lived in grassy savanna environments, but "Humans were thought to have not lived in rainforests until relatively recently".
Obviously never watched "naked and afraid".
Where are the billions of human fossils?
Where are the trillions of chicken/cow/pig/duck/dog fossils from everyones lunch last week?
I'll bite. There are multiple factors.
There were less humans alive in the past than there are now.
Having lived in an Australian rainforest, flesh and bones rot very quickly and the native insect and animal count is higher than what you'd see on the plains, so they would likely be eaten by larger predators before they even had the chance to rot.
I have hunted and killed pigs, leaving their carcasses that had decomposed to basic materials in less than three years. Getting buried in a rainforest wouldn't guarantee that a body would survive the below-ground decomposition either. Many first growth and second growth trees roots rot due to the sheer amount of decomposition and matter churn in rainforest floor.
The forest itself is quite a beautiful machine.