Five fascinating facts about Homo Naledi
The discovery of a new species of a human ancestor was announced at the Cradle of Humankind on Thursday and has since cause quite a stir. Have a look at what you need to know about the find here!
An international team of scientist led by Professor Lee R. Berger, announced on Thursday the discovery of a new hominin species named Homo naledi from the fossils found in the Rising Star cave in South Africa. This adds a new branch to the human species family tree.
Here's what you need to know about H. naledi in five fast facts:
Named after the Rising Star cave.
Homo naledi was named after the Rising Star cave - "naledi" means "star" in Sesotho. The bones were found in a chamber of the cave named Dinaledi, accessible only through a narrow chute, about 90 metres from the cave entrance.
The remains have similarities between both humans and apes.
Homo naledi looks like one of the most primitive members of our genus, but also has some surprisingly human-like features. For example, the hands suggest tool-using capabilities, with extremely curved fingers, more curved than almost any other species of early hominin, which demonstrates climbing capabilities.
They may have used tools.
The hands suggest tool-using capabilities as they had extremely curved fingers. More curved that almost any other species at such early state of hominin, suggesting they had climbing capabilities.
Scientists also believe that Homo naledi buried their dead.
The fact that the fossils were found in a room deep underground, practically alone, in the absence of any other major fossil animals, suggests the possibility of a form of ritualised behaviour previously thought to be unique to humans. It seems like the bodies were carried into the chamber, suggesting an understanding of death.
Their brains were the size of an orange.
Homo naledi had a tiny brain, about the size of an orange, and a slender body, was about 1.5 metres tall and weighed about 45 kilograms.
