A recently discovered species, Homo naledi, which harks back to the earliest members of the genus, was apparently still alive and kicking 236,000 years ago.

Washington Post takes up the story, but beware the talk of ritual, and also the claim that “One of them, an adult male they call “Neo” (“gift” in Sesotho), is arguably the most complete fossil hominin ever found”. The much older Turkana boy skeleton is probably more complete, apart from the hands, as are various later skeletons.

Homo naledi, a strange new species of human cousin found in South Africa two years ago, was unlike anything scientists had ever seen. Discovered deep in the heart of a treacherous cave system — as if they’d been placed there deliberately — were 15 ancient skeletons that showed a confusing patchwork of features. Some aspects seemed modern, almost human. But their brains were as small as a gorilla’s, suggesting Homo naledi was incredibly primitive. The species was an enigma.

Now, the scientists who uncovered Homo naledi have announced two new findings: They have determined a shockingly young age for the original remains, and they found a second cavern full of skeletons. The bones are as recent as 236,000 years, meaning Homo naledi roamed Africa at about the time our own species was evolving. And the discovery of a second cave adds to the evidence that primitive Naledi may have performed a surprisingly modern behavior: burying the dead.

“This is a humbling discovery for science,” said Lee Berger, a paleoanthropologist at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. “It’s reminding us that the fossil record can hide things … we can never assume that what we have tells the whole story.”

Full report

Bubblecar said:

A recently discovered species, Homo naledi, which harks back to the earliest members of the genus, was apparently still alive and kicking 236,000 years ago.

Washington Post takes up the story, but beware the talk of ritual, and also the claim that “One of them, an adult male they call “Neo” (“gift” in Sesotho), is arguably the most complete fossil hominin ever found”. The much older Turkana boy skeleton is probably more complete, apart from the hands, as are various later skeletons.

Homo naledi, a strange new species of human cousin found in South Africa two years ago, was unlike anything scientists had ever seen. Discovered deep in the heart of a treacherous cave system — as if they’d been placed there deliberately — were 15 ancient skeletons that showed a confusing patchwork of features. Some aspects seemed modern, almost human. But their brains were as small as a gorilla’s, suggesting Homo naledi was incredibly primitive. The species was an enigma.

Now, the scientists who uncovered Homo naledi have announced two new findings: They have determined a shockingly young age for the original remains, and they found a second cavern full of skeletons. The bones are as recent as 236,000 years, meaning Homo naledi roamed Africa at about the time our own species was evolving. And the discovery of a second cave adds to the evidence that primitive Naledi may have performed a surprisingly modern behavior: burying the dead.

“This is a humbling discovery for science,” said Lee Berger, a paleoanthropologist at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. “It’s reminding us that the fossil record can hide things … we can never assume that what we have tells the whole story.”

Full report

> Homo naledi, found in South Africa two years ago

Thanks Bubblecar, I’d missed that one. A startlingly large variety of human ancestors have already come from caves in South Africa. And more are being found, regularly.

“The Cradle of Humankind is a paleoanthropological site about 50 kilometres northwest of Johannesburg, South Africa. The site currently occupies 47,000 hectares and it contains a complex of limestone caves. Sterkfontein alone has produced more than a third of early hominid fossils ever found prior to 2010. The Dinaledi Chamber was found in 2015 to contain over 1500 H. naledi fossils, the most extensive discovery of a single hominid species ever found in Africa.”

> 236,000 years ago

A late survivor from early lineages (originally separated from the human lineage ~1 to 2 million years ago), like the Australopithecines (created 5.6 Ma ago but survived to 1.2 Ma), the Hobbit, and more recently the Neanderthal.

> as if they’d been placed there deliberately

Not buying that, yet. Many many other fossils have been found in heaps startlingly deep within caves.

mollwollfumble said:

Bubblecar said:

A recently discovered species, Homo naledi, which harks back to the earliest members of the genus, was apparently still alive and kicking 236,000 years ago.

Washington Post takes up the story, but beware the talk of ritual, and also the claim that “One of them, an adult male they call “Neo” (“gift” in Sesotho), is arguably the most complete fossil hominin ever found”. The much older Turkana boy skeleton is probably more complete, apart from the hands, as are various later skeletons.

Homo naledi, a strange new species of human cousin found in South Africa two years ago, was unlike anything scientists had ever seen. Discovered deep in the heart of a treacherous cave system — as if they’d been placed there deliberately — were 15 ancient skeletons that showed a confusing patchwork of features. Some aspects seemed modern, almost human. But their brains were as small as a gorilla’s, suggesting Homo naledi was incredibly primitive. The species was an enigma.

Now, the scientists who uncovered Homo naledi have announced two new findings: They have determined a shockingly young age for the original remains, and they found a second cavern full of skeletons. The bones are as recent as 236,000 years, meaning Homo naledi roamed Africa at about the time our own species was evolving. And the discovery of a second cave adds to the evidence that primitive Naledi may have performed a surprisingly modern behavior: burying the dead.

“This is a humbling discovery for science,” said Lee Berger, a paleoanthropologist at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. “It’s reminding us that the fossil record can hide things … we can never assume that what we have tells the whole story.”

Full report

> Homo naledi, found in South Africa two years ago

Thanks Bubblecar, I’d missed that one. A startlingly large variety of human ancestors have already come from caves in South Africa. And more are being found, regularly.

“The Cradle of Humankind is a paleoanthropological site about 50 kilometres northwest of Johannesburg, South Africa. The site currently occupies 47,000 hectares and it contains a complex of limestone caves. Sterkfontein alone has produced more than a third of early hominid fossils ever found prior to 2010. The Dinaledi Chamber was found in 2015 to contain over 1500 H. naledi fossils, the most extensive discovery of a single hominid species ever found in Africa.”

> 236,000 years ago

A late survivor from early lineages (originally separated from the human lineage ~1 to 2 million years ago), like the Australopithecines (created 5.6 Ma ago but survived to 1.2 Ma), the Hobbit, and more recently the Neanderthal.

> as if they’d been placed there deliberately

Not buying that, yet. Many many other fossils have been found in heaps startlingly deep within caves.

I agree, the BBC covered this extensiverly on the wireless last night but the experts never really explained why they think it was a burial site. One of them when asked specifically about that said it was just their current theory.

Peak Warming Man said:

mollwollfumble said:

Bubblecar said:

A recently discovered species, Homo naledi, which harks back to the earliest members of the genus, was apparently still alive and kicking 236,000 years ago.

Washington Post takes up the story, but beware the talk of ritual, and also the claim that “One of them, an adult male they call “Neo” (“gift” in Sesotho), is arguably the most complete fossil hominin ever found”. The much older Turkana boy skeleton is probably more complete, apart from the hands, as are various later skeletons.

Homo naledi, a strange new species of human cousin found in South Africa two years ago, was unlike anything scientists had ever seen. Discovered deep in the heart of a treacherous cave system — as if they’d been placed there deliberately — were 15 ancient skeletons that showed a confusing patchwork of features. Some aspects seemed modern, almost human. But their brains were as small as a gorilla’s, suggesting Homo naledi was incredibly primitive. The species was an enigma.

Now, the scientists who uncovered Homo naledi have announced two new findings: They have determined a shockingly young age for the original remains, and they found a second cavern full of skeletons. The bones are as recent as 236,000 years, meaning Homo naledi roamed Africa at about the time our own species was evolving. And the discovery of a second cave adds to the evidence that primitive Naledi may have performed a surprisingly modern behavior: burying the dead.

“This is a humbling discovery for science,” said Lee Berger, a paleoanthropologist at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. “It’s reminding us that the fossil record can hide things … we can never assume that what we have tells the whole story.”

Full report

> Homo naledi, found in South Africa two years ago

Thanks Bubblecar, I’d missed that one. A startlingly large variety of human ancestors have already come from caves in South Africa. And more are being found, regularly.

“The Cradle of Humankind is a paleoanthropological site about 50 kilometres northwest of Johannesburg, South Africa. The site currently occupies 47,000 hectares and it contains a complex of limestone caves. Sterkfontein alone has produced more than a third of early hominid fossils ever found prior to 2010. The Dinaledi Chamber was found in 2015 to contain over 1500 H. naledi fossils, the most extensive discovery of a single hominid species ever found in Africa.”

> 236,000 years ago

A late survivor from early lineages (originally separated from the human lineage ~1 to 2 million years ago), like the Australopithecines (created 5.6 Ma ago but survived to 1.2 Ma), the Hobbit, and more recently the Neanderthal.

> as if they’d been placed there deliberately

Not buying that, yet. Many many other fossils have been found in heaps startlingly deep within caves.

I agree, the BBC covered this extensiverly on the wireless last night but the experts never really explained why they think it was a burial site. One of them when asked specifically about that said it was just their current theory.

As the saying goes, “all things considered”. It is one of the things that must be considered and decided upon.

Peak Warming Man said:

I agree, the BBC covered this extensiverly on the wireless last night but the experts never really explained why they think it was a burial site. One of them when asked specifically about that said it was just their current theory.

Did he then cough and state “I have another theory”?

These various earlier species of human do seem to quite clearly show the evolutionary process, I wonder how you’d repute them if you didn’t believe in evolution

Cymek said:

These various earlier species of human do seem to quite clearly show the evolutionary process, I wonder how you’d repute them if you didn’t believe in evolution

Don’t tempt me.