Scientists believe they have found ‘a new species of human relative’ after fossils were discovered in a cave in South Africa. The creature has been named Homo Naledi and is described as having a mixture of human and primate features.
Professor Lee Berger, of Wits University, South Africa led the team that made the discovery, and said: ‘What we have is a tall hominid, between 1.45 and 1.5 metres tall, was very skinny, had powerful joint muscles and had a brain about the size of my fist.’ Homo Naledi was discovered in the Cradle of Humankind which is about 24 miles west of Johannesburg.
The remains were in a chamber that was 90 metres from the entrance of a cave and was so narrow that scientists sent a team of very skinny people in to retrieve them.
According to National Geographic researchers say 1,550 fossils came from at least 15 individuals but their age is unknown. Interestingly researchers think the bodies were deliberately placed in the cave, which may have been some sort of primitive burial place.
Up until now it was thought only humans and Neanderthals buried their dead.
The Homo Naledi is thought to be a member of an early evolutionary group that included humans and our closest extinct relatives.
However they are not thought to be a direct ancestor of modern day man.
No comments:
Post a Comment