Imagine descending into the mouth of a cave, equipped with harnesses and safety ropes, to explore a narrow rock edge that rises about 20 meters. It’s a thrilling yet dangerous adventure, as falling could lead to serious injury. This is the kind of journey scientists undertake to uncover the secrets of our ancient ancestors.
Hi there, I’m Joe. Even though there are nearly 8 billion people on Earth, our species, Homo sapiens, is quite unique. We are the only surviving members of the upright apes known as Homo. But it wasn’t always this way. In the past, many different human and hominid species roamed the Earth, some similar to us and others very different.
Most of what we know about these ancient species comes from fossil bones, which often leaves us with more questions than answers. We all want to understand how one species of intelligent ape came to dominate the planet and how we relate to these other species.
Recently, the story of human evolution became more intriguing with the discovery of fossils in South Africa, introducing a new species to our ancient family. These fossils traveled to Dallas, Texas, to be displayed at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, where I had the chance to see them and meet the scientists behind the discovery.
One of the key figures in this discovery is Lee Berger, a paleoanthropologist from South Africa. In 2013, using new technology and satellite imagery, Lee identified unexplored areas in the Rising Star cave system. His team of expert cavers discovered a section called the Dinaledi Chamber, meaning “chamber of stars” in a local language. There, they found numerous fossil bones.
Lee Berger couldn’t fit into the cave himself, so he called for volunteers with archaeological skills who were small and not claustrophobic. Becca Peixotto and Marina Elliott were among the six scientists who ventured into the cave to excavate the fossils. They were known as the “underground astronauts.”
The journey to the fossils was challenging, involving a narrow passage only 18 centimeters wide, requiring a belly crawl known as the “Superman crawl.” Once inside, they discovered a new species, Homo naledi, with many individuals represented by the fossils.
The Rising Star site has provided more hominid remains than any other site in Africa, challenging the belief that there was nothing left to find. Unlike typical fossil discoveries, which often involve small skeleton parts, the team found multiple complete bodies of Homo naledi.
Homo naledi had a unique combination of features, with some traits similar to modern humans and others more ancient. For example, they had a small brain, about the size of an orange, but its structure suggests complex functions. Their teeth and hands also showed a mix of human-like and ancient characteristics.
Initially, scientists thought Homo naledi was at least a million years old, but testing revealed they lived around 300,000 years ago. This was surprising because anatomically modern humans were also present in Africa at that time.
One big question remains: how did all these bones end up in the cave? The hypothesis is that Homo naledi may have deliberately disposed of their dead, indicating a level of social behavior previously thought unique to our species. This discovery challenges our understanding of what makes us distinct from other animals.
The story of Homo naledi complicates our understanding of human evolution. Instead of a straight line, evolution is more like a braided stream with many branches that split and sometimes merge again. We are just one branch in this complex web, intertwined with many others.
I’m grateful to the Perot Museum of Nature and Science for allowing me to see these fossils and meet the scientists. If you’re in Dallas before early 2020, I encourage you to check them out.
Thank you to everyone who supports the show on Patreon. Your support helps me explore and share these fascinating discoveries. If you’re interested in joining our community, please visit the Patreon page for various perks.
Stay curious!
Imagine you’re one of the “underground astronauts.” Use a virtual reality app or online simulation to explore a cave system similar to the Rising Star cave. Pay attention to the challenges faced by the scientists and think about how you would overcome them. Afterward, write a short reflection on your experience and what you learned about the discovery of Homo naledi.
Create a timeline of human evolution, including Homo naledi and other hominid species. Use online resources to gather information about each species’ characteristics and time periods. Present your timeline to the class, highlighting how Homo naledi fits into the broader story of human evolution.
Participate in a class debate about the implications of the Homo naledi discovery. Divide into groups, with each group representing a different perspective on human evolution. Use evidence from the article and additional research to support your arguments. Discuss how this discovery challenges previous beliefs about human evolution.
Work in small groups to reconstruct a model of a Homo naledi skeleton using 3D printed bones or paper cutouts. Research the unique features of Homo naledi and compare them to modern humans. Present your model to the class, explaining the significance of each feature and what it tells us about Homo naledi’s lifestyle.
Write a short story imagining a day in the life of a Homo naledi individual. Consider their environment, social interactions, and daily challenges. Use details from the article to make your story realistic and engaging. Share your story with the class and discuss how it reflects the information learned about Homo naledi.
Here’s a sanitized version of the provided YouTube transcript:
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You immediately descend into the mouth of a cave. We suit up, put on harnesses, and clip into safety ropes before climbing a narrow rock edge that rises about 20 meters. Falling off this edge would be dangerous. If anyone were injured on the far side of the cave, paramedics would need to come down to assist, and you would have to stay underground until you could safely exit. After navigating a small tunnel, we emerged into a more open chamber, illuminated only by our headlamps, revealing flashes of bone.
Hey everyone, Joe here. Despite nearly 8 billion humans on Earth, our species, Homo sapiens, is quite solitary. This isn’t just because we spend our days on our phones or watching videos. We are a relict species, the only surviving member of the upright apes known as Homo. However, this wasn’t always the case. If we look back through time, we see that many other human and hominid species once roamed the Earth—some similar to us, others quite different.
Most of what we know about these ancient species comes from fossil bones, and often, this means we know very little. This is frustrating because we all want to understand where we fit into this story. How did one species of intelligent ape come to dominate the planet, and how do we relate to the others?
Recently, this narrative became more complex due to an exciting discovery of fossils in South Africa, which introduced a new species to the ancient human family. For the first time, these fossils traveled outside South Africa to Dallas, Texas. I visited the Perot Museum of Nature and Science to see them and meet the scientists involved in the discovery.
How many people have found new human species? Probably around a dozen or so, and one of those is Lee Berger, a paleoanthropologist based in South Africa. Scientists have been excavating human fossils in this region for decades, but thanks to new technology and satellite imagery, Lee identified some overlooked spots in 2013. Expert cavers on his team discovered an unexplored section of the Rising Star cave system, naming it the Dinaledi Chamber, which means “chamber of stars” in a local South African language. When they reached the bottom of that chamber, they found fossil bones—lots of them.
Upon seeing images of the fossils, Lee recognized they belonged to an ancient human relative. However, he was too large to fit inside the cave to study them, so he put out a call for volunteers on social media, seeking individuals with archaeological and excavation skills who were small and not claustrophobic.
Becca Peixotto and Marina Elliott were among the six scientists who descended into the cave to excavate these fossils. The excavation required a highly organized effort, with kilometers of cables set up so that Lee and others on the surface could monitor the process and communicate with the team underground. They were dubbed the “underground astronauts.”
Getting to work each day was quite a challenge. The narrowest point in the cave was just 18 centimeters wide, requiring a belly crawl to pass through, aptly named the “Superman crawl.” After navigating this crawl, they entered a larger chamber at the base of the Dragons Back, leading to an area known as the top of the chute, a long crack in the rock.
As they brought the fossils to the surface and examined their features, they realized they had discovered a completely new species, which they named Homo naledi. This wasn’t just one individual; the cave contained many individuals. In the first expedition in 2013, they recovered around 1,350 fossil fragments from a single excavation unit measuring 80 centimeters by 80 centimeters by 20 centimeters deep, representing at least 22 individuals.
The Rising Star site has yielded more hominid remains than the entire record of hominin evolution from Africa. This discovery challenges the belief that there was nothing left to find, signaling that there is much more to uncover.
Typically, fossil hunting involves finding only small parts of a skeleton, but with Homo naledi, they had multiple complete bodies from different individuals. The bones of Homo naledi do not resemble those of other ancient humans or hominids, presenting a unique combination of features.
In the Perot Museum, I got to see a reconstruction of what Homo naledi might have looked like in life. They have a mix of traits—some similar to modern humans and others reminiscent of more ancient relatives. For instance, they had a small brain, about the size of an orange, but the internal structure of the brain suggests it may have had complex functions. Their teeth are somewhat similar to ours, and their hands show a blend of human-like and ancient characteristics.
Initially, many believed Homo naledi had to be at least a million years old, but testing revealed they lived around 300,000 years ago, a surprising finding given that anatomically modern humans were also present in Africa at that time.
This raises the question: how did all these bones end up in the cave? The hypothesis is that Homo naledi may have deliberately disposed of their dead, suggesting a level of social behavior previously thought to be unique to our species. This discovery challenges long-held beliefs about what makes us distinct from other animals.
The story of Homo naledi complicates our understanding of human evolution. Instead of a linear progression, evolution resembles a braided stream, with many branches that have split off and sometimes merged again. We are just one branch in a complex web of evolution, and our journey is intertwined with many others.
I want to extend my gratitude to the Perot Museum of Nature and Science for allowing me to see these fossils and meet the scientists. This is a rare opportunity, as these fossils will likely return to South Africa after their exhibit. If you’re in Dallas before early 2020, I encourage you to check them out.
Thank you to everyone who supports the show on Patreon. Your support allows me to explore and share these fascinating discoveries. If you’re interested in joining our community, please check out the Patreon page for various perks.
Stay curious!
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This version maintains the essence of the original transcript while removing any informal language or potentially sensitive content.
Homo – A genus of hominids that includes modern humans and their close relatives. – Scientists study the genus Homo to understand the development of human characteristics over time.
Naledi – A species of extinct hominins discovered in South Africa, known for its unique combination of primitive and modern traits. – Homo naledi fossils have provided new insights into the diversity of ancient human relatives.
Fossils – The preserved remains or impressions of organisms from the past, typically found in sedimentary rock. – Fossils help anthropologists learn about the physical characteristics and lifestyles of ancient species.
Evolution – The process by which different kinds of living organisms develop and diversify from earlier forms over generations. – The theory of evolution explains how species adapt to their environments over time.
Species – A group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals capable of exchanging genes or interbreeding. – Each species has unique traits that help it survive in its specific habitat.
Africa – The continent where many significant discoveries about early human ancestors have been made. – Africa is often referred to as the “cradle of humankind” due to the numerous hominin fossils found there.
Anthropology – The study of human societies, cultures, and their development. – Anthropology helps us understand how human societies have evolved and adapted over time.
Behavior – The actions or reactions of an organism, often in response to its environment. – Studying primate behavior can provide insights into the social structures of early humans.
Bones – The rigid organs that form part of the endoskeleton of vertebrates, providing structure and protection. – Archaeologists often find bones at excavation sites, which can reveal information about ancient diets and lifestyles.
Humans – Members of the species Homo sapiens, characterized by advanced cognitive abilities and complex social structures. – Humans have developed diverse cultures and technologies throughout history.
