{"id":1884,"date":"2015-09-10T09:00:44","date_gmt":"2015-09-10T09:00:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/sac-news-events\/?p=1884"},"modified":"2015-09-10T09:00:44","modified_gmt":"2015-09-10T09:00:44","slug":"new-species-of-fossil-human-discovered-in-south-african-cave","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/sac-news-events\/2015\/09\/10\/new-species-of-fossil-human-discovered-in-south-african-cave\/","title":{"rendered":"New Species of Fossil Human Discovered in South African Cave"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fossils representing at least 15 individuals may alter views of human behaviour<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The discovery of a new species of human relative was announced today (Sept. 10) by the University of the Witwatersrand, the National Geographic Society and the South African Department of Science and Technology\/National Research Foundation (DST\/NRF).\u00a0In addition to shedding new light on the origins and diversity of our genus, the new species, Homo naledi<\/em>, appears to have intentionally deposited bodies of its dead in a remote cave chamber, a behaviour previously thought limited to humans.<\/p>\n

The finds are described in two papers published in the journal eLife (http:\/\/elifesciences.org\/content\/4\/e09560) and reported in a cover story in the October issue of National Geographic magazine (http:\/\/www.nationalgeographic.com\/<\/a>) and a NOVA\/National Geographic Special (#NalediFossils) (http:\/\/www.pbs.org\/wgbh\/nova\/evolution\/dawn-of-humanity.html). An international team of scientists took part in the research.<\/p>\n

Consisting of more than 1,550 numbered fossil elements, this discovery is the single largest fossil hominin find yet made on the continent of Africa. The initial discovery was made in 2013 in a cave known as Rising Star in the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site, some 50 kilometers (30 miles) northwest of Johannesburg, South Africa, by Wits University scientists and volunteer cavers. The fossils lay in a chamber about 90 meters (some 100 yards) from the cave entrance, accessible only through a chute so narrow that a special team of very slender individuals was needed to retrieve them.<\/p>\n

So far the team has recovered parts of at least 15 individuals of the same species, a small fraction of the fossils believed to remain in the chamber. \u201cWith almost every bone in the body represented multiple times, Homo naledi<\/em> is already practically the best-known fossil member of our lineage,\u201d said team leader Lee Berger, research professor in the Evolutionary Studies Institute at the University of the Witwatersrand and a National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence, who led the two expeditions that discovered and recovered the fossils.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a tremendously significant find,\u201d said Terry Garcia, the National Geographic Society\u2019s chief science and exploration officer. \u201cThat is why, when National Geographic received a call from Lee Berger reporting the fossils\u2019 initial discovery, we immediately committed our support to this remarkable effort.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>A blend of primitive and human<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0H.\u00a0<\/em>naledi<\/em> was named after the Rising Star cave \u2014 \u201cnaledi\u201d means \u201cstar\u201d in the local Sesotho language. \u201cOverall, Homo naledi<\/em> looks like one of the most primitive members of our genus, but it also has some surprisingly human-like features, enough to warrant placing it in the genus Homo<\/em>,\u201d said John Hawks of the University of Wisconsin, Madison, U.S., a senior author on the paper describing the new species. \u201cH. naledi<\/em> had a tiny brain, about the size of an average orange (about 500 cubic centimeters), perched atop a very slender body.\u201d The research shows that an average H. naledi<\/em> stood approximately 1.5 meters (about 5 feet) tall and weighed about 45 kg (almost 100 pounds).<\/p>\n

The teeth are described in the papers as similar to those of the earliest members of our genus, such as Homo habilis<\/em>, as are most features of the skull. \u201c A number of aspects of the teeth, such as multi-rooted lower premolars, are primitive for our genus and highlight the non-modern nature of the species\u201d said Matthew Skinner of the University of Kent who was worked on the dental remains. \u00a0The shoulders, however, are more similar to those of apes. \u201cThe hands suggest tool-using capabilities,\u201d said Tracy Kivell of the University of Kent, U.K., who was part of the team that studied this aspect of H. naledi<\/em>\u2019s anatomy. \u201cSurprisingly, H. naledi<\/em> has extremely curved fingers, more curved than almost any other species of early hominin, which clearly demonstrates climbing capabilities.\u201d<\/p>\n

This contrasts with the feet of H. naledi<\/em>, which are \u201cvirtually indistinguishable from those of modern humans,\u201d said William Harcourt-Smith of Lehman College, CUNY, and the American Museum of Natural History, who led the foot study. This, combined with its long legs, suggests that the species was well-suited for long-distance walking. \u201cThe combination of anatomical features in H. naledi distinguishes it from any previously known species,\u201d added Berger.<\/p>\n

Appearance of intentional disposal of the dead<\/strong><\/p>\n

Perhaps most remarkably, the context of the find has led the researchers to conclude that this primitive-looking hominin may have intentionally disposed of the dead \u2013 a behavior typically considered to be unique to humans.\u00a0 The fossils \u2014 which consist of infants, children, adults and elderly individuals \u2014 were found in a room deep underground that the team named the Dinaledi Chamber, or \u201cChamber of Stars,\u201d in Sesotho. That room has \u201calways been isolated from other chambers and never been open directly to the surface,\u201d said Paul Dirks of James Cook University in Australia, lead author of the eLife paper on the context of the find. \u201cWhat\u2019s important for people to understand is that the remains were found practically alone in this remote chamber in the absence of any other major fossil animals.\u201d<\/p>\n

So remote was the space that out of more than 1,550 fossil elements recovered, only about a dozen are not hominin, and these few pieces are isolated mouse and bird remains, meaning that the chamber attracted few accidental visitors. \u201cSuch a situation is unprecedented in the fossil hominin record,\u201d Hawks said. The team notes that the bones bear no marks of scavengers or carnivores or any other signs that non-hominin agents or even natural processes, such as moving water, carried these individuals into the chamber. \u201cWe explored every alternative scenario, including mass death, an unknown carnivore, water transport from another location, or accidental death in a death trap, among others,\u201d said Berger. \u201cIn examining every other option, we were left with intentional body disposal by Homo naledi <\/em>as the most plausible scenario.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018Underground Astronauts\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

The fossil material was recovered in two expeditions conducted in November 2013 and March 2014, dubbed the Rising Star Expeditions, http:\/\/voices.nationalgeographic.com\/blog\/rising-star-expedition\/<\/a>. In the initial expedition, over a period of 21 days more than 60 cavers and scientists worked together in what Marina Elliott, one of the excavating scientists, described as \u201csome of the most difficult and dangerous conditions ever encountered in the search for human origins.\u201d Elliott was one of six women selected as \u201cunderground astronauts\u201d from a global pool of candidates after Berger issued a call on social media for experienced scientist\/cavers who could fit through the 18cm-wide (7-inch) cave opening. Social media continued to play a role in the project, as the team shared expedition progress with a large audience of the public, schoolchildren and scientists. \u201cThis was a first in the history of the field,\u201d said Hawks, who worked with Berger to design the media outreach.<\/p>\n

The fossils were analyzed in a unique workshop in May 2014 (http:\/\/www.wits.ac.za\/newsroom\/newsitems\/201401\/22678\/news_item_22678.html), funded by the South African NRF, Wits University and National Geographic. More than 50 experienced scientists, including 35 early-career researchers, came together to study and analyze the treasure trove of fossils and compose scientific papers. \u201cThis was the first time in palaeoanthropology that hominin fossils had been studied in this way and it was an incredible and productive experience\u201d, says Kivell, whom attended the workshop with Skinner.<\/p>\n

Much remains to be discovered in the Rising Star cave. \u201cThis chamber has not given up all of its secrets,\u201d Berger said. \u201cThere are potentially hundreds if not thousands of remains of H<\/em>. naledi<\/em> still down there.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we learned about a completely new form of hominin only because a couple of cavers were skinny enough to fit through a crack in a well-explored South African cave, we really don\u2019t have a clue what else might be out there,\u201d National Geographic Executive Editor for Science Jamie Shreeve writes in National Geographic.<\/p>\n

The discovery is featured in the cover story of National Geographic magazine’s October 2015 issue, available online\u00a0now\u00a0and on print newsstands\u00a0starting Sept. 29, 2015. The NOVA\/ National Geographic Special,\u00a0\u201cDawn of Humanity,\u201d premieres\u00a0Sept.16, 2015, at 9 ET\/8 CT on PBS and is streaming online now. The program will air outside of the United States later in September. You can follow the conversation using #NadlediFossils.<\/p>\n

The research was supported by Wits University, the National Geographic Society and South African DST\/NRF. Ongoing exploration and conservation of the Rising Star site is supported by the Lyda Hill Foundation.<\/p>\n

Reference: <\/strong><\/p>\n

The papers \u201cHomo naledi, a new species of the genus <\/em>Homo from the Dinaledi Chamber, South Africa<\/em>\u201d and \u201cGeological and taphonomic context for the new hominin species <\/em>Homo naledi from the Dinaledi Chamber, South Africa<\/em>\u201d can be freely accessed online at http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.7554\/eLife.09560 and http:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.7554\/eLife.09561. These articles are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>About: <\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>The South African Department of Science and Technology (DST)<\/strong> has made many important contributions to South Africa\u2019s development and continues to do so, living up to its mandate to use science and technology to improve the country\u2019s economy, create employment and improve the quality of life of all citizens. The National Research Foundation (NRF) is as an independent government agency with the mandate to promote and support research through funding, human resource development and the provision of the necessary research facilities in order to facilitate the creation of knowledge, innovation and development in all fields of science and technology, including indigenous knowledge, and thereby contribute to the improvement of the quality of life of all South Africans.<\/p>\n

The University of the Witwatersrand <\/strong>is a renowned research University and a world leader in palaeosciences research. Through its Evolutionary Studies Institute and the DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in Palaeosciences, it has a long association with the COHWHS in terms of scientific discoveries and research. Wits owns and manages important fossil sites in the Cradle and for nearly 90 years, its scientists have made some of the most extraordinary fossil finds in this area. Details: www.wits.ac.za or find us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn.<\/p>\n

National Geographic <\/strong>is a global nonprofit membership organization driven by a passionate belief in the power of science, exploration and storytelling to change the world. Each year, it funds hundreds of research, conservation and education programs around the globe. Every month, it reaches more than 700 million people through its media platforms, products and events. National Geographic\u2019s work to inspire, illuminate and teach through scientific expeditions, award-winning journalism and education initiatives is supported through donations, purchases and memberships. For more information, visit www.nationalgeographic.com and find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest.<\/p>\n

eLife <\/em><\/strong>is a unique collaboration between the funders and practitioners of research to improve the way important research is selected, presented and shared. eLife <\/em>publishes outstanding works across the life sciences and biomedicine \u2014 from basic biological research to applied, translational and clinical studies. eLife <\/em>is supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Max Planck Society and the Wellcome Trust. Learn more at elifesciences.org.<\/p>\n

CONTACTS:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dr. Matthew Skinner, University of Kent, m.skinner@kent.ac.uk
\n<\/a>Dr. Tracy Kivell, University of Kent, t.l.kivell@kent.ac.uk<\/a><\/p>\n

Shirona Patel, Wits University, shirona.patel@wits.ac.za, +27 (0)83 362 1995
\nSchalk Mouton, Wits University, schalk.mouton@wits.ac.za, +27 (0)82 739 9637
\nErna van Wyk, Wits University, erna.vanwyk@wits.ac.za, +27 (0)82 399 6574
\nBarbara Moffet, National Geographic, bmoffet3@gmail.com, +1 (202) 775-6160 or +1 (703) 618 4266
\nMimi Koumanelis, National Geographic, mkoumane@ngs.org, +1 (202) 857 5814
\nZoe Dunford, eLife<\/em>, z.dunford@elifesciences.org, +44 (0) 7786 30-3597<\/p>\n

Image: Homo Naledi<\/em> – courtesy of National Geographic<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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