In the depths of the Rising Star Cave in South Africa, archaeologists have discovered the remains of three representatives of Homo naledi. The age of the remains suggests that this species of hominini was still alive about 335-236 thousand years ago. For the first time, scientists have proven that other hominini species lived at the same time as modern humans in Africa. In addition, Homo naledi was highly intelligent. Archaeologists presented their findings on the pages of eLife.
Scientists from James Cook University analyzed and dated fossil remains of a hominini, Homo naledi, found in the Rising Star Cave in South Africa in 2013. “When we first identified the fossils, most paleoanthropologists agreed that they were a million or two million years old, but now we have proven that the remains are much younger,” said study author Paul Dierks. The results of a new study showed that Homo naledi lived in Africa 335-236 thousand years ago. “The oldest fossil remains of Homo sapiens in Africa are about 200,000 years old. Now we have found a primitive looking hominid that probably lived at the same time as modern humans,”said study author Paul Dirks.
Scientists at the University of Wisconsin at Madison have discovered new remains belonging to two adult species and one child of Homo naledi deep in the same cave, but some distance from the site of the original find in the burial chamber. According to scientists, Homo naledi buried their dead relatives. This means that the species were intelligent.
“The skeleton of the man we named Neo had a full collarbone and femur and could walk and climb quickly,” Dirks said. The brain of Homo naledi turned out to be three times smaller than the brain of modern humans. "Of course, this is not a reasonable person, but it seems that he shares with us a lot in common: he looks after his relatives and continues this after their death," concluded Dirks.