According to one of the scientific publications, specialists in anthropology of South Africa analyzed the remains found in one of the caves located near Johannesburg, on the basis of which they described a new species of man.
Excavations were carried out for more than a year in the Rising Star Cave, which is located near the capital of South Africa. The new species, discovered by scientists, was named Homo naledi, from the word for "star" in the local Soto language. Scientists have carried out thorough studies of the discovered remains. In total, anthropologists have found about two thousand skeletal fragments that previously belonged to various individuals.
The appearance of Homo naledi is practically the same as that of Homo sapiens. The only difference is the small brain size. Homo naledi's skull is less than 460 cubic centimeters, and one of the study participants said they were surprised to find a human species with such a small brain.
Scientists believe that the creatures whose remains were found in the caves of South Africa may well be the direct ancestors of mankind. Another piece of evidence confirming this hypothesis is that the legs of Homo naledi indicate upright walking, and the structure of the hands resembles the hands of a modern person.
The researchers were unable to determine the age of the finds, since the remains lay at the bottom of the caves. This did not even allow us to guess from which layers of sediments they were washed out.