Meet Homo naledi, newly discovered species of human relative

“The discovery of so many fossils belonging to at least 15 individuals is remarkable”, said Professor Chris Stringer, from the Natural History Museum in London, one of the lead analysts on the discovery. “When we look at the fingers, they’re relatively longer and more curved than we would expect for something that has hands that are this modern looking”, he said.

Scientists think they might have found a new human species in South Africa.

The early humans stood just five foot tall and weighed 100 pounds.

This is the largest fossil hominin discovery in the African continent that will revolutionise all the theories of evolution, for the species might have shown some characteristics that can only be viewed in human beings as well Neanderthals. This implies that they could climb as well as use tools. But, once upon a time, there were several different humanoid species in existence at the same time, and some of them even crossed paths and interbred, according to other discoveries made earlier this year. We had to come to the inevitable conclusion that Homo naledi, a non-human species of hominid, was deliberately disposing of its dead in that dark chamber. Homo naledi, that’s what the species is being called, appears to be an odd combination of primitive and modern features not previously seen together.

Details of the find were revealed yesterday at a press briefing in Johannesburg.

It is possible Homo naledi lies on a branch that became extinct. “They do not move around like chimpanzees or gorillas, where they’re knuckle-walking on all four limbs”, said Throckmorton.

Their skulls are like early humans but very small, the size of an orange.

Professor Paul Dirks from James Cook University spoke to Ross and John from South Africa about the possible new addition the family tree. These bones are incredible addition to the fossil record, but its anthropological significance may be even more important.

Their findings have since been published in two journals.

Much of the work in uncovering the fossils dubbed “Homo Nadeli”, from a local tribal word for star, was done by researchers from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.