New haul of Homo naledi bones sheds surprising light on human evolution
by Ian Sample Science editor from on (#2NTSG)
Early human relative lived at same time as Homo sapiens and could have made stone tools, scientists suggest
When fossil hunters unveiled the remains of a mysterious and archaic new species of human found deep inside a cave in South Africa two years ago, the scientific community was stunned. Since then, bodies of the long-lost family members have piled up.
In work published on Tuesday in the journal eLife, the team reveals how high that pile has become. They now have the remnants of at least 18 Homo naledi, as the species is named. The most recent haul of bones, found in a cave chamber 100 metres from the first, includes a nearly complete adult skull.