[gatagato]

Scientists find fossils of our ancient relative, who had surprisingly human-like features, in a remote cave near Johannesburg

Early humans buried their dead in caves, scientists have found, after discovering a new species hidden in a burial chamber.
At least 15 skeletons of the species - named Homo Naledi - were found hidden deep in a cave dubbed the 'Star Chamber' in which is thought to be the earliest form of ritual burial ever discovered.
The early humans, which stood just five foot tall and weight 100 pounds. Their hips were similar to our earliest ancestor, the hominid Lucy, but their shoulders were well designed for climbing but legs and feet were human like. Their skulls are like early humans, but their brains are like tiny, just the size of an orange.

Before the discovery scientists believed that only Homo sapiens had enough compassion and self awareness to bury the dead.
Lee Berger, research professor at the University of Witwatersand said: " It was a species that we never suspected of complex behaviour. We thought of them little more than animals. We have eliminated that this was a mass death. We have eliminated the possibility of catastrophe.

"These individuals came in one at a time over a long period. They were not taken there by carnivores.
"We are also left with the idea that they did not live there. There is no archaeology. That has led us to the rather remarkable conclusions that we have just met a new species of human relative that deliberatley disposed of its dead inside of the chamber in cradle of mankind.

"Until this discovery we thought that ritualised behaviours directed towards the dead, things like burial, was totally unique to home sapiens. It perhaps in fact identified us. It may have been our singularly unique thing.
"We saw ourselves as different. We have now seen a species with the same capacity and that is an extraordinary thing."
The new species was found in a remote cave 50 kilometers northwest of Johannesburg, South Africa.

The 1,550 fossil elements excavated from the cave are believed to be parts of at least 15 infants, children, adults and elderly of the same species - and are just a small fraction of the fossils discovered.
Announced by the University of the Witwatersrand, the National Geographic Society and the South African Department of Science and Technology, the discovery sheds light on the origins and diversity of human ancestry.
The initial discovery was made in 2013 in a cave known as 'Rising Star' located in the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site.

The fossil material was recovered during two expeditions in November 2013 and March 2014, named the 'Rising Star Expeditions'.
The fossils lay in a chamber about 90 meters from the cave entrance, accessible only through a chute just 18-centimetres wide.
In the first expedition, over a period of 21 days, more than 60 cavers and scientists worked together to remove the fossils from the chamber.
The task required a special team of slender cavers dubbed 'underground astronauts' to remove the material.
Marina Elliott, one of the excavating scientists, described the process as "some of the most difficult and dangerous conditions ever encountered in the search for human origins".
Elliott was one of six women selected after a global search for experienced cavers who could fit through the tiny cave opening.
The fossils were analysed in May 2014 with over 50 scientists and researchers studying the treasure trove of fossils.

Full article:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/scie...th-Africa.html

[Morbid75]

Yay! I am so glad someone posted this. I think this is the coolest news today. How cool is it to find a species technically considered non-human that buries their dead? If they find they used a ritual in burial it would be amazing. I bet it was so fucking interesting on that dig even though you had to be in shithole Africa. Makes me wish I had majored in Anthropology. Great post

[CrunchyCripple]

Unless they were our pets, and it was a pet cemetery. Which would mean they were buried by our ancestors, not theirs.

Not likely, just rambling.

[Morbid75]

Originally Posted by CrunchyCripple ↗

Unless they were our pets, and it was a pet cemetery. Which would mean they were buried by our ancestors, not theirs.

Not likely, just rambling.

Hmmm....interesting theory.

[danielsan]

"Their skulls are like early humans, but their brains are like tiny, just the size of an orange." Could be the remains of oh-so many DR members!! lol

[winvens]

Originally Posted by danielsan1971 ↗

"Their skulls are like early humans, but their brains are like tiny, just the size of an orange." Could be the remains of oh-so many DR members!! lol

[EWSER-X]

Huh Huh Huh Huh Did she say Homo? - Beavis and Butthead

[vipersna]

Originally Posted by morbid75 ↗

Yay! I am so glad someone posted this. I think this is the coolest news today. How cool is it to find a species technically considered non-human that buries their dead? If they find they used a ritual in burial it would be amazing. I bet it was so fucking interesting on that dig even though you had to be in shithole Africa. Makes me wish I had majored in Anthropology. Great post

Elephants and a couple others bury their dead. Evolutions answer to piling bodies and survival.

[tbone79]

I refuse to believe that I used to be that fugly

[vipersna]

Originally Posted by tbone79 ↗

I refuse to believe that I used to be that fugly

Not you...just your ancestors.