New Research: Ancient Relatives of Humans Likely Buried Their Dead

According to new findings by archaeologists, it appears that one of the ancient relatives of humans buried their dead and carved designs on cave walls, actions that are remarkable for a creature with a small brain. The fossilized remains of this ancient human species, named Homo naledi, were discovered a decade ago in underground caves in South Africa. Researchers now say they have found evidence indicating that this species was capable of performing complex tasks previously thought to be exclusive to other human relatives with larger brains. Professor Lee Berger, an anthropologist leading the research funded by the National Geographic Society, told the Associated Press, 'We are facing a remarkable discovery here,' especially for a species whose brain size is one-third that of modern humans. Berger and his colleagues described their findings in studies published online on Monday. This research has not yet undergone peer review, and some scientists not involved in the study believe more evidence is needed to challenge what we know about the evolution of complex human thought. The fossilized bones of Homo naledi were discovered in the Rising Star cave system near Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2014. Rick Potts, director of the Smithsonian's Human Origins Program, who was not involved in the study, said, 'There is still much to discover.' Homo naledi is a relatively new species added to the genus Homo, which includes our direct ancestors and other extinct relatives that walked on two legs. Berger and his team introduced the Homo naledi species in 2015 and attributed it to the modern human genus. This came shortly after the discovery of fossils from at least 15 ancient human species that lived around 300,000 years ago in the Rising Star cave system near Johannesburg.