Researchers Say S. African Bones Are From Previously Unknown Human Relative

Ancient, but so far undated, remains found in a South African cave (more than 1500 pieces of bone and teeth) have been declared by the team which discovered them to represent a previously unknown kind of human relative, which they have dubbed Homo naledi. New submitter chapman writes: The human-like bones discovered in the Rising Star cave, 50km from Johannesburg, may belong to a new species of "long-legged," "pinheaded," and "gangly" human relative. Apparently the chamber in the cave where the discovery was made is so inaccessible (only 8 inches wide) that the team brought in a group of lightly-built female researchers in order to excavate the bones. Science Mag, too, describes the find as well as the controversy about the unusual publicity surrounding the exploration. The Guardian's article notes that the identification of the bones as belonging to a new species is disputed by some anthropologists, who say that based on the evidence presented so far, the bones may simply be examples of the previouly named Homo erectus.

Comments

Really?

[Rei]

I don't see how a population whose skulls are literally half the size of a typical H. erectus skull (among many other major differences) could be seen as just another H. erectus. And not just one, potentially deformed individual, but 15 individuals with the same characteristics. And even if they were the same species, this would still be a remarkable find - so many full, intact bodies in the same location. In a weird location, and in a land far from where H. erectus was known to have lived.