Homo Naledi – new species of human ancestor discovered
MAROPENG – The discovery is the single largest fossil hominin find yet made on the continent of Africa.
Homo Naledi, the newly discovered species of our human ancestor was unveiled by the University of the Witwatersrand, National Geographic Society , Department of Science and Technology and the National Research Foundation on 10 September at Maropeng in the Cradle of Humankind.
The fossil material was recovered in two expeditions conducted in November 2013 and March 2014, dubbed the Rising Star Expeditions.
Professor Lee Berger was closely working with a group of cavers to explore the cave and found the Naledi Chamber which was not in their map.
“We have only explored a very small area in the chamber. As far as we can tell the entire chamber is full of bones. So we think there are many hundreds and thousands of bones left there,” explained Professor John Hawks of the University of Wisconsin-Madison in United States.
He further explained that researchers were already exploring further to determine how old the fossils were.
“We need to see if we can find material that will allow us to determine the date,” said Hawks.
Deputy President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa said the discovery was a great step for the people of South Africa.
“This could well be a small step for Naledi but for us as the people of the world, this is a gigantic step to understand who we are,” he said.
He applauded and thanked Wits, National Geographic and Professor Berger and his team for making the discovery available to the whole world.
“Researchers do not have to buy these papers. They just log in to the website and get everything free on hand. I want to repeat what the good professor said, that knowledge should be easily and cheaply available all the time to all people of the world,” Ramaphosa explained.
Berger explained that the chamber was in the process of eroding. “There is no substitute for exploration,” he said.
He further explained that they will continue the exploration of the cave as there could be further discoveries.
Details: Wits University 083 362 1995.
Related articles:
Watch: New species of the human relative discovered in South Africa
Wits University selected as SAMRC clinical cancer research centres
LIVE FEED: Fossil discovery two years in the making
