Homo naledi does not fit neatly into the way human evolution is usually explained. The species had a small brain and a flared pelvis, which seem more primitive. But it also had humanlike wrists, long legs, and modern-looking feet. This strange mix of traits was the focus of the TED Talk How a New Species of Ancestors Is Changing Our Theory of Human Evolution by Juliet Brophy.
The first Homo naledi remains were discovered in the Rising Star cave system in South Africa. Researchers recovered around 1,800 fossil specimens from at least 15 individuals. What made the fossils confusing was that different parts of the skeleton seemed like they could have belonged to completely different species. The other fragments were found to be the remains of an unidentified rodent and a bird. Eventually, researchers decided that the combination was unique enough to name a new species.
One of the most intriguing bits about the discovery was the age of the fossils. Based on Homo naledi’s small brain and other primitive features, scientists expected it to be around two million years old. Instead, the fossils were dated to only about 235,000 to 336,000 years ago. This meant that Homo naledi may have lived at the same time as early modern humans in Africa.
The discussion about tool use was also interesting as scientists have often connected larger brains with the ability to make stone tools. Homo naledi had a much smaller brain, but its hands and wrists were similar to those of species known to use tools. Since its fossils overlap in time with stone-tool industries in South Africa, scientists cannot automatically assume modern humans made every tool from that period. The fact that the fossils were found in a cave system creates questions not only about the biology of Homo naledi, but also about their culture. Were the bones in the cave evidence of a burial? Or perhaps they were the last resting place of an elder. Homo naledi’s timeline also raises questions about if they interacted with Homo sapiens. As more discoveries are made, more answers will be found along with many questions.
