Fossils From New Human Relative Species Found in South Africa
- Species known as Homo naledi measured 1.5 meters on average
- Discovery announced by group of international scientists
The skeleton of Homo naledi is pictured in the Wits bone vault at the Evolutionary Studies Institute at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Photographer: John Hawks/University of Wisconsin-MadisonThis article is for subscribers only.
An international team of scientists announced the discovery of fossils from a previously unknown human relative species in a cave northwest of Johannesburg that sheds new light on the origins of humankind.
Known as Homo naledi, the new species measured about 1.5 meters (five feet) tall on average, weighed about 45 kilograms (99 pounds), and had hands that suggested it had tool-using and climbing capabilities, according to the scientists. While its skull and teeth were similar to the earliest-known members of the Homo genus, its shoulders were more similar to those of apes.