New fossils, new human ancestor find
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Snorticus
I just have to say science is pretty cool!
Naledi Fossils, A New Kind of Ancestor
Scientists have discovered a new species of human ancestor deep in a South African cave, adding a baffling new branch to the family tree.
H. naledi was much closer in appearence to Homo species such as H. erectus than to australopithecines, such as Lucy. But it possesses enough traits shared with no other member of our genus that it warrants a new species name.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/09/150910-human-evolution-change/#
A composite skeleton reveals H. naledi’s overall body plan. Its shoulders, hips, and torso hark back to earlier ancestors, while its lower body shows more humanlike adaptations. The skull and teeth show a mix of traits.
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AnLand
moderator
Yes, pretty cool. I did not read the papers now, but hopefully they can get a date soon to straighten things up. (Still, my favorite fossils are from Dmanisi as they are out of Africa.)
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Snorticus
Women scientists, excellent work! and another article about the all-female science team & the difficulties of collecting from this site written up in "The Atlantic":
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