Discovered child fossils intensify puzzle surrounding cryptic human ancestor

In the heart of South Africa, the complex and ever-changing world of the Rising Star cave system has once again revealed its secrets. This time, archaeologists have unearthed the remains of a child who lived over 240,000 years ago, challenging our understanding of human ancestry.

Becca Peixotto, an archaeologist at American University, Washington, D.C., led the team that made this groundbreaking discovery. The child, affectionately named "Leti," was estimated to have died between four and six years old.

Initially, the team proposed that the species H. naledi were disposing of their dead down a vertical drop leading into the chamber. However, additional excavations revealed three sites, including Leti's remains, that lay deeper in the cave, suggesting a more deliberate disposal method.

The study authors suggest that the remains may have been deliberately brought in by other H. naledi as a way of intentionally disposing of their dead. However, the debate about whether this was indeed the case will continue, as some scientists are not yet convinced.

The Rising Star cave system, funded by The Society, has been the focus of Explorer at Large Lee Berger's work. The primary structure of the Dinaledi subsystem, where Leti was found, has remained fairly stable for hundreds of thousands of years, according to study author Marina Elliott.

The discoveries hint that H. naledi might have had some level of cultural complexity, as intentional treatment of the deceased implies. Aurore Val, a postdoctoral scholar at the University of Tübingen, suggests there are still alternative explanations that need to be ruled out, such as the possibility that hominins were using the caves and died there.

The bones bear no signs of teeth marks, making it unlikely that carnivores dragged H. naledi into the cave. Some body parts were found nearly intact, including a hand with the bones arranged as they would be in life. This suggests that living H. naledi were coming down the chute and entering the cave.

The latest remains are the deepest yet found in the Dinaledi subsystem, deposited more than a hundred feet from its opening. The excavations also revealed a similar spread of young and old among the H. naledi remains, suggesting that the deaths may have been due to natural causes like disease.

The discoveries of Homo naledi remains in Rising Star have been challenging due to terrifying vertical drops and squeezes. The group that made these discoveries is called the "Underground Astronauts." More detailed work is needed to thoroughly document the geology of the cave and how it has changed through the millennia.

Confirmation of intentional disposal of the dead by other humans would mark a vast shift in thinking for many scientists. The debate is far from over, but the latest find makes it more likely that H. naledi had a level of cultural complexity previously unimagined. Dating of Leti and other newfound fossils could help pin down what the cave was like when the hominin remains were deposited, shedding more light on this fascinating species.