Abstract
Have you ever wondered about your extended family? Paleoanthropologists—scientists who study the history of the human family—discovered bones in South Africa belonging to a species of human relative they call Homo naledi. The bones were located deep underground in the Rising Star Cave, in a chamber that is difficult to access. Scientists gave the nickname Neo to one of the most complete skeletons they found. The bones of Neo and other Homo naledi individuals are helping us understand more about the family history of our own species, Homo sapiens. This article describes how Neo was found and what we have learned about him and his species, Homo naledi. It will also tell you what research scientists do to solve mysteries like how old Neo was when he died and how his bones got into the cave.
Highlights
Many people like to learn about their family histories: what their parents, grandparents and even great-grandparents were like and kids.frontiersin.org January| Volume | Article |Peixotto and Elliott Meet NeoPALEOANTHROPOLOGISTScientists who study ancient humans and their relatives
Scientists called paleoanthropologists are interested in the family history of Homo sapiens, the species to which all people living today belong
Unlike paleontologists who study the remains of dinosaurs, paleoanthropologists study the remains of hominins
Summary
Scientists who study ancient humans and their relatives. A group of primates that includes humans and all of their extinct ancestors and relatives. Hominins are a group of primates that includes humans and all our extinct ancestors and relatives, most of whom lived in the last – million years. Like someone trying to trace a family tree, paleoanthropologists try to figure out which of the extinct hominins might be our direct ancestors and which are just distant cousins. These scientists try to understand what the hominins ate, where they lived, how they died, and other things about the lives of these ancient relatives. Paleoanthropologists later identified the fossils as a previously unknown species of extinct hominin They named the species Homo naledi [ ].
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