Homo naledi and the Rising Star Cave

Discovered deep in a cave in the Cradle of Humankind in September 2013, Homo naledi is one of the newest members of the human family. In just 8 years it has become one of the largest assemblages of fossil hominins in the world and is notable for the unprecedented quality and completeness of the remains. In addition, the nature of the deposit is unusual, suggesting that Homo naledi may have been engaging in complex behaviours previously assumed to have been practiced only by modern humans. Dr. Marina Elliott was one of six “Underground Astronaunts” who excavated this remarkable find. In this lecture, Dr. Elliott will share her experience of the Rising Star Expedition and describe what the research to date has learned about the biology and behaviour of this fascinating new species.