South Africa uncovers another Human Fossil
The discovery was made at the Drimolen Archaelogical site in the Northern part of the city. The research team says it is actually a cousin specie to Homo Erectus who co-existed together. The others being Australopithecus and Homo Habilis.
It would be recalled that a Homo Erectus was found at the same location prior to the recent one.
In what the research team described as a divergent age of competing species, it is believed that the cohabitating species however had slight variations in their anatomy. Similarly, the team also reiterated that environmental factors may have also forced the species to adapt to changes and for survival.
The site of the recent discovery called Rising Star Cave System comprises Dinaledi and Lesedi chambers which according to research contains abundant fossil remains. The latter chamber is said to be 30metres below the surface and there is no direct route between it and the former chamber.
The research team concluded in its report that the exploration of this cave have led to the discovery over 1500 fossils representing at least 15 individuals of the specie between 2013 and 2014.
The Dinaledi Chamber alone has accounted for the largest collection of a single specie of an ancient human discovered in Africa while the Lesedi Chamber provided the most significant specimen of a near complete cranium of human fossil. The skull is said to have housed a brain that was 90% larger than the maximum estimate calculated from previous fossils.
Findings from the cave include bone fragments like left and right femur, right humerus and scapula, right and left ulna and clavicle, right fourth metacarpal, rib fragments, mid thoracic vertebrae body amongst others.
Over the years, there has been documented chronological discoveries that further give credence to the claim that Africa is where it all began as regards human evolution.
Scientists use a variety of method such as radiometric dating, electron spin resonance, thermo — luminescence amongst others to determine the date and age of buried fossil remains and ancient remains.