Homo naledi
Research highlight: Understanding how Homo naledi walked and ran
A new paper in the Journal of Anatomy presents a reconstructed lower limb based on the Rising Star fossil sample.
Research highlight: Growth and development in human origins
A report from a Wenner-Gren-supported workshop innovating ways forward for understanding hominin ontogenies
Research highlight: Homo naledi teeth
In a massive new paper, a team led by Lucas Delezene provides descriptions of the dental evidence from the Dinaledi Chamber.
Lecture: Finding ancient minds in the human evolutionary tree
Insights into the behavioral capabilities of ancient human relatives are beginning to show that some of the abilities we consider human go surprisingly deep in our ancestry.
Finding ancient fire use in the Rising Star cave system
The study of the underground landscape enters a new phase with evidence of charcoal and burned animal bone in deep chambers.
Research highlight: The frontal sinuses of fossil hominins
A look inside the skulls of hominins reveals the extensive variation in the form of the internal structures known as the frontal sinuses.
Panel: Who or what is Homo naledi?
Lee Berger, Agustin Fuentes, and I had a provocative conversation sharing our different perspectives on work related to the Rising Star cave system.
Research highlight: Vertebral wedging in Homo naledi
In a new paper led by Scott Williams, we look at the way that the Homo naledi lower vertebral column compares to humans and other extinct hominins.
Research highlight: The limbs of Homo naledi
In a new paper, Sarah Traynor, David Green and I show that the sizes of the arm bones of Homo naledi are more or less like today's humans, despite their many morphological adaptations to climbing.
Research highlight: Pelvic fragment from the Lesedi Chamber
A new paper from our team led by Zachary Cofran looks at the immature ilium that is currently the most complete pelvic fragment of Homo naledi.
Research highlight: A partial skull from Rising Star
Our team uncovered the tiny skull in a near-impossible crevice deep in the cave system.
Fossil profile: U.W. 101-258 and humeral torsion
A humerus from the Dinaledi Chamber gives some insight into the behavior of Homo naledi.
Research highlight: A look at the questions raised by Homo naledi
A chapter that presents some of the key topics shaping our continuing investigations of the Rising Star cave system.
Lecture: How Homo naledi matters to our origins
A lecture in 2020 covering some of the latest research and new questions arising from the Rising Star cave system.
Research highlight: Introducing a juvenile skeleton of Homo naledi
We put together excavation records, 3D imagery, and laboratory analysis of bones and teeth to understand the preservation of a skeleton from the Dinaledi Chamber.
Three big insights into our African origins
Recently, I delivered a lecture to the American Society for Human Genetics, focusing on the African record of human origins. It was a great privilege to speak to more than 5000 members of this professional organization, together with other distinguished experts on African genetic variation and health. Here I share
My photo of the Neo skull is named one of the top science images of the year
I am feeling really honored to have one of my photos of Neo included as one of Cosmos magazine’s “Top 10 science images of 2017” [https://cosmosmagazine.com/biology/top-10-science-images-of-2017]. It’s the frontal view of the Neo skull. I’ve always thought that human evolutionary science has some
Lecture: How Homo naledi is changing human origins
A talk with an audience at UW–Madison covers our work on Homo naledi, including the recently-published Lesedi Chamber remains and the age of the fossils.
When anthropologists argue about species, is it evidence, or ego?
For some people who follow human evolution news, recognizing “species” is really just about whether you’re a lumper or a splitter. Many people assume that the names of species are about ego, not evidence. But nature presents us with real challenges, which still cause different scientists to approach the
An unusual rate of dental chipping may give clues about Homo naledi's diet
Research by Ian Towle and coworkers finds that Homo naledi may have been eating foods with lots of grit.
My article giving an overview of our symposium on Homo naledi
An article written for American Scientist gives the current state of our research into the biology of this species.
Looking at the hypothesis of deliberate deposition for Homo naledi
An exchange of views in the Journal of Human Evolution includes an examination of evidence about how skeletons ended up in the Dinaledi Chamber.
Two anthropologists float some curious notions about Homo naledi
I look at views expressed by Jeffrey Schwartz and Tim White about the anatomy of Homo naledi and its relationships with other hominins.