AABA 2023 the 92nd Annual Conference Summary! My first Time!

Now that I have had some time to sit down and relax after getting home from almost two weeks of traveling between the Bill Kimbel inaugural Lecture at the new IHO campus in Tempe, Az, and then, of course, to the AABAs in Reno, Nv, I thought it would be fun to tell you, folks, about how it went, what I learned about my first conference, and what I can Impart onto any future conference goers, as well as give a window into what was going on in general! It was organized chaos! But it was terrific, and I have very few if any, negative things to say at all. 

So let’s get into it! 

We will go in chronological order; thus, we will start with Dr. Bill Kimbel Inaugural Lecture, the first in the new lecture series put on by the Institute of Human Origins (IHO) and Arizona State University (ASU), which was on April 15th, a Friday. We arrived that afternoon at our hotel, got ready, and proceeded to the new Tempe ASU campus for the cocktail hour and lecture, which was going to be given by famed Dr. Bernard Wood, a close friend of Dr. Kimble’s. 

I will be candid this was the first event of its kind that I have attended in my adult life, I had been to plenty of fancy events as a child for my parent’s work, but none that I was attending for my wants, so it was a little awkward. I did not know anyone save Kota, my partner of nearly ten years. We tootled around a little, ate some the good food, and looked at the silent auction hosted to benefit a new undergraduate position at ASU to continue Bill’s work; at least, that is the hope. 

We all got seated in the theatre for the lecture, which was a lovely venue on the beautiful newly built Tempe campus. The lecture was great, there were funny and sad parts, and overall it was very educational, learning about the work Dr. Kimble had touched and the many ways he affected the field. His family was there, and the whole event was a great experience. I tried to remember how solemn of an event it was while also enjoying something wholly new to me – a part of the field that I had never seen. I would find myself thrust into a portion of the field in less than a week! 

After the lecture, we returned home for a few days before heading to Reno for the 92nd annual AABA conference, which would also be the first event I would attend; I was thrilled! I was excited to go and meet so many people I had met online and interviewed on my Youtube show “The Story of Us,” as I knew many of my guests would be in attendance. 

Aside from a flat tire on the morning, we were to depart and a delayed dinner, the drive from Los Angeles to Reno went without a problem, and we arrived the evening before the conference started. 

The first day I attended a workshop on understanding how to analyze ancient DNA data was fun. We got to do some of the work on our computers (for those who could get it working), and that was very educational and a skill I will need to practice, but I now know how to do it! After that, I met with the first people I knew, chatted for a bit, and then explored until it was time for dinner, which I had with the beautiful Dr. Briana Pobiner, who had been helping me prepare for the conference. Still, I would soon find that would take me under her wing for the entirety of the week! I could not have been more fortunate to have someone like that in my corner! 

After dinner, it was time for the opening reception, which I quietly snuck into; the introvert that I am, unable to hide from Briana for long before she was so kind as to introduce me to practically everyone she knew who walked in the door. Talk about making connections! 

The next few days were filled with awesome symposiums, including an entire day dedicated to the work Dr. Bill Kimbel affected in the field, with many famous individuals showing off the result they were involved in with Bill. Some of the other highlights were, surprise! Briana would shock me again by inviting me as her +1 to the President’s Dinner! Talk about imposter syndrome! I was having trouble being there in general, but now to go to this exclusive event, where I chatted, drank, and met even more people! It was terrific, throwing another curveball at me; after the night, Dr. Pobiner invited me to the education committee meeting, which I imagined consisted of quite a few people, and I would slide in unnoticed. 

The next day, my alarm went off an hour late, and I awkwardly walked into a small room with a long table and about 10-15 people sitting around it! This was more of a board meeting than I was expecting! I sat quietly, respecting my current position, and learned a great deal about where the AABA is going with its outreach in the coming year; I learned some things I could apply to you guys and even gave a tip or two! It was great! 

After another day of biological anthropology fun, it was finally time for the closing reception and to say our goodbyes to everyone, but not before meeting even more new people, scheduling some episodes of “The Story of Us,” and just having a great time! I love being among my people for the first time that I can truly remember, feeling like I belonged in a way that I have not before, not having to explain my thoughts or ideas, but having people already know of them, or have ideas of their own! Being among like minded people was so utterly refreshing!

Leaving the following day, we had a safe and sound drive home, and I cannot wait and am already planning for the AABAs 2024, which will be in my backyard in Los Angeles! 

See you there! 

Skulls With Seth – Neo

Premiering at Noon PST!

Welcome to the World of Paleoanthropology, where we explore the origins and evolution of our human ancestors. In this video, we will introduce you to one of the most fascinating and mysterious discoveries in recent years: the skull and skeleton of Neo, a member of the Homo naledi species. 

Homo naledi is a new species of ancient human relative that was first announced in 2013. It has a mix of primitive and modern features, such as a small brain like an early human, but hands and feet like a modern human. It also has a pelvis and shoulders like those of an ape-like Australopithecus. 

Neo is the most complete skeleton of Homo naledi ever found. It was discovered in 2017 in a remote chamber of the Rising Star cave system in South Africa, along with two other individuals. Neo was an adult male who stood about 1.4 meters tall and weighed about 40 kilograms. He lived between 236,000 and 335,000 years ago, which means he may have overlapped with our own species, Homo sapiens, in Africa.

In this video, we will show you how Neo’s skull and skeleton reveal new insights into the anatomy, behavior, and culture of Homo naledi. We will also explore some of the mysteries and controversies surrounding this species, such as how they got into the cave, why they buried their dead, and what their relationship was with other ancient humans.

Join us as we journey into the past and meet Neo, one of our long-lost cousins in the human family tree. If you enjoy this video, please like, share, and subscribe to our channel for more paleoanthropology content.

I want to study Paleoneurology, but what is it?

Written with the assistance of the “New Bing”

Paleoneurology is a fascinating field of study that explores the evolution of the brain by analyzing fossilized brain impressions, also known as endocasts. By comparing the shape, size, and features of endocasts from different species and time periods, Paleoneurologists can infer how the brain changed over time and what factors influenced its development. In this blog post, I will briefly introduce paleoneurology and how it can help us understand our human origins.

One of paleoneurology’s main goals is to reconstruct our ancestors’ brain morphology and function, especially those belonging to the genus Homo. The earliest member of this genus is Homo habilis, which lived about 2.4 to 1.4 million years ago in Africa. Homo habilis is considered the first human-like species, as it had a larger brain, smaller teeth, and more advanced stone tools than its predecessors. However, its brain was still much smaller than ours, with an average volume of about 600 cubic centimeters (cc), compared to about 1400 cc for modern humans.

How did Homo habilis’ brain differ from ours regarding structure and cognition? To answer this question, Paleoneurologists use various methods and tools to examine the endocasts of Homo habilis fossils. For example, they can measure the overall shape and proportions of the braincase and the location and size of specific regions such as the frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital lobes. They can also look for signs of sulci and gyri, which are the folds and grooves that increase the surface area of the cortex. Additionally, they can use techniques such as computed tomography (CT) scans or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to create three-dimensional models of the endocasts and visualize their internal features.

By comparing the endocasts of Homo habilis with those of other primates and humans, Paleoneurologists can make inferences about their cognitive abilities and behavior. For instance, they can estimate their intelligence level by calculating their encephalization quotient (EQ), which is a measure of brain size relative to body size. They can also assess their language skills by looking for evidence of Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area, which are regions involved in speech production and comprehension. Furthermore, they can evaluate their social complexity by examining their prefrontal cortex, which is associated with executive functions such as planning, decision-making, and self-control.

Paleoneurology is a challenging but rewarding discipline that can shed light on our evolutionary history and our uniquely human traits. By studying the fossil record of our ancestors’ brains, we can learn more about how they lived, thought, and interacted with their environment. Paleoneurology is also a dynamic field that constantly incorporates new discoveries and technologies to refine its methods and hypotheses. As more fossils are found and more data are collected, we can expect to gain a deeper and more accurate understanding of our human origins.

Sources:

– Bruner E., Beaudet A. (2023). The brain of Homo habilis: Three decades of paleoneurology. Journal of Human Evolution, 174: 103281. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2022.103281

– Paleoneurobiology – Wikipedia (n.d.). Retrieved April 19, 2023 from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paleoneurobiology

– Hofman M.A., Falk D. (2014). Evolution of the Brain in Humans – Paleoneurology. In: Jaeger J.J., Jungers W.L., editors. Encyclopedia of Life Sciences (eLS). Chichester: John Wiley & Sons Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470015902.a0003152.pub2

Cambridge Journal of Human Behaviour: Call for Undergraduate Submissions

Dear Anthropology Professors and Advisors, 

I hope you are doing well.

___________________

Cambridge Journal of Human Behaviour: Call for Submissions (4th Issue)

The Cambridge Journal of Human Behaviour (CJHB) is now calling for submissions! CJHB is an internationally registered, peer-reviewed journal that is interdisciplinary in nature and dedicated to publishing the exceptional work of undergraduates from across the globe. 

The deadline for the fourth issue is 15th May 2023. Submissions are always open and can be submitted online via our website: www.cjhumanbehaviour.com

 Specific details for submission:

• Dissertations, projects, and extended essays welcome

• 5,000 words maximum

• Any topic relating to human behaviour

• Interdisciplinary manuscripts strongly encouraged

• All work must have been completed during the course of a student’s undergraduate studies

More detail can be found on our website! For reference, check out our past issues here: https://cjhumanbehaviour.com/publications/ . Any questions or concerns can be directed to myself Seth Chagi, at cjhumanbehaviour.BA.outreach@gmail.com

Prehistoric Art and Human Cognition

Written with the assistance of the “New Bing” 

Hey everyone! Welcome to the World of Paleoanthropology, where we explore the origins and evolution of our species. Today, we’re going to talk about prehistoric art and complex thinking. What does prehistoric art reveal about the minds who created it? Is art an insight into the prehistoric mind? What evidence do we have for this? What evidence do we have against it? What role does art play in human cognition? We will explore all of these topics in today’s blog post, and hopefully stir some creative and inspiring thinking in us all! 

Prehistoric art is one of the most fascinating aspects of Paleoanthropology because it shows us how early humans expressed themselves and their worldviews. Prehistoric art includes paintings, sculptures, engravings, ornaments, and more made by humans before the invention of writing. Prehistoric art can be found all over the world, from Africa to Europe to Asia to Australia. Where humans went, it seems their art followed. So clearly it played some sort of important role to them. But as any artist knows today, the creative process can be long and difficult, what did it look like a hundred thousand years ago? 

One of the main questions that archaeologists and anthropologists ask is: why did humans start making art? What was the purpose and meaning of prehistoric art? Some possible answers are:

– Art was a way of communicating information, such as hunting strategies, social relationships, or religious beliefs.

– Art was a way of enhancing memory, such as remembering ancestors, events, or places.

– Art was a way of expressing emotions, such as joy, fear, or sadness.

– Art was a way of showing creativity, intelligence, and innovation.

  • Art was a way of asserting identity, status, or group affiliation.
  • Art was a way to connect to the spiritual world around them. 

All of these answers suggest that prehistoric art reflects complex thinking and symbolic reasoning. Symbolic reasoning is the ability to use symbols to represent abstract concepts, such as numbers, words, or ideas. Symbolic reasoning is considered one of the hallmarks of human cognition and language. Despite this, it is important to remember that there is no one feature that makes our speech or language production unique, but an amalgamation of features. 

But how can we be sure that prehistoric art was symbolic and not just decorative or functional? How can we know what prehistoric artists intended or thought? These are some of the challenges that researchers face when studying prehistoric art. Some of the evidence that supports the symbolic interpretation of prehistoric art are:

– The diversity and sophistication of prehistoric art forms and techniques, such as mixing paints, carving bones, or engraving rocks.

– The presence of motifs and patterns that suggest intentional design and meaning, such as animals, humans, geometric shapes, or signs.

– The location and context of prehistoric art sites, such as caves, rock shelters, or burial grounds.

– The comparison with modern hunter-gatherer groups that still practice similar forms of art and have oral traditions that explain their symbolism.

However, there are also some arguments that challenge the symbolic interpretation of prehistoric art. Some of them are:

– The difficulty of dating and attributing prehistoric art to specific cultures or periods. (Although this may be changing, more on this later!) 

– The possibility of alternative explanations for prehistoric art production, such as sensory deprivation, hallucination, or imitation.

– The lack of direct evidence for the cognitive abilities and language skills of prehistoric humans.

– The risk of projecting modern assumptions and biases onto ancient cultures and artifacts.

Therefore, prehistoric art remains a mystery and a source of debate among scholars and enthusiasts alike. Prehistoric art reveals some aspects of the minds who created it, but also hides many others. Prehistoric art is an insight into the prehistoric mind, but also a challenge to our own. We can learn so much about the minds of those who created these masterpieces, but the true, underlying meaning of these works may forever remain shrouded in mystery. 

While having art does show that clearly there is a level of cognition that is not seen in non-human primates or any other animal, just exactly what it means for us, as well as how and why it developed, is not clear at this time. There are many great researchers working on these questions and problems, and hopefully, soon we will have more information that can reveal some of these secrets. 

One of the most fascinating aspects of this, and the idea that complex thinking may have arisen thanks to art, is that Modern Humans are not the only ones to practice this. Neanderthals have been found to produce cave art, as well as other basic forms of art, and there are hypotheses that Dr. Lee Berger is about to reveal that Homo naledi created something, although we have no idea what, and this is pure speculation but created something down in those dark caves. 

So does art reveal what it means to be human, or does it mystify it even more? 

What do you think about prehistoric art and complex thinking? Do you have any questions or comments? Let us know in the section below. And don’t forget to subscribe to our blog for more updates on Paleoanthropology. Thanks for reading!

Sources:

Wayman, E. (2012). When did the human mind evolve to what it is today? Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved from https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/when-did-the-human-mind-evolve-to-what-it-is-today-140507905/

Khan Academy. (n.d.). Paleolithic technology, culture, and art. Retrieved from https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/world-history/world-history-beginnings/origin-humans-early-societies/a/paleolithic-culture-and-technology

Internet Public Library. (n.d.). The importance of prehistoric art. Retrieved from https://www.ipl.org/essay/The-Importance-Of-Prehistoric-Art-PKUY8X36J48R

The Metropolitan Museum of Art. (n.d.). Introduction to prehistoric art, 20,000–8000 B.C. Retrieved from https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/preh/hd_preh.htm

Who Was Our Last Common Ancestor With Neanderthals?

Written with the assistance of the “New Bing” 

One of the most intriguing questions in human evolution is who was the last common ancestor between modern humans, aka Homo sapiens, and Neanderthals, also known as Homo neanderthalensis. This ancestor would have given rise to two distinct lineages (possibly three when we consider Denisovans, but we are not going to enter that part of the world for this blog post, perhaps a later one!) that coexisted for hundreds of thousands of years and even interbred occasionally. But what did this ancestor look like, when and where did it live, and how do we know?

The answer is not straightforward, as different lines of evidence point to different possibilities. One way to approach this question is to compare the DNA of modern humans and Neanderthals and estimate when they diverged based on the amount of genetic differences. This is a tedious but important process in understanding the relatedness of any two species, at any given time. This method suggests that the last common ancestor lived around 700,000 years ago (National Geographic, 2013). However, this estimate depends on assumptions about the mutation rate and the population size of the ancestral species, which are not well known.

Another way to tackle this question is to look at the fossil record and compare the morphology of different human species. This method is also challenging, as fossils are rare and often incomplete, and morphology can be influenced by factors other than ancestry, such as environment and adaptation. Moreover, different body parts may evolve at different rates, making it hard to assign a fossil to a specific species or lineage. This problem persists throughout all the fossil records, but knowing the distinct morphology of the species you are talking about, can be of huge assistance to assigning fossils to a species. Of course, when we are talking about three species that are so closely related, to the point where they could have interbred, and in fact did, there will be many individuals that share traits from the sister species, muddling the assignment process. Cultural items can, however, also be used to designate species, depending on how the remains were found, i.e. if they were buried or not, and if they were, what materials they were found with. This can not only show the time period in which these remains were laid to rest but also who was responsible. 

One of the most widely accepted candidates for the last common ancestor is Homo heidelbergensis, a species that lived in Africa and Europe between 700,000 and 300,000 years ago. It had a large brain, a robust body, and a mix of primitive and derived features. However, recent studies have cast doubt on this hypothesis. For instance, a study by Gómez-Robles (2019) analyzed the shape of teeth of humans and their relatives and found that Neanderthals and modern humans diverged more than 800,000 years ago, much earlier than previously thought. This would imply that H. heidelbergensis postdates the split and cannot be the common ancestor.

Another possible contender is Homo antecessor, a species that lived in Europe about 1 million years ago. It is known from a few fossils from Spain show some similarities with both Neanderthals and modern humans. A study by Welker et al. (2020) analyzed ancient proteins extracted from one of these fossils and found that H. antecessor was closely related to the last common ancestor of Neanderthals and modern humans. However, this does not necessarily mean that H. antecessor was that ancestor; it could also be a sister group that branched off earlier.

In conclusion, we still do not have a clear picture of who was the last common ancestor between modern humans and Neanderthals. The evidence is fragmentary and conflicting, and more data are needed to resolve this puzzle. However, by combining different sources of information, such as DNA, fossils, and proteins, we can narrow down the possibilities and learn more about our evolutionary history.

References:

Gómez-Robles A (2019) Dental evolutionary rates and its implications for the Neanderthal–modern human divergence. Science Advances 5: eaaw1268.

National Geographic (2013) Much Earlier Split for Neanderthals, Humans? Retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/131021-neanderthal-human-evolution-teeth

Welker F et al. (2020) The dental proteome of Homo antecessor. Nature 580: 235-238.

Skin Pigmentation, Old World Monkeys, and more with Dr. Nina Jablonski!

Premiering at noon pst!

In this video, we are honored to have a conversation with Dr. Nina Jablonski, one of the most influential and respected paleoanthropologists in the world. Dr. Jablonski is a professor of anthropology at Penn State University and the author of several books, including Skin: A Natural History and Living Color: The Biological and Social Meaning of Skin Color. She has made groundbreaking discoveries and contributions to our understanding of human evolution, diversity, and skin color. She has also been a pioneer in promoting public education and dialogue on these topics, challenging the myths and stereotypes that divide us. We talk to her about her fascinating career journey, from studying the fossils of old world monkeys in Africa to exploring the genetics and physiology of human skin color. We also discuss how we can use science to combat racism and celebrate our common humanity. This is a rare opportunity to learn from a brilliant and inspiring scholar who has dedicated her life to advancing our knowledge of ourselves and our past. Don’t miss it!

What is Paleoanthropology?

Paleoanthropology is a branch of anthropology that studies the origins and evolution of early humans and their relatives based on fossil and cultural evidence. Paleoanthropology combines the methods and theories of physical anthropology, archaeology, geology, and other disciplines to reconstruct the biological and cultural history of our ancestors. It is an extremely cross and multidisciplinary field, where it is not up to a single person to do tasks anymore, but rather teams achieve greater things together. 

The history of paleoanthropology as a scientific discipline began in the 19th century when some researchers started questioning the biblical account of human creation and looking for alternative explanations based on natural laws. One of the first discoveries that challenged the traditional view was the finding of Neanderthal fossils in Europe, which showed that humans had a long and diverse evolutionary past. Another milestone was the publication of Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species in 1859, which proposed the theory of evolution by natural selection and suggested that humans shared a common ancestor with other animals. Later, in The Decent of Man, Darwin would even claim that the last common ancestor of Humans and the other great apes would have been Africa, which we know today to be correct. 

However, paleoanthropology faced many challenges to become recognized as a legitimate science. Some of these challenges were scientific, such as the scarcity and fragmentary nature of fossil evidence, the difficulty of dating and interpreting fossils and artifacts, and the controversies over human phylogeny and taxonomy. Some of these challenges were social, such as the resistance from religious authorities and conservative scholars, the influence of colonialism and racism, and the ethical issues involved in collecting and studying human remains.

Despite these challenges, paleoanthropology has made significant progress over time, thanks to the contributions of many prominent figures who helped shape the field as we know it today. Some of these figures are:

– Thomas Henry Huxley (1825-1895), a British biologist who defended Darwin’s theory of evolution and coined the term “paleoanthropology”.

– Eugene Dubois (1858-1940), a Dutch anatomist who discovered the first fossil evidence of Homo erectus in Java in 1891.

– Raymond Dart (1893-1988), a South African anatomist who discovered the first fossil evidence of Australopithecus africanus in Taung in 1924.

– Louis Leakey (1903-1972), Mary Leakey (1913-1996), and Richard Leakey (1944- ), a family of British-Kenyan paleoanthropologists who made many important discoveries of early hominins and stone tools in East Africa.

– Donald Johanson (1943- ), an American paleoanthropologist who discovered the famous skeleton of Australopithecus afarensis nicknamed “Lucy” in Ethiopia in 1974.

– Jane Goodall (1934- ), a British primatologist who conducted groundbreaking research on chimpanzee behavior and ecology in Tanzania since 1960.

  • Svante Pääbo (1955- ), a Swedish geneticist who pioneered the field of ancient DNA analysis and sequenced the genomes of Neanderthals and other extinct hominins.

Many of these challenges are still faced today, including social issues, where organizations and individuals work against the education of human origins. Still, of course, there are those, such as the people who contribute to sites like this one, that are desperately trying to continue to work of others and spread the knowledge that we have gained over the last few hundred years, and use that to continue to build the science. 

As new technologies develop, the field can undertake monumental adaptations, if a new dating method is discovered, then we may be able to date fossils or lithic that we were never able to before or to re-date what we thought we knew and learn completely new things about it. Advancements in genetics and proteomics are showing and will continue to show the world brand new items about our ancient past that we never dreamed of being able to access. With new technologies, science adapts and progresses forward, despite the many challenges that paleoanthropologists face daily, from both within and without of the field. 

Paleoanthropology is still an active and evolving field today, with new discoveries and technologies constantly expanding our knowledge of human origins. Paleoanthropology aims to answer some fundamental questions about who we are, where we came from, how we evolved, and what makes us unique. We seek to understand the circumstances that created the US. We are unique yet similar to the other animals that call this planet home, but to discover what makes us different, we must understand our past. One of the best ways to do that will be by embracing our evolutionary history, understanding it, and striving to learn more about it. 

Remember, There Is Always More to Learn! 

Sources:

Britannica. (n.d.). Paleoanthropology. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/science/paleoanthropology

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Paleoanthropology. Retrieved from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paleoanthropology

Milne Library Publishing at SUNY Geneseo. (n.d.). Paleoanthropology. Retrieved from https://milnepublishing.geneseo.edu/the-history-of-our-tribe-hominini/chapter/paleoanthropology/

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Paleoanthropology. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paleoanthropology

Homo naledi on its way to Copenhagen?

Homo naledi is a mysterious human relative that lived in South Africa about 300,000 years ago. It had a mix of primitive and modern features, such as a small brain, a human-like foot, and complex social behavior. It also had a unique way of disposing of its dead: it deliberately carried them into a deep, dark cave chamber, where they accumulated over time.

This chamber, called Dinaledi, was discovered in 2013 by a team of scientists led by Professor Lee Berger from the University of the Witwatersrand. Since then, more than 1,500 fossils belonging to at least 15 individuals of Homo naledi have been recovered from the site. But there is still much we still need to learn about this fascinating species.

That’s why Professor Berger recently flew to Copenhagen, Denmark, to conduct some tests on some of the Homo naledi fossils. He hopes to find out more about their genetics, their diet, their health, and their relationship to other human ancestors.

Copenhagen is home to one of the world’s leading laboratories for ancient DNA analysis. Here, researchers have successfully extracted genetic material from 800,000-year-old fossils of Homo antecessor, another extinct human relative in Europe.

If they can do the same for Homo naledi, it would be a breakthrough for paleoanthropology. It would allow us to compare the DNA of Homo naledi with that of other human species, such as Neanderthals, Denisovans, and modern humans. It would also help us answer some of the big questions about Homo naledi: Where did it come from? How did it evolve? Did it interbreed with other humans? How did it survive in a changing environment?

Dr. Berger will collaborate with experts from the Globe Institute at the University of Copenhagen. This institute has a state-of-the-art laboratory specializing in ancient DNA and proteomics, which studies proteins. The researchers there have successfully extracted DNA and proteins from other ancient human fossils, such as Homo antecessor, which lived about 800,000 years ago in Spain.

By applying the same techniques to Homo naledi fossils, Berger hopes to learn more about their origins and evolution. For example, he wants to know if Homo naledi interbred with other human species, such as Homo sapiens or Neanderthals. He also wants to know if Homo naledi had any unique adaptations or behaviors that set them apart from other humans.

The results of these tests are not yet available, but they could reveal new insights into one of the most intriguing members of our family tree. It is a fascinating time to be involved in paleoanthropology, as new discoveries and technologies constantly expand our knowledge of our past.

But extracting ancient DNA takes work. It requires careful handling of the fossils, avoiding contamination from modern DNA, and using sophisticated techniques to amplify and sequence the tiny fragments of DNA that may remain in the bones.

We will have to wait for more information from Professor Berger and his colleagues, but it is an inspiring time to be involved in paleoanthropology. Homo naledi challenges our understanding of human evolution and diversity and reveals new aspects of our shared history.

Sources:

– I was part of the team that found the Homo naledi child’s skull: how we did it (https://theconversation.com/i-was-part-of-the-team-that-found-the-homo-naledi-childs-skull-how-we-did-it-171153)

– Cave Explorers Find New Fossils of Mysterious Human Relative (https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/article/ancient-humans-homo-naledi-lee-berger-paleontology-science)

Is Prof. Lee R. Berger About to Make a Huge Announcement?

Co-Authored with the New Bing

Update Two:

Update: According to a direct response to this article, Dr. Berger says no announcement is coming…yet I remain skeptical!

Prof. Berger is known for is showmanship, and often times he likes to draw attention to his, and his teams discoveries. For good reason, as his discoveries have been some of the most important in the field over the last hundred years. With his work on Au. sediba, and H. naledi, it seems that there could be nothing else on the horizon, and yet – we may be in for a surprise.

Do we have the actual skin of an ancient hominin? From a few tweets on Twitter, we may have an answer soon, but first some background.

Australopithecus sediba is an extinct primate species that lived in southern Africa about two million years ago. It has a mix of primitive and modern features that suggest it may be a transitional form between the genus Australopithecus and the genus Homo. One of the most remarkable discoveries about this species is that it may have preserved some of the oldest human skin ever found.

In 2008, paleoanthropologist Lee Berger and his team found two partial skeletons of Australopithecus sediba at the Malapa cave site in South Africa. The fossils were exceptionally well-preserved, with bones, teeth, and even some soft tissues intact. Among the soft tissues, Berger noticed some dark patches on the bones that looked like skin impressions. He also found some thin flakes of material that resembled skin scales.

Is this a mold of Au sediba skin?

Berger and his colleagues have not yet confirmed that these are indeed skin remains, but they have some clues that support this hypothesis. For example, the dark patches match the shape and size of the bones underneath, and they are only found on parts of the body that would have been exposed to the sun, such as the face, hands, and feet. The skin flakes also have a layered structure that is similar to human skin.

If these are indeed skin remains, they would be a remarkable discovery for paleoanthropology. They would provide a rare glimpse into the appearance and physiology of an early human ancestor. They would also offer a chance to study the evolution of skin pigmentation, hair distribution, sweat glands, and other features that are important for thermoregulation and protection from the environment.

The skin remains of Australopithecus sediba could also shed light on its behavior and lifestyle. For instance, the skin pigmentation could indicate how much time it spent in the sun, and whether it had any adaptations to cope with high levels of ultraviolet radiation. The hair distribution could reveal how much body heat it lost or retained, and whether it had any sexual dimorphism or social signaling. The sweat glands could show how efficient it was at cooling down, and whether it had any odor communication.

These are just some of the questions that could be answered by studying the skin remains of Australopithecus sediba. However, before any conclusions can be drawn, more tests need to be done to confirm their identity and authenticity. Berger and his team are planning to use various techniques, such as scanning electron microscopy, DNA analysis, and chemical tests, to verify their findings. They are also hoping to collaborate with experts from Copenhagen who specialize in ancient skin research.

The skin remains of Australopithecus sediba are a potential treasure trove for paleoanthropology. They could reveal new information about the evolution of human skin and its functions. They could also help us understand more about our ancient relatives and how they lived. They could change science forever.

So do we know what he has discovered or what he is leading us to believe? No, not yet, and we may not know for a little while, but as far as what I think this discovery that the professor is alluding to might be related to his previous announcements about sediba skin.