A Cave Full of Homo naledi Fossils May Point to an All-Female Burial Site, a First for a Non-Modern Human Species
Bias ratings based on AllSides + Ad Fontes Media. Agreement % = sources covering this story. Always read multiple sources and think critically.
Learn how proteins in Homo naledi teeth could point to an all-female burial site and raise new questions about how ancient human relatives treated their dead.
Anastasia Scott is an Assistant Editor at Discover Magazine. Her work focuses on bringing clarity and creativity to scientific ideas. Among the Homo naledi fossils recovered from South Africa's Rising Star Cave, one individual stood out.
Larger than the others, with a bigger skull and more robust build, it had been informally nicknamed Neo and was considered the most likely male in the collection. When researchers analyzed the proteins in its tooth enamel, no male markers came back. Neither did any of the other individuals tested.
A new study published in Cell analyzed ancient proteins extracted from H. naledi teeth and found no male markers in the group. Every individual tested appeared to be female, or possibly male, with a mutated or deleted sex-linked gene.
The finding raises the possibility that the Dinaledi Chamber of the Rising Star Cave may be the first known sex-specific burial site created by a non-modern human species. “The lack of male markers with the group is truly fascinating. It is incredibly exciting to gain a window not only into the biology of our ancestors, but also into how they lived,” said co-author Marc Dickinson in a press release.
naledi fossils were recovered from the cave in 2013, there was barely any size variation between individuals or physical differences typically seen between males and females of the same species. The species, which lived between approximately 335,000 and 241,000 years ago, had small brains and ape-like shoulders alongside more human-like hands and lower limbs. Ancient DNA degrades quickly in warm climates, making genetic recovery from South African fossils effectively impossible.
But proteins in tooth enamel survive longer, shielding biological information from environmental contamination for millions of years. “This makes them ideal carriers of genetic information from deep time,” said lead author Palesa Madupe.
Think About This
What questions does this story raise for you? Talk with your family: Why does this news matter? Who is affected? What might happen next? Is there anything you can do?
- Ask your child: “What do you think scientists discovered about cave full? What part surprised you most?”
- Explore together: Search for “cave full” on NASA Kids’ Club, DK Find Out, or National Geographic Kids for more kid-friendly facts.
- Critical thinking: Science findings can change as more research is done. Ask: “How would scientists test this? What would prove them wrong?”
KiddieDaily is built for families — balanced sources, no agenda, no ads. Always read the original source and think for yourself.
Original Sources
🔍 Want to verify this story? Check it on Google Fact Check Explorer →
More stories: Kid News · Archive · Fact Check