CAPE TOWN (Floresku.com) – Apakah spesies ‘manusia kera berotak kecil’ yang telah punah mengembangkan budaya canggih ribuan tahun sebelum kita melakukannya?
Para ilmuwan sedang berusaha untuk memecahkan salah satu misteri arkeologi terbesar di dunia.
Menggunakan serangkaian tes yang tak tertandingi, para ahli sedang menyelidiki apakah sekelompok ‘manusia kera’ berhasil menciptakan budaya mirip manusia yang kompleks – berpotensi ribuan tahun sebelum spesies kita sendiri, Homo sapiens, berhasil melakukannya.
Bukti, yang dikumpulkan oleh para ilmuwan, menunjukkan bahwa budaya ‘manusia-kera’ yang kompleks dengan beberapa praktik dan sistem kepercayaan yang biasanya hanya diasosiasikan dengan manusia modern, muncul di Afrika bagian selatan sekitar 300.000 tahun yang lalu. -spesies yang punah berperilaku dalam beberapa cara utama seperti manusia modern – namun tampaknya mampu melakukannya dengan otak yang hanya sepertiga ukuran kita.
Penemuan itu diumumkan oleh University of the Witwatersrand, National Geographic Society dan South African National Research Foundation dan diterbitkan dalam jurnal eLife(Christo Saayman)
Penemuan dan penelitian yang sedang berlangsung mengancam untuk menggulingkan aspek-aspek kunci tentang bagaimana dunia ilmiah memahami evolCAPE TOWN (Floresku.com) - Apakah spesies ‘manusia kera berotak kecil’ yang telah punah mengembangkan budaya canggih ribuan tahun sebelum kita melakukannya?
Para ilmuwan sedang berusaha untuk memecahkan salah satu misteri arkeologi terbesar di dunia.
Menggunakan serangkaian tes yang tak tertandingi, para ahli sedang menyelidiki apakah sekelompok ‘manusia kera’ berhasil menciptakan budaya mirip manusia yang kompleks – berpotensi ribuan tahun sebelum spesies kita sendiri, Homo sapiens, berhasil melakukannya.
Bukti, yang dikumpulkan oleh para ilmuwan, menunjukkan bahwa budaya ‘manusia-kera’ yang kompleks dengan beberapa praktik dan sistem kepercayaan yang biasanya hanya diasosiasikan dengan manusia modern, muncul di Afrika bagian selatan sekitar 300.000 tahun yang lalu. -spesies yang punah berperilaku dalam beberapa cara utama seperti manusia modern - namun tampaknya mampu melakukannya dengan otak yang hanya sepertiga ukuran kita.
Penemuan itu diumumkan oleh University of the Witwatersrand, National Geographic Society dan South African National Research Foundation dan diterbitkan dalam jurnal eLife(Christo Saayman)
Penemuan dan penelitian yang sedang berlangsung mengancam untuk menggulingkan aspek-aspek kunci tentang bagaimana dunia ilmiah memahami evolusi manusia.
Mampu melakukan 7 hal luar biasa
Bukti yang dikumpulkan sejauof climbing. The cave system, known as Rising Star Cave, is located in the northeastern part of South Africa.
The discovery of this underground world has sparked excitement among some scientists but skepticism from others. ”We know that what we have found is truly groundbreaking – and therefore likely to be controversial. That’s why we are using every possible type of investigative technology to ensure that the maximum amount of additional evidence can be found,” said Professor Lee Berger, the leader of the investigation and a paleoanthropologist from National Geographic and the University of Witwatersrand.
Initial scientific tests have been conducted, but a large number of additional tests are now being planned to confirm or alter the initial conclusions. One of the most controversial aspects of this species, named Homo naledi by scientists, is the size of its brain - barely larger than that of a chimpanzee.
Therefore, a crucial part of the ongoing investigation is a more detailed examination of the skull fragments of the species, which were found in the cave complex, to try to understand their brain structure and organization. So far, the remains of at least 30 individuals have been discovered there, and dozens more are likely to be found in the coming months and years.
Of course, despite its small brain size, the creature had well-developed frontal lobes similar to those of humans, an area of the brain known to be involved in planning and language. To make this discovery less controversial, scientists need to provide additional evidence that brain size is not necessarily important in terms of cognitive abilities. This would involve challenging long-held scientific beliefs.
The investigation so far strongly indicates that the Homo naledi bodies were deliberately brought into the cave system and intentionally buried there. The evidence collected so far points to living members of the species being responsible for this. One Homo naledi individual, a child, appears to have been intentionally buried with grave goods – an object that may have been placed in its right hand.
Further excavations are now being planned, which may yield additional grave goods like this in other burial sites in the Homo naledi’s underground world. Each such discovery would strengthen the idea that Homo naledi had a concept of life after death.
A key investigation will determine the dates of the fires used to cook food (including antelope) in the pitch-black underground complex. Their dates are crucial to definitively establish that the fires were made during the era of Homo naledi. Using a dating system known as electron spin resonance, it is possible to determine the age of the enamel of antelope teeth and other animals. Furthermore, archaeologists will attempt to use other dating systems to determine the age of the solid limestone layers that cover some of the fireplaces.
People cooking antelope and other meats also appear to have intentionally broken the long bones of these animals, possibly to extract the highly nutritious marrow from within. Microscopic analysis of the bone fractures will be conducted to try to prove that these fractures were intentionally made with tools, rather than accidentally. Certain carvings have already been found.
First, archaeologists need to prove beyond doubt that the designs seemingly carved into the walls could not have been made by erosion or other natural processes. Then they need to demonstrate that they were made with tools. And most importantly, scientists plan to date the apparent carvings using uranium series dating to reveal the age of the calcite stalagmite material that formed within the carvings after they were made.
The researchers will also be looking for traces of Homo naledi DNA still alive in relation to the carvings or other materials adhering to the cave walls. This is because
What potential implications does the discovery of Homo naledi have for our understanding of the social organization and cultural complexity of extinct species
Possibly indicates some form of symbolic behavior. This suggests that the species had a level of social organization and cultural complexity that was previously thought to be exclusive to modern humans.
The discovery of the Homo naledi species and their potential for developing a sophisticated culture thousands of years before Homo sapiens raises questions about the timeline of human evolution and the uniqueness of our own species. It challenges long-held beliefs about the development of complex culture and intelligence, and forces scientists to rethink their understanding of human evolution.
The ongoing investigation and research into the Homo naledi species have the potential to revolutionize our understanding of human evolution. By studying their remains and analyzing the cave system where they were found, scientists hope to uncover more evidence that will shed light on the behaviors and capabilities of this extinct species.
The discovery of Homo naledi highlights the importance of continuously questioning and reevaluating scientific theories. It shows that there is still much we don’t know about the complexities of human evolution and the potential for other species to develop advanced cultural practices.
As the investigation into Homo naledi continues, scientists are excited about the prospects of uncovering more evidence and unraveling the mysteries of this extinct species. It is a reminder that the story of human evolution is not yet complete and that there is always more to learn about our own origins and the diversity of life on Earth.
Wow, this is fascinating! I can’t wait to learn more about the small-brained hominins and their ancient culture.