From Donald McCoy
The large collection of Homo naledi fossils found deep inside a cave system in South Africa appears to have been placed there intentionally, suggesting some type of ritual for disposing of the dead (12 September, p 8). That raises an interesting question.
How did this ancient hominin, with a brain half the size of ours, navigate caves that are clearly dangerous in pitch blackness while carrying a dead relative? Surely they must also have mastered the making of fire torches – a skill usually attributed to much later development of the human species.
West Lakes, South Australia
