The mysterious hominid death trap
February 8, 2012 – Laura Maggs
The remains show no evidence of an attack by a carnivore. In fact, they are quite perfectly preserved. The only clues scientists deem significant are two distinct bilateral breaks to the upper arms of Australopithecus sediba MH1 – believed to be a young male – who fell victim to a tragic accident about 2-million years ago…
Scientists are still piecing together the puzzle to discover more about our hominid ancestors, and this mystery is one for the books.
The breaks are unusual. Both arms are cleanly broken, as if stretched out to break a terrifying fall. Today, the cave where the Australopithecus sediba remains were discovered resembles a hole in the ground. But scientists believe that when Australopithecus sediba roamed the Earth, the cave shaft “death trap” was significantly longer.
But what drove Australopithecus sediba MH1 to take such a risk? What could have held such appeal to attract this young male to try to reach it at the bottom of a pit that would ultimately serve as his grave?
Paleozoologist Brian Kuhn, of James Cook University, and geologist Paul Dirks and paleoanthropologist Lee Berger of Wits University attempt to unravel one of the more interesting mysteries in the history of human evolution…
Watch the video, courtesy of National Geographic:
Visit Maropeng to learn more about the Australopithecus sediba species and its link to human evolution. Get up close and personal with fossils and bones with Maropeng’s Bone Detectives tour, led by up-and-coming Wits scientist Brendon Billings, who says, “Bones provide clues and make it possible for us to piece together the evolutionary story.”
Book online for the following dates:
February 11: Bone Detectives – Reading the bones of our ancestors
March 10: Bone Detectives – Transformations in body and mind
April 21: Bone Detectives – Following the footsteps of legends
May 12: Bone Detectives – Reading the bones of our ancestors
June 9: Bone Detectives – Transformations in body and mind
July 14: Bone Detectives – Following the footsteps of legends
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