Discovered deep in a cave in the Cradle of Humankind in September 2013, Homo naledi is one of the newest members of the human family. In just 5 years this cave has become one of the largest assemblages of fossil hominins in the world and is notable for the unprecedented quality and completeness of the remains. In addition, the nature of the deposit is unusual, suggesting that Homo naledi may have been engaging in complex behaviours previously assumed to have been practiced only by modern humans. Dr Elliott was one of six “Underground Astronauts” who excavated this remarkable find. Since then, she has continued to conduct research on Homo naledi, and excavate in the Cradle of Humankind.

In this lecture, Dr Elliott will share her experience of the Rising Star Expedition and describe what the research to date has learned about the biology and behaviour of this fascinating new species. Originally from Calgary, Canada, Dr Marina Elliott is now a Researcher at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa. She did her Masters of Arts and PhD in biological anthropology and archaeology at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, Canada. During her academic career, Marina has excavated ancient human remains in Western Canada, the USA and Siberia. She has also assisted with modern forensic investigations in Canada, the USA and Switzerland and was a visiting scientist intern at the Office of the New York Medical Examiner in New York. Since 2013 she has been involved in the recovery and analysis of Homo naledi remains in South Africa, as well as ongoing exploration work around South Africa. Marina is a Fellow of the Explorers Club and was named a National Geographic Emerging Explorer in 2016.