AMNH to Hold Discussion on New Human Relative TODAY, 9/10

WHAT

The discovery of a new species of human relative uncovered from a cave in South Africa was announced early this morning by the University of Witwatersrand, the National Geographic Society, and the South African National Research Foundation. The finds, described in two papers published in the journal eLife, shed light on the origins and diversity of our genus. The new species, Homo naledi, appears to demonstrate that humans are not unique in practicing ritualized treatment of the dead. Join the American Museum of Natural History for a discussion about how this exciting discovery changes our perspective on what it means to be human.

WHO

William Harcourt-Smith (via Skype), a co-author on one of the new papers, resident research associate in the American Museum of Natural History's Division of Paleontology, and assistant professor at CUNY's Lehman College

Ian Tattersall, curator emeritus in the American Museum of Natural History's Division of Anthropology

WHERE

Hall of Human Origins
Press should enter through the Museum's 77th Street entrance between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue.

RSVP

Kendra Snyder,Department of Communications, 212-496-3419, [email protected]