Ancient Homo naledi Were Surprisingly Human-Like

Homo naledi, an extinct human species, buried their dead deliberately and carved symbols inside caves over 100,000 years ago.
Homo naledi had brains one-third the size of humans but displayed intelligence far beyond what was previously thought for a species of that brain size.
The discovery of possible burials and artwork created by Homo naledi challenges assumptions about human evolution and the relationship between brain size and complex behavior.
Homo naledi had human-like teeth, hands, and feet but their small brains were previously thought to preclude such advanced practices as burying the dead and creating symbolic art.
The findings suggest that mortuary practices and symbolic thinking emerged early in human evolution and were not limited to Homo sapiens and other large-brained hominins as previously believed.