Deep within a cave in South Africa, more than 1,200 individual bones of a new human ancestor, Homo naledi, were discovered. To recover the bones, six archaeologists had to rappel down underground shafts and squeeze through rocky passageways as narrow as 18 centimeters (8 in). ➡ Subscribe: http://bit.ly/NatGeoSubscribe About National Geographic: National Geographic is the world's premium destination for science, exploration, and adventure. Through their world-class scientists, photographers, journalists, and filmmakers, Nat Geo gets you closer to the stories that matter and past the edge of what's possible. Get More National Geographic: Official Site: http://bit.ly/NatGeoOfficialSite Facebook: http://bit.ly/FBNatGeo Twitter: http://bit.ly/NatGeoTwitter Instagram: http://bit.ly/NatGeoInsta Click here to read more about the Homo naledi discovery: http://natgeo.org/naledi Read videographer Garreth Bird's journey filming the recovery of the Homo naledi fossils: http://proof.nationalgeographic.com/2... Learn more about National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Lee Berger: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/exp... The finds are described in two papers published in the journal eLife: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.09560 VIDEOGRAPHY: NOVA/National Geographic SENIOR PRODUCER: Jeff Hertrick EDITOR: Kathryn Carlson ADDITIONAL FOOTAGE: Garrreth Bird and John Collum PHOTOGRAPHY: Robert Clark How These Female Cavers Recovered New Human Ancestor Fossils (Exclusive Video) | National Geographic https://youtu.be/ National Geographic / natgeo