Dear Friend Of National Geographic,
Have you seen the announcement of the groundbreaking find that may change our understanding of pre-human history? National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Lee Berger and his team
have excavated more than 1,500 bones belonging to at least 15 individuals in a cave 30 miles northwest of Johannesburg, South Africa.
This find exceeds any other human ancestor site in Africa, and Lee has named this early relative
Homo naledi. It appears very primitive in some respects. It has a tiny brain and apelike shoulders for climbing. But in other ways, it looks remarkably like modern humans.
Friend Of National Geographic, amazing discoveries like this would not be possible without generous donations from National Geographic Society supporters. Can I count on you to help uncover more finds like this by making your special contribution online today? The story behind this breakthrough is fascinating. Two young cavers came across peculiar "human-like" remains and brought photographs to Lee.
Lee set off to explore the cave, but the area where the bones were located was too narrow for him to enter. However, based on what he could see from the cavers' photographs, Lee
picked up the phone and called us. And, because of the generosity of people like you, who so believe in this work, we were able to act immediately.
Lee was able to put together a 60-person expedition team in just four weeks. He put the word out on Facebook that he was looking for individuals with scientific credentials and caving experience who were small enough to fit through a seven-inch opening. He selected
six scientists that met his criteria – all of them women. Tasked with excavating the bones, they carefully descended into the narrow cave each day.
Once the bones were on the surface, Lee invited more than 30 scientists to spend six weeks studying the fossils. Again, the generosity of National Geographic Society supporters allowed him to bring these great minds together.
As Lee suspected, the findings reveal an ancient creature completely new to science. Friend Of National Geographic, enable more explorers like Lee Berger to make discoveries that change the way we view our history and the world. Please make as generous a gift as you can online now. As Lee says,
"You're the ones who are empowering explorers like me to make these sorts of discoveries." He's right! Without generous people like you,
Homo naledi might never have been discovered.
Committed supporters like you let us take a chance on Lee. For many years, Lee has argued that South Africa is the place to look for the earliest member of our genus.
While other paleoanthropologists searched in East Africa, Lee stayed focused in the south – shrugging off skeptics and doggedly pursuing his theories with the support of the National Geographic Society. It paid off. Lee's discovery of
Homo naledi may change the way experts think about our earliest ancestors.
We don't know when or where the next breakthrough will occur, but when it does,
it will be because you stood with the National Geographic Society in supporting the pursuit of exploration and discovery. I hope you'll help. Your gift today will change the future.
Sincerely,
Sarah Festa Stallings
Director, Annual Giving
P.S.
As a nonprofit, the National Geographic Society invests every dollar it receives right back into projects and explorations that unlock the mysteries of the world and leave people in awe. Please make your special contribution online now.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Keep a civil tongue.