—Deep in a South African cave, an astounding fossil discovery reveals clues to what made us human.—
In "Dawn Of Humanity", NOVA and National Geographic present exclusive access to a unique discovery of ancient remains.
Located in an almost inaccessible chamber deep in a South African cave, the site required recruiting a special team of experts slender enough to wriggle down a vertical, pitch-dark, seven inch-wide passage.
Most fossil discoveries of human relatives consist of just a handful of bones. But down in this hidden chamber, the team uncovered an unprecedented trove — so far, over 1,500 bones — with the potential to rewrite the story of our origins.
They may help fill in a crucial gap in the fossil record and tell us how Homo, the first member of the human family, emerged from ape-like ancestors like the famous Lucy.
But how did hundreds of bones end up in the remote chamber? The experts are considering every mind-boggling possibility.
Join NOVA on the treacherous descent into this cave of spectacular and enigmatic finds, and discover their startling implications for the saga of what made us human.
Archaeology’s Disputed Genius
Archaeology’s establishment hasn’t always looked kindly on Lee Berger. Then he found a cave full of bones. Read the related article by Bobby Bascomb
The Evolution Lab
What could you possibly have in common with a mushroom, or a dinosaur, or even a bacterium? More than you might think. In this Lab, you’ll puzzle out the evolutionary relationships linking together a spectacular array of species. In this game explore the tree of life and get a front row seat to what some have called the greatest show on Earth.
This program originally aired in 2015.
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