In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists have found that all known Homo naledi remains from the Rising Star Cave system in South Africa are female. This isn’t just a statistical blip – it’s incredibly rare to find such hominin remains of one sex alone.

The team analysed protein samples from 23 Homo naledi teeth, revealing an absence of male-specific proteins. If these individuals were simply buried by accident, the odds are mind-bogglingly low – akin to flipping a coin and landing heads every single time.

Could this be evidence that early hominins had complex burial practices? Or perhaps there’s another explanation for why only females ended up in the cave. Regardless, it opens up fascinating questions about our ancient relatives' social structures and rituals.

This revelation could change how we understand the behaviour of Homo naledi and the evolution of human culture. It’s a reminder that even in the depths of caves, we might uncover clues to the very roots of what makes us human.