Scientists found 20 Homo naledi in a cave. Why are they all female?

Scientists found 20 Homo naledi in a cave. Why are they all female?

Scientists found 20 Homo naledi in a cave. Why are they all female? 12 Minutes Read 2559 Words EN HISTORY & CULTURE A new protein analysis of Homo naledi skeletons reveals a curious twist—none of them seem to have Y chromosomes.  Researchers have excavated hundreds of Homo naledi bones from the cave system known as Rising Star, including around 150 teeth, which can be used to determine the sex of skeletons. They now suspect that the majority of the individuals at the site were biologically female.  By Helen Thompson Photographs by Robbie Shone Published June 24, 2026 Around 300,000 years ago, a cave in South Africa became the final resting place of at least 20 human cousins from the ancient species Homo naledi . Today, researchers have determined that all of those individuals appear to be missing a Y chromosome—the telltale genetic marker for males—and are likely female.   Using a new method for sampling ancient teeth, the team was able to collect chemical clues about the sex of each skeleton w…