Homo naledi dating challenges cognitive evolution model

March 03, 2026EgyptBioarchaeologyShare

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Key facts

• Homo naledi lived roughly 236,000 to 335,000 years ago
• This is shockingly recent, potentially overlapping with early Homo sapiens
• The species lived at the same time as other large-brained humans
• This challenges the 'cerebral rubicon' theory requiring 750 cm³ brain size for true human intelligence
• Small-brained hominins like Homo naledi persisted late into the human story
• The discovery suggests intelligence may not depend purely on brain size but on structure and connectivity
• Multiple overlapping, coexisting human species existed simultaneously
• The traditional model of big brains leading to symbolic thought appearing 40-50,000 years ago is challenged

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