Scientists Discover Fossils Of 'Human-Like' Creature, New Branch Of Evolutionary Tree

JOHANNESBURG (CBS News) - Scientists announced Thursday the discovery of a new branch on the collective family tree of humanity; an "almost human" creature.

The discovery -- more than 1,500 fossils since 2013 -- took place in an area that has revealed many fossils in the past, a narrow warren of caves in the so-called "Cradle of Humankind," a region in South Africa just outside Johannesburg.

The man who directed the operation was renowned American paleoanthropologist Lee Berger.

Berger has named the fossils Homo naledi: Homo indicating the creature's place in human evolution, and naledi being the word for "star" in the local Sotho language.

Homo naledi skull displayed — Professor Lee Berger kisses the skull of a Homo naledi , a newly discovered human ancestor during the unveiling of the discovery on September 10, 2015 in Maropeng. (STEFAN HEUNIS/AFP/Getty Images)

Berger claims it is a new species of human relative, likely from around the beginning of the evolution of the Homo genus. That would make the creatures somewhere around 2.5 million to 2.8 million years old.

"It's got a tiny head and ape-like body, but arms and legs that are very human-like, something completely unexpected and we found it in incredible abundance," he said. They believe Homo naledi walked upright.

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