Bones of prehistoric people: Research scientist is angry because a human paleontologist is launching fossils into space
discoverer Homo nalediLee Berger offers propaganda in a special way: he has sent the bones of prehistoric and prehistoric humans into space. The research community is beside itself.
© Andris Leighton/Associated Press/Image Alliance (detail)
The VSS Unity spacecraft will land at the spaceport in New Mexico in August 2023. Paleontologist Lee Berger sent hominin fossils into space using a Virgin Galactic spacecraft.
On the morning of September 8, 2023, a Virgin Galactic spacecraft flew to the edge of space about 88 kilometers above Earth. On board were two Virgin Galactic pilots, an astronaut trainer, three passengers — and the fossil remains of two prehistoric people who lived in southern Africa hundreds of thousands of years ago.
An hour later, the VSS Unity crew landed back on Earth, undamaged, with the fossils in tow. But soon after, archaeologists, paleoanthropologists and other experts criticized the trip. It is unethical to transport such priceless fossils into space. Single bone cut Australopithecus sediba And one Homo naledi It could have been easily damaged in the propaganda. Researchers also consider it doubtful that South Africa treats its cultural heritage with such neglect. A government agency has approved the mission.
“Treating the remains of human ancestors in an unsentimental and unethical way — launching them into space just because you can — has no scientific benefit,” says Robin Pickering, a geologist at the University of Cape Town in South Africa.
What did you do Homo naledi in the space?
Since the 1980s, fossils – including dinosaur bones – have been brought into space on various missions. Now, hominin remains have left Earth for the first time. They belonged to one Australopithecus sedibaWho lived about two million years ago, and is about 250 thousand years old Homo naledi. The remains of prehistoric and prehistoric humans were discovered by teams led by paleontologist Lee Berger of the National Geographic Society near Johannesburg.
In July 2023, the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA), Cape Town’s heritage conservation body, awarded Export permit: Berger let me use his shoulder bone Australopithecus sediba And finger bones 1)Homo naledi To the US state of New Mexico, where the Virgin Galactic Spaceport is located. There the fossils were brought aboard the VSS Unity. South African businessman and passenger Tim Nash then carried the fossils with him on the plane.
Homo naledi | Hand skeleton Homo naledi – On the left is the inside of the palm, on the right is a view of the back of the hand. The proportions of the fingers are human-like.
In the Berger app SAHRA states that fossils can be used for scientific studies, but that is not the primary purpose of spaceflight. “Key media partners will help seize this unique opportunity to focus attention on science, research, the origins and role of humanity and South Africa. [der Fossilien] “To understand the common African origin of humanity,” Berger’s application says.
Index fossil in danger
robin Pickering, Who with other age professionals Australopithecus sediba It has been determinedI still can’t understand space flight. In her opinion, Berger’s intentions do not justify the risks. The remains may have been lost or damaged. The shoulder bone in particular is unique – it is a fossil indicator of Australopithecus sedibaone used to identify species.
Sending fossils from Africa into space reminds archaeologist Yonatan Sahli of the University of Cape Town of the colonial and neo-colonial research methods by which white scientists, mostly European and American, bend African institutions to their will. “As someone who is African and works in an African institution, this is essentially a continuation of very ugly and long-standing aspects of paleoanthropology.”
On September 13, the Board of Directors also posted European Society for the Study of Human Evolution A statement in which the association casts doubt on the mission: “We cannot see any scientific benefit in this project and question the ethics [Absichten] In question, unique [Forschungsmaterial] Possibly harmful. “We demand the responsible use and protection of these irreplaceable scientific resources.”
The risks are low, and the advertising impact is high
In response to criticism from the research community, Sahara’s Ben Mwasinga announced in a press statement that the authority is convinced “that [aus dem Flug] “The resulting advertising impact is proportional to the risks associated with such trips.”
The fossils were also chosen for the trip because they had already been documented in detail in scans, casts and 3D images, explained paleontologist and museum curator Bernhard Zipfel. According to a press release from the University of the Witwatersrand. The fossils are stored at the university. (Bernhard Zipfel and Lee Berger did not respond to Nature’s request for comment on criticisms of the mission.)
Accepting that well-documented fossils could be endangered sets a risky precedent, says Rachel King of University College London. The archaeologist deals with dealing with the cultural heritage of southern Africa. “So, if I had a comprehensive map of a World Heritage Site in South Africa, we could bulldoze it and build a shopping mall on top of it?”
South Africa has long been considered a pioneer among countries on the continent when it comes to protecting cultural heritage. So King was surprised that SAHRA approved Berger’s request. The researcher said: “Why are there regulatory bodies if they allow something like this?” King fears that “the problem could get worse and lead to a major shift” in how fossils are handled.
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