The Cave of the Underground Astronauts

Do you love fossils, adventure, and spending time in small spaces? If so, you could become an underground astronaut! Marina Elliot, Becca Peixotto, and Kenni Molopyane found this unusual job description through a Facebook ad, and landed deep inside a cave that few people can access. The team of archeologists talked to Tumble in the middle of excavating Homo Naledi, one of the biggest recent discoveries on the human family tree. Find out how they squeeze through a 7 inch gap on their daily commute, and how their work could change the way we understand early human history.

Hear more from inside the cave with Marina, Becca, and Kenni when you pledge $1/month on Patreon! Support Tumble and get bonus interview episodes of new episodes.

Find out more about Homo Naledi, and how you can explore the cave in virtual reality, with resources on our blog.