By now you’re probably aware of the news that South African scientists have discovered a distant human relative.
Called Homo Naledi, the species appears to shed new light on the origins and diversity of our genus. Consisting of more than 1 550 numbered fossil elements, the discovery is the single largest fossil hominin find yet made on the continent of Africa.
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One of the the most interesting things about Homo Naledi is that the species appears to have intentionally deposited bodies of its dead in a remote cave chamber, a behaviour previously thought limited to humans.
Read more: Meet Homo Naledi: the ancestor you never knew you had
“With almost every bone in the body represented multiple times, Homo Naledi is already practically the best-known fossil member of our lineage,” said Lee Berger, research professor in the Evolutionary Studies Institute at Wits University and a National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence, who led the two expeditions that discovered and recovered the fossils.
And while most of the world was celebrating the awesome scientific achievement, there were a fair few people on Twitter who used the occasion as a chance to show off their comedy chops.
Not only does the hominin now have its own parody Twitter account (with 168 followers), it inspired a number of one-liners from the digital mob.
Here’s a sample of some of the less awful ones:
Nice to meet you #HomoNaledi – when are you going to start a Twitter account?
— Sarah Britten (@Anatinus) September 10, 2015
Dear @PRofTimNoakes. Do you think #HomoNaledi would be with us today if they had done banting?
— Matt Black (@MattBlackZA) September 10, 2015
#HomoNaledi is done with you and your lies pic.twitter.com/UT1qWU80hh
— Sibongile Mafu (@sboshmafu) September 10, 2015
#HomoNaledi looks mad as hell
— Square (@SquaredLife) September 10, 2015
#HomoNaledi for president.
— 武士 (@AbyssWalkerX8) September 10, 2015
#HomoNaledi looks very pissed that she/he was discovered
— Thulisa (@_FemaleAKA) September 10, 2015
LOL "@walliesta: Just glad to see visuals of one of the ancestors we've been slaughtering live stock for #HomoNaledi pic.twitter.com/VBXSpt8rk2"
— Gavin Mokhosi (@GavinMokhosi) September 10, 2015
the "why you dig me up" face. #HomoNaledi pic.twitter.com/JdomqvHI1s
— jae (@jaymeisterrr) September 10, 2015
Spare a thought for the creationists. This is not a good day for them. #HomoNaledi #FossilsAreATestOfFaith
— Craig Wilson (@craigwilson) September 10, 2015
Couple of fossils in our municipality too. Here but haven't moved for years, exhume them please #HomoNaledi
— 12SeptDonkinReserve (@CllrGreyling) September 10, 2015
#HomoNaledi wins at #ThrowbackThursday
— Kurt Mitchell (@kurtmitchell) September 10, 2015
WHEN YOU TWEET SOMETHING KAK FUNNY AND NOBODY RETWEETS YOU. pic.twitter.com/MOxgD3v8TF
— KEENAN (@KEENANMULVANEY) September 10, 2015
Great, even #HomoNaledi gives me beard envy 
— Craig Wilson (@craigwilson) September 10, 2015
