The Virgin Galactic expedition that brought the remains of Australopithecus sediba and Homo naledi to the edge of space is being criticized by scientists as a serious ethical lapse.
The fossilized bones of the ancient human relatives Australopithecus sediba and Homo naledi went to the edge of space in this tube. (Image credit: Future)
Scientists are upset that ancient human ancestors' fossilized remains have for the first time traveled to the edge of space.
On September 8, fragments of two extinct human ancestors, Australopithecus sediba and Homo naledi, were transported on a Virgin Galactic voyage. The fossils were launched to the edge of space by millionaire Timothy Nash, who was born in South Africa, from Spaceport America in New Mexico.
Lee Berger, the head of the Centre for the Exploration of the Deep Human Journey at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa and an explorer in residence with the National Geographic Society who played a key role in the discovery of both species, made the selection of the fossils. A thumb bone from H. naledi, the still-mysterious 300,000-year-old hominin discovered in the Rising Star cave in 2013 by a team of researchers Berger dubbed "Underground Astronauts," and a fragment of the collarbone of the 2 million-year-old A. sediba were both chosen for the expedition.
In a statement, Lee Berger said that "the journey of these fossils into space represents humankind's appreciation of the contribution of all of humanity's ancestors and our ancient relatives," while Matthew Berger opined that these hominins "never could have dreamed while alive of taking such an incredible journey as ambassadors of all of humankind's ancestors." Lee Berger had not responded to a request for comment by the time of publication.
Anthropologists and others have criticized the space travel for a variety of reasons, including the fact that these extinct creatures would not have understood their journey into the upper atmosphere.
Alessio Veneziano, a biological anthropologist and co-organizer of the AHEAD conference (Advances in Human Evolution, Adaptation, and Diversity), succinctly summarized the four main topics that have been explored in a discussion on X (previously Twitter): 1) The absence of a scientific rationale for the flight; 2) The moral dilemmas associated with treating our ancestors with respect; 3) Berger's access to the fossils, which few other researchers have; and 4) The distortion of palaeoanthropology as a field of study.
The remains of Homo naledi, whose thumb bone was sent to the edge of space on Sept. 8, 2023, in a Virgin Galactic craft. (Image credit: Stefan Heunis / Stringer / Getty Images)
It has been harshly criticized since the fossils' trip into space had no discernible scientific goal, especially considering that a mission malfunction may have destroyed the irreplaceable specimens. Berger's initial application for a permit, which was ultimately granted by the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA), stated that the mission's purpose was to advance science and draw attention to South Africa's work on human origins rather than to address any specific scientific issues.
According to Justin Walsh, a professor of art and archaeology at Chapman University in California, the impacts of spaceflight on cultural artifacts "hasn't been an area of scientific study. Space archaeologists like me are definitely interested in the effect of the space environment on items in space," he said, "but I don't think we'd use a piece of heritage from here on Earth as a test article to see what happens to it."
Sonia Zakrzewski, a bioarchaeologist at the University of Southampton in the U.K., remarked in an X thread, "I am horrified that they were granted a permit," adding that she would use it as an example in her students regarding unethical methods. This "is NOT science".
Zakrzewski's worries about the morality of the flight were shared by Walsh. We owe the petrified bones respect since they are not merely scientific objects but also the remains of our common ancestors, according to Walsh. However, it appears that the fossils were classified as paleontological remains rather than human remains for the sake of the permission, avoiding moral and legal dilemmas. This speaks to the larger, continuing scientific debate about what constitutes a "human" being.
According to Rachel King, an associate professor of cultural heritage studies at University College London, "As a sovereign state, South Africa can manage its national estate as it sees fit, including shooting part of that estate into space like the US, Russia, Denmark, and others all have," she told Live Science in an email. However, she emphasized that "the fact that it happened through what looks like a standard compliance procedure should make everyone think about potential wider consequences," including upcoming events that could endanger archaeological property.
The fossilized remains of Australopithecus sediba, whose clavicle rocketed to the edge of space in a Virgin Galactic spaceship on Sept. 8, 2023. (Image credit: Alexander Joe / Staff / Getty Images)
A crucial component of Berger's permit application is the supporting documentation, which he used to demonstrate why the fossils were chosen and reduce the likelihood that they would be lost because they have been "extensively studied" and "published many times." But aside from Homo naledi, there aren't many fossil hominin casts that can be studied and viewed by the general public. This is frequently due to a lack of financial and material resources in the nations where these casts were discovered. The entitlement and privilege made apparent by the flight is the final significant criticism of the space flight of the fossils.
Nash, whose father John amassed a fortune in aviation, brought the fossils aboard Virgin Galactic. Nash was among the first customers to purchase a ticket for Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic spacecraft's second commercial trip. In addition, Nash has known Lee Berger for more than ten years and he owns the majority of the so-called Cradle of Humankind, including the area where the Bergers found A. sediba, which he plans to turn into a "paleotourism" business.
Although the majority of paleoanthropological scholars do not have Berger's access to land and fossils, the issue still exists in many people's views because Berger misrepresented what these researchers truly do.
"This is an unusual activity for ancient fossils," Walsh said, with "no sign that Berger was interested in performing science and answering that question [on the effects of spaceflight] by flying the fossils." Walsh would have preferred more open discussion about the mission, including greater details about the advantages and disadvantages, prior to the flight, in conformity with accepted scientific practice.
"We should ask: Can the University of the Witwatersrand and Lee Berger be trusted to care for these fossils going forward, if this is what they think is an appropriate thing to do with them?" Walsh said.
