NEW KIND OF HUMAN FOUND

South Africa – Scientists say they discovered a new member of the human family tree, revealed by a huge trove of bones in a barely accessible, pitch-black chamber of cave in South Africa. The species, named Homo naledi, has an odd mix of human-like and more primitive characteristics, researchers said. Scientists are unsure how the bones wound up in the chamber, reachable only by a complicated pathway with passages less than a foot wide. The site has yielded more than 1,550 specimens since its discovery in 2013. The creature, which evidently walked upright, has hands and feet similar to a human, but its shoulders and small brain are ape-like, according to lead researcher Lee Berger, a professor at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg.

HOW TO STAY SAFE IN THIS CRAZY WORLD

More than 4,000 Americans 55 years of age and older become crime victims in their homes every day. Criminals target older people, expecting them to be less able to protect themselves and more likely to be poor witnesses. Eighty percent of these crimes could be prevented if seniors learned more about criminal tactics and took a few simple steps to improve security. Here are the facts about some of the most preventable crimes and how to avoid them.

The idea that criminals will not enter an occupied house is a dangerous myth. Using force or trickery, crooks enter the homes of more than 50,000 people each year with at least one family member inside. Most of these crimes would not occur if people would take precautions.
• Don’t open the door to strangers.
• Don’t trust people because they are friendly.
• Be wary of impostors.
• Lock your house door always.
• Keep your house key secure.
• Do not give your house key to anyone.