Underground Astronauts

The Underground Astronauts is the name given to a group of six scientists, Hannah Morris, Marina Elliott, Becca Peixotto, Alia Gurtov, K. Lindsay (then Eaves) Hunter,[1] and Elen Feuerriegel, who excavated the bones of Homo naledi from the Dinaledi Chamber of the Rising Star cave system in Gauteng, South Africa.

[2][3][4][5][6] The six women were selected by the expedition leader, Lee Rogers Berger,[7][8] who posted a message on Facebook asking for scientists with experience in paleontological excavations and caving, and were slender enough for cramped spaces.

[6] Within ten days of the post, Berger had received almost sixty applicants and chose six scientists to make up his expedition team.

They then had to climb vertically up a rock surface, known as the "Dragon's back," and finally pass through a slender opening[5][12] and descend 30 meters into the Dinaledi chamber.

[13] Some experts began to view the expedition as a media stunt, as the excavation process was documented via daily blog posts, and Berger spoke on radio shows.