The bones, hidden 30 meters underground, were beyond obstacles including a dangerous squeezes of only 18 cm wide made it necessary to assemble a select team of capable researchers with excavation experience and the unlikely caving skills. A particular size specalist was required to reach the inner chamber. The few who met all these requirements happened to ALL be women.
They had to have a master's degree or Ph.D. in paleontology, archaeology or an associated field. They had to be experienced cavers. And they had to be able to fit through a 7-inch-wide (18-centimeter-wide) choke point in the passage leading to the chamber. Fifty-seven qualified researchers applied for the job. Six were chosen: Lindsay Eaves, Marina Elliott, Elen Feuerriegel, Alia Gurtov, Hannah Morris and Becca Peixotto.
"It ended up that the most qualified human beings on this planet to do this very dangerous, very remarkable job were young women," Berger said in a video profile of the "underground astronauts."
New interview:
http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2013/12/09/a-voice-from-the-cave-lee-berger-on-the-ng-weekend-radio-show
Article & video related:
http://m.nbcnews.com/science/cave-women-unearth-skull-unknown-human-ancestor-2D11603661
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