Professor Lee Berger and his son stumble across an amazing find in South Africa – two-million-year-old fossils of an unknown species of ape-like creatures.

Known as Australopithecus sediba, the ancient human ancestor was discovered in the Malapa region of South Africa in 2008.

Now a suite of five studies, is delving deeper into the species’ unusual mix of human and apelike traits to help refine A. sediba’s place in the time line of human evolution.

After examining A. sediba’s anatomy, for instance, scientists think they may have evidence that the species was capable of making and using tools.

In addition, the team thinks it may have found samples of fossilized skin. If confirmed, the discovery would mark the first time any type of soft tissue has been recovered from an early human ancestor.