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Scientists have discovered a skull belonging to a previously unknown species of human from three million years ago.

The research team made up of paleoanthropologists stumbled across the remains in an underground cave and have now put together a skeleton which stands at 4ft 9 tall and is described as "a really, really strange creature."

Lee Berger of the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg and his co-horts stumbled across 15 individuals skeletons which they believe make up a tribe of the bizarre human species - and now they've found the missing link.

And while they resemble homo sapiens - like modern day humans - the species could more more than 2.8 million years old.

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(Image: eLife Sciences)

The "small brained" humans identified through the size of the discovered skulls - are believed to have possibly lived alongside humans with larger brains.

The incredible discovery has also baffled scientists who found the remains in an underground cave adding fuel to the rumour they lived there or actually buried their dead - unlike neanderthals - the closest relation to today's humans who are not believed to have done so.

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(Image: eLife Sciences)

The research paper says: " Homo naledi is a previously-unknown species of extinct hominin discovered within the Dinaledi Chamber of the Rising Star cave system, Cradle of Humankind, South Africa.

"This species is characterized by body mass and stature similar to small-bodied human populations but a small endocranial volume similar to australopiths.

(Image: eLife Sciences)

"Cranial morphology of H. naledi is unique, but most similar to early Homo species including Homo erectus, Homo habilis or Homo rudolfensis.

"While primitive, the dentition is generally small and simple in occlusal morphology.

" H. naledi has humanlike manipulatory adaptations of the hand and wrist. It also exhibits a humanlike foot and lower limb.

(Image: eLife Sciences)

"These humanlike aspects are contrasted in the postcrania with a more primitive or australopith-like trunk, shoulder, pelvis and proximal femur.

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"Representing at least 15 individuals with most skeletal elements repeated multiple times, this is the largest assemblage of a single species of hominins yet discovered in Africa."

More than 20 scientists were involved in the discovery and published their extensive research as part of teams from universities all over the world including the United States, China, Switzerland, Australia, Croatia, South Africa, Italy and the United Kingdom.