What is one of the first things that is done when bones are discovered

carbon date then figure out what species

The first thing to do is carbon dating, to find out how old these bones are.

Explanation:

Carbon dating is done by a technique called "Carbon-14" and is performed when a skeleton is found to determine how many years have passed since the death of that organism. This technique allows the years of this skeleton to be counted, because living beings are rich in carbon molecules in their composition. When an individual dies, the carbon-14 molecule in its composition dies too, so dating that molecule allows you to date how long that organism has been dead.