News
A terrible drought that ended in 2001 devastated the pasture lands of the Maasai in Kenya’s Rift Valley. The Maasai women desperately needed a way to obtain medical supplies, and to feed, clothe, and educate their children. Philip and Katy Leakey, who live among the Maasai in the bush, came up with an idea that would utilize the excellent beading abilities of the Maasai women, and it used grass, an available sustainable resource, as the primary element.
Soon after, Maasai women were harvesting grass, one blade at a time. The long grass was dried and cut into bead-size pieces and dyed lovely hues, which were then strung into jewelry. Zulugrass was born.
These Zulugrass designs, available for purchase here, make unique gifts while providing economic opportunity to the Maasai communities. To purchase jewelry from The Leakey Collection, visit our store.
posted on December 13th, 2011
News
Undoubtably, the best way to explore Kenya’s rich human prehistorical landscapes is to travel with The Leakey Foundation and our distinguished Grantees. The 2012 Human History of Kenya tour and extension have been designed not only to address paleoanthropological research and discoveries, but also to explore the native cultures and wildlife who call Kenya their homeland today.
The 2012 Human History of Kenya tour and extension provides guests a VIP experience gaining privileged access to field sites and museums to learn about important human origins research, with opportunities to meet the scientists making those headline grabbing discoveries. This trip is truly unique and is designed especially for Leakey Fellows. To learn more visit our travel page.
posted on November 1st, 2011
Annual Speaker Series on Human Origins, Calendar of Events, News, news_two | 2 Comments
A Homo floresiensis skull (left) compared to a Homo sapien skull on the right. Photo courtesy of Peter Brown
In the history of exploring human origins, there has never been a more baffling discovery than the extraordinary Homo floresiensis, now known as world-famous as the “Hobbit”. Found on an obscure Indonesian island in 2004, this tiny, small-brained, big-footed hominin is unlike any other discovery.
But who was this 14,000 year old being, and who were its ancestors? These questions fuel a huge debate among paleoanthropologists. Is the fairly complete LB1 skeleton simply a modern human wracked with genetic disease. Maybe it belongs to a “dwarfed” island species descended from the renowned Homo erectus of nearby Java? Or was this individual a remote descendant of the very first hominin ancestors to exit Africa?
Depending on the answer, this little person may make a crucial contribution to our knowledge of the early evolution of modern humans. In this light-hearted debate, two eminent biological anthropologists, Dr. Robert Martin of Chicago’s Field Museum, and Dr. Ian Tattersall of the American Museum of Natural History in New York, will present contrasting viewpoints on this amazing find, and attempt to lift a corner of the veil that still obscures one of paleoanthropology’s most intriguing mysteries.
Who Was the Hobbit?
A Debate with Dr. Robert D. Martin, Curator of Biological Anthropology at The Field Museum and Dr. Ian Tattersall, Curator at The American Museum of Natural History
Featuring Guest Moderator:
Roy Eisenhardt,
Former President of the California Academy of Sciences
Tuesday, December 6, 2011 @ 7pm
California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA
General Admission: $15 / Members and Seniors: $12
Let us know you are coming on our Facebook page!
Generous support provided by Wells Fargo Bank.
posted on October 26th, 2011
News
Interested in the latest research funded by The Leakey Foundation? Final Reports from our most recent pool of grantees are now available on our website. Whether you’re an avid science enthusiast, or a scientist yourself, our grantees’ Final Reports give you a glimpse at a broad range of the most current research into human origins. View the Final Reports here.
posted on October 26th, 2011
News
Did You Know? Students and Educators can become a member of the Leakey Foundation for just $60! Get advanced notice of events, and discounts on tickets and merchandise.
Whether you are a young scientist aspiring to be a future grantee, or an educator encouraging students to take a closer look at our evolutionary past, you play a vital role in the continuation of our mission. Our members enable us to provide speaker series, learning expeditions, research grants, and fellowships that help students in a developing countries obtain advanced degrees.
For over 40 years, Foundation members have enjoyed a front row seat to the unfolding story of our human origins. The membership is now a diverse group of science patrons of all ages and many different nationalities. 80% of our annual budget is granted to scientists and used for our educational programs to fuel our understanding of how we developed as humans. Last year, we were able to give away $762,000 in grants, but we can’t do it without your support.
Support the study of human origins. Become a Leakey Foundation Member today!
posted on October 10th, 2011
News, news_one
In these tough economic times, we work hard to maintain our grant funding for scientific research projects. Despite this challenging environment, we have been able to increase our grant funding over the last two years, adding $85,000 overall to our total annual grants given since 2008.
In addition, 80% of our total budget goes to science research and education, making The Leakey Foundation a highly efficient non-profit foundation providing essential support to human origins research.
Our grant offerings are mainly split between Paleoanthropology and Primate Behavior, in addition to research into modern hunter-gatherer groups. Here is a full list of our most recently funded grants.
We also offer Franklin Mosher Baldwin Memorial Fellowships to provide financial assistance for scholars with citizenship in a developing country who wish to obtain an advanced degree from an institution outside the scholar’s home country. The aim of these fellowships is to support young scholars in developing countries rich in archeological evidence of human evolution who may not otherwise have access to research education and training.
Three easy ways you can support the work of The Leakey Foundation:
A generous donor has pledged to give $1 for every $2 that you donate, ensuring that your contributions will go even farther.
All donations are charitable deductions, and help us directly fund important scientific research into human origins.
posted on October 6th, 2011
News, news_two
We are pleased to announce the addition of two esteemed scientists as the newest members of our Scientific Executive Committee (SEC): Terry Harrison and John Mitani. We’d like to welcome them to the Committee and thank them for their essential contribution to our mission.
The SEC is the heart of the Leakey Foundation’s scientific direction. It consists of a group of scientists chosen to review all grant applications and outside peer reviews to provide the Board of Trustees with recommendations for grant awards. These outstanding paleoanthropologists, archaeologists, primatologists, geologists, and leaders in related fields, serve on the SEC on a volunteer basis.
Terry Harrison
Terry Harrison is Professor and Chair of Anthropology at NYU. He is the Director of NYU’s Center for the Study of Human Origins. He received both his B.Sc. and Ph.D from University College London.Dr. Harrison is a biological anthropologist specializing in primate and human paleontology, evolutionary morphology, and paleoecology. His broader research interests include the evolutionary history of hominoids and cercopithecoids, and the comparative anatomy and functional morphology of primates.
His recent research has focused on the evolution and paleobiology of the Miocene and Pliocene hominoids from Africa and Eurasia, including the earliest hominins.Ongoing collaborative projects include: Miocene fossil hominoids from China, the vertebral column of Proconsul from the early Miocene of East Africa; the paleobiology of fossil hominoids from the Miocene of Africa; late Miocene cercopithecids from the Siwalik Hills of Indo-Pakistan; and the impact of global and regional climatic change, island biogeography, and human subsistence activities on the mammalian community of Borneo over the past 40,000 years.
He has extensive paleontological fieldwork experience in Europe, East Africa, and Asia, and he is currently directing a major field program at the mid-Pliocene site of Laetoli in Tanzania focusing on new fossil hominin finds, as well as analyses of the associated fauna and flora. He is also developing new programs of field research at late Miocene localities in China.
John Mitani
John Mitani is the James N. Spuhler Collegiate Professor and Associate Chair of Anthropology at the University of Michigan. He has a B.A degree from UC Berkeley, a Ph.D from UC Davis, and conducted postdoctoral research at the Rockefeller University.He is a primate behavioral ecologist who investigates the behavior of our closest living relatives, the apes. His current research involves studies of an extremely large community of wild chimpanzees at Ngogo, Kibale National Park, Uganda.
During the past 33 years, he has conducted fieldwork on the behavior of all five species of apes: gibbons and orangutans in Indonesia, gorillas in Rwanda, bonobos in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and chimpanzees in Uganda and Tanzania. In his work, he addresses questions about ape social behavior and communication.He has served as an Editor of Animal Behaviour and on the editorial board of the American Journal of Primatology. He currently edits Advances in the Study of Behavior and is on the editorial boards of the International Journal of Primatology and Primates.
posted on October 5th, 2011
News
Fall is here! Keep your favorite scholar, young or old, warm and snuggly on campus this semester. Pick up a Leakey Foundation sweatshirt for less than 50% of the normal price, at only $19.95!!
About the sweatshirt:
This adult hooded sweatshirt comes in fall colors golden-yellow, soft orange, and warm brown and features The Leakey Foundation logo across the chest. The soft, fleece lining will keep you cozy through those cold autumn nights and the hood will keep your ears warm on those brisk morning walks to class. Made of 80% cotton and 20% polyester.
Use the discount code: back2school at checkout for this special deal!
Visit our online store now!
posted on September 15th, 2011
Annual Speaker Series on Human Origins, Calendar of Events, News
Dr. Nina Jablonski, Professor and Head of Anthropology at Penn State
We expose it, cover it, paint it, tattoo it, scar it and pierce it. Skin mediates the most important transactions of our lives, while protecting us, advertising our health, our identity and our individuality. Join Dr. Nina Jablonski, Professor and Head of Anthropology at Penn State, as she explores the unique biological and cultural aspects of human skin and its importance as a key element of human adaptation.
Let us know you are coming on our Facebook page!
Saturday October 1, 2011 @ 1 pm
The Field Museum, Chicago, IL
Free with basic admission; please call (312) 665-7400 to reserve your seat.
Generous support provided by The Segal Family Foundation and Wells Fargo Bank.
posted on August 31st, 2011
Behavioral, Primatology
This photo, taken by Kambiz Kamrani, is not of Pistache and his mother. Once researchers are able to get snapshot of the newest Fongoli chimp, we will post it.
During The Leakey Foundation 2011 Annual Auction and Dinner, Foundation Trustee Mrs. Carolyn Farris bid on and won the “naming rights” for the next chimpanzee born at the Fongoli site in Senegal. Fongoli, which is run by Leakey Grantee Jill Pruetz, is home to a unique group of chimpanzees that have adapted to living in a savanna environment, often seen by Pruetz and her team hunting bush babies with “spears”. Mrs. Farris chose the name “Pistache” for the newest male chimp at Fongoli, born to Natasha sometime in April of this year.
In a letter sent to the Foundation, Mrs. Farris remarked:
“I would like to name Natasha’s baby “Pistache” (French for pistachio nut), after my long hair Chihuahua. I adopted her from the Helen Woodward Animal Center and she was named after a character in a book. The chain of events that led to her adoption started on Bastille Day, so I thought a French name would be appropriate for her. The name is pronounced Pee-stash. My little dog is popular with everyone she meets, as she is loving, cuddly and playful. She is also tall for a Chihuahua, just as Natasha and her son are tall.”
You can read more about Natasha and Pistache in Dr. Pruetz’s newest post on the Fongoli Chimps Blog. Once there are photos taken of Pistache, we will be sure to post them!
Above photo courtesy of Kambiz Kamrani, editor of primatology.net and anthropology.net
posted on August 11th, 2011
