Blog
05.06.15Origin Stories Episode 01: On Two Feet with Carol Ward
Origin Stories Every good story starts at the beginning. In the first episode of Origin Stories we talk with Carol Ward about one of the first things that distinguished our ancestors from the other primates, the weird way we walk around. Carol Ward is Curator’s Professor and Director of Anatomical Sciences in the integrative anatomy program at the University of Missouri, where she directs the Ward Laboratory. Her… more »
05.05.15Grantee Spotlight: Sarie Van Belle
Grantee Spotlight Sarie Van Belle and howler monkeys In December 2014, three time Leakey Foundation grantee Dr. Sarie Van Belle, of the University of Texas at Austin, was awarded a research grant for her project entitled “Paternity and kinship in socially monogamous saki and titi monkeys.” This study will examine paternity and kinship patterns in two closely related primate species (the red titi monkey, Callicebus… more »
05.05.15Video: Laurie Santos – The Evolution of Irrationality
Speaker Series If you missed Laurie Santos’ SciCafe presentation at the American Museum of Natural History, we have a video of her presentation. [youtube id=”v_3fkePAg6U”] The ancestral history of humans and primates is extensive, but can it explain even our financial choices? New experiments in “monkeynomics” demonstrate that monkeys make some of the same silly financial choices… more »
04.20.15Behind the Science: C3 or C4, Which One Are You?
Behind the Science, Tutorial by H. Gregory This is the first in a series of articles written for those of you who might appreciate a little extra background information on the science behind some of the projects we share with you. Enjoy! In this year’s Spring/Summer AnthroQuest we describe how Getty Grant recipient Thure Cerling is using stable isotope analysis of tooth enamel from fossil primates in order to determine the percentages… more »
04.17.15Human Ecological Dominance
Speaker Series Rob Blumenschine’s Leakey Speaker Series talk, “Olduvai Gorge and the Origin of Human Ecological Dominance,” is coming up on April 22, 2015 at the California Academy of Sciences. Rob will discuss how humans have become one of the most adaptable and ecologically dominant species through intelligence and technology. What makes Rob so qualified to discuss this topic?
Rob has worked… more »
04.01.15Introducing Origin Stories: The Leakey Foundation Podcast
The Leakey Foundation, Origin Stories Origin Stories is our new podcast about what it means to be human and the science behind what we know about ourselves. We'll have interviews and stories from scientists about their research on a vast and fascinating range of topics. We'll learn about the biology and the millions of years of evolution that shape the way we look and act today.
03.29.15Grantee Spotlight: Lauren Gonzales
Grantee Spotlight Lauren Gonzales is a PhD candidate from Duke University. She was awarded a Leakey Foundation research grant in the fall of 2013 for her project entitled “Intraspecific variation in semicircular canal morphology in platyrrhine monkeys.” Lauren Gonzales
Understanding the functional relationship between locomotion and the morphology of the semicircular canals is an important adjunct… more »
03.26.15Jane Goodall on Instinct
Video In this charming animated interview from the PBS Series Blank on Blank, Jane Goodall discusses her early dreams of studying animals in the wild, and how meeting Louis Leakey in Kenya made it possible for her to start her pioneering chimpanzee research.… more »
03.16.15Grantee Spotlight: Elizabeth Moffett
Grantee Spotlight We are pleased to introduce Elizabeth Moffett, PhD candidate from University of Missouri, who was awarded a Leakey Foundation research grant in December 2014 for her project entitled “Birth and its effects on anthropoid pelvic shape and integration.” Elizabeth Moffett
Birth selection is thought to be one of the most important pressures shaping the primate pelvis. Yet, it remains unclear… more »
03.06.15Fossil jaw sheds light on the early evolution of Homo
In the News A close up view of the fossil just steps from where it was discovered by Chalachew Seyoum. Photo by Brian Villmoare.
A fossil lower jaw found in the Afar Region of Ethiopia pushes back evidence for the human genus Homo to 2.8 million years ago. The jaw with five teeth was found by Chalachew Seyoum, a Baldwin Fellow and Arizona State University paleoanthropology graduate student from Ethiopia.… more »
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