Lunch Break Science

Lunch Break Science is The Leakey Foundation’s new online summer series. This series features short talks and interviews with Leakey Foundation grantees about the latest in human origins research.

Take a break from your day and feed your brain with The Leakey Foundation. Every Thursday at 11 am PDT on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and here on this page!

Watch on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube if you’d like to participate in the Q&A session.

Bookmark this page and come back every week through August 27!

Featured Video

Lunch Break Science # 2 | Lauren Schroeder Interview

Meet Leakey Foundation grantee Lauren Schroeder and learn what it takes to study the skulls of early human ancestors.

This Lunch Break Science talk was recorded on July 2, 2020.

Upcoming Live Video

Lunch Break Science # 3 | Chalachew Seyoum Lecture

July 9 at 11 am PDT / 12 pm MDT / 1 pm CDT / 2 pm EDT

Explore the adaptation of early humans’ diet to their environments with Leakey Foundation grantee Chalachew Seyoum. He also discusses his discovery of the oldest Homo specimen, dated 2.8 Ma. Watch on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube if you’d like to participate in the Q&A session.

Lunch Break Science # 4 | Jenny Tung – Research Bite

July 16 at 11 am PDT / 12 pm MDT / 1 pm CDT / 2 pm EDT

Learn about the need for connection and the lasting health impacts of social inequality with MacArthur Fellow and Leakey Foundation grantee Jenny Tung.

In this installment of Lunch Break Science, we’ll focus on her recently published review paper about the profound consequences of social adversity, inequality, and isolation in humans and other social mammals.

Watch on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube if you’d like to participate in the Q&A session.

Science Through Visual Stories | Sara ElShafie Workshop

July 22 at 11 am PDT / 12 pm MDT / 1 pm CDT / 2 pm EDT

Join Sara ElShafie, a global change biologist and science storytelling consultant, to learn how to create aesthetically pleasing and informative visuals for science storytelling. “Science Through Visual Stories is part of our career development program for Leakey Foundation grantees, but anyone is welcome to attend.

This online workshop will help you create better presentations, figures, photographs, footage, and any other visual media you need for your science communication endeavors. This event will be hosted on Zoom and streamed live on this page and on YouTube.

Lunch Break Science #5 | Rachna Reddy Lecture

July 23 at 11 am PDT / 12 pm MDT / 1 pm CDT / 2 pm EDT

Explore the social lives of chimpanzees with Leakey Foundation grantee Rachna Reddy. Watch on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube if you’d like to participate in the Q&A session.

Lunch Break Science #6 | Hailay Reda Interview

July 30 at 11 am PDT / 12 pm MDT / 1 pm CDT / 2 pm EDT

Meet Leakey Foundation grantee Hailay Reda and learn what it takes to use fossils to reconstruct paleoenvironments. Watch on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube if you’d like to participate in the Q&A session.

Lunch Break Science #7 | Daniel Lieberman Lecture

August 6 at 11 am PDT / 12 pm MDT / 1 pm CDT / 2 pm EDT

Explore the intersection of human evolution and health with Leakey Foundation grantee Daniel Lieberman. Watch on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube if you’d like to participate in the Q&A session.

Lunch Break Science # 8 | Research Bite

August 13 at 11 am PDT / 12 pm MDT / 1 pm CDT / 2 pm EDT

Take a break from your day and join The Leakey Foundation for a bite-sized interview about the latest in human origins research. Watch on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube if you’d like to participate in the Q&A session.

Lunch Break Science # 9 | Anne Stone Lecture

August 20 at 11 am PDT / 12 pm MDT / 1 pm CDT / 2 pm EDT

Explore the evolution of pathogens with Leakey Foundation grantee Anne Stone. Watch on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube if you’d like to participate in the Q&A session.

Lunch Break Science # 10 | Ainash Childebayeva Interview

August 27 at 11 am PDT / 12 pm MDT / 1 pm CDT / 2 pm EDT

Meet Leakey Foundation grantee Ainash Childebayeva and learn about interactions between our genes and the environment. Watch on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube if you’d like to participate in the Q&A session.

Recent Videos

Lunch Break Science #1 | Zarin Machanda Lecture

Explore the nature of chimpanzee communication and relationships with Leakey Foundation grantee and director of the Kibale Chimpanzee Project Zarin Machanda. 

This Lunch Break Science talk was recorded on June 25, 2020.

Lunch Break Science # 2 | Lauren Schroeder Interview

Meet Leakey Foundation grantee Lauren Schroeder and learn what it takes to study the skulls of early human ancestors.

This Lunch Break Science talk was recorded on July 2, 2020.