Origin Stories x The Science Podcast
This month's Origin Stories podcast episode features two stories from the Science Podcast. First, Science writer Ann Gibbons tells the story of three ancient hominin species that lived side-by-side in South Africa’s Cradle of Humankind. Then, anthropologist Melanie Beasley discusses her new study on why chemical signals in Neanderthal teeth and bones make them look like hypercarnivores.
Grantee Spotlight: Tanner Kovach
Tanner Kovach is a Leakey Foundation grantee whose research explores how Neanderthals and Homo sapiens adapted to their environments and interacted during a key moment in human history.
Myra Laird: How teeth tell stories about diet and evolution
Myra Laird, a Leakey Foundation grantee and assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania, investigates how tiny scratches and pits on primate teeth form as they eat. By studying four living primate species, she is uncovering how tooth shape and food interact to create dental microwear patterns, providing new insights into fossil hominin diets and human oral health.
Ancient human relatives transported stones over long distances 600,000 years earlier than previously thought
New Leakey Foundation-supported research finds that ancient human relatives sourced raw materials for tool-making from as far as 8 miles away.
Daniel García Martínez: Investigating ancient humans in Spain
Leakey Foundation grantee Daniel García Martínez investigates 300,000-400,000-year-old fossils in Spain to learn about early human behavior and tool use.