Human Evolution Research Institute at University of Cape Town

🎧 Unburied Season 2: The Taung Child

The story of a 2-million-year-old fossil that challenged scientific authority, exposed colonial bias, and reshaped human origins.

Produced by @ARC with HERI at the @University of Cape Town

🎙️ Listen to all 4 episodes NOW: www.heriuct.co.za/news-content...

In 2025, 12 ground-breaking publications by women of colour at HERI (UCT) reshaped debates across palaeoanthropology, archaeology, geochronology, and planetary geology, marking a significant change in who is leading palaeoscience research.

Learn more: www.heriuct.co.za/news-content...

Historic moment! A/Prof @pickeringrobyn.bsky.social, HERI Co-director, will deliver the 2026 Alex du Toit Lecture Series, the first female to do so since 1969.
The series honours Alexander du Toit, a South African geology pioneer and early champion of continental drift theory. Dates on the flyer

@pickeringrobyn.bsky.social

Last year, HERI contributed to the @SAJS special issue marking 100 years of the #TaungChild.

With abstracts in #Setswana, the issue gave multilingual insights into science, colonialism & exclusion.

Read more reflections from the SAJS Editor-in-Chief: mailchi.mp/assaf/gknccq...

HERI Co-Directors Rebecca Ackermann and Robyn Pickering invite contributions to the symposium “New Directions in Palaeoanthropological Research in Southern Africa” at IPC7.
To submit an abstract, please email the convenors.
Details and information on all 29 symposia are available at: www.ipc7.site

🎉 Big congratulations to our HERI MSc student, Marang Keebine, for receiving the Best Student Poster Award at the BIOGRIP 2026 conference (UCT, 28–30 January)! Wishing her continued success in her research journey!

#WomeninScience in #SouthAfrica ⚒️

HERI Master’s student Marang Keebine studies past #climate & environmental change using sediments from an ancient lake in the Karoo.

Her work sheds light on how dry landscapes responded to drought and rainfall – and how we can respond today.

Thrilled to share that the 2025 SAJS paper with the highest attention score was led by our @palaeoprotpalesa.bsky.social, with nearly 4,000 abstract views!

The study identified 2 Myr-old proteins from Paranthropus robustus, revealing biological sex & genetic variability

sajs.co.za/article/view...

Reminder: ASAPA abstract deadline 31 Jan ⏰

We invite abstracts for our session on the Pleistocene record of the Kalahari and interior southern Africa, including comparative studies with other regions of southern Africa or Africa.

Submit via the ASAPA portal: asapa2026.co.za/submissions....

Did you know?

Early humans in #SouthAfrica were making spears 500,000 years ago.

These stone points from the #archaeology site of Kathu Pan 1 have impact damage, hafting marks & shapes perfectly suited for spear use — revealing surprisingly advanced weapon technology.

Imagine surviving in the Kalahari thousands of years ago—one of #Africa’s driest environments.

Evidence shows that early humans didn’t just endure it; they adapted with remarkable skill.

🔗 www.heriuct.co.za/news-content/surviving-the-drylands-stone-tools-as-evidence-of-early-social-networks

New work by HERI's @drpeechiwara.bsky.social & colleagues reviews Middle Stone Age evidence in #Africa to explore how early humans built complex social networks

Looking at context & patterns, the paper sheds light on the deep roots of human cooperation & collaboration.

doi.org/10.17159/saj...

Women in science in #Africa 🌍

Christina Mutinda, a HERI PhD candidate at @UCT_news, explores how early humans adapted to changing environments.

Using fossils, isotopes and ecological clues, she reconstructs East Africa’s Early Pleistocene habitats, when Paranthropus boisei roamed.

HERI’s Dr Rieneke Weij has led a rare update of U-Th & U-Pb dating in palaeoscience.

Published with our Dr Tara Edwards, the review highlights advances & potential for carbonate geochronology — and the implications for #humanevolution research.

www.heriuct.co.za/news-content...

A great step forward for Kalahari archaeology. @drpeechiwara.bsky.social and the team’s work offer important new insights into early Homo sapiens technological choices in interior southern Africa.

105,000 years ago, Homo sapiens left their mark at Gamohana Hill North Rockshelter in the Kalahari. They crafted points from galaxy tuff, a 2.4-billion-year-old glass-like stone. Not just a rock, but evidence of skill, planning, and ingenuity.

📖 Read more at
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

HERI’s Drs @drpeechiwara.bsky.social & Ben Schoville are organising a session at ASAPA 2026 on Pleistocene adaptations in the Kalahari and other interior drylands of southern Africa.

Researchers working in these regions are invited to submit abstracts and join the discussion.

asapa2026.co.za

New publication alert!‼️ Wrapping up 2025 with my fifth paper of the year in the SAJS!

The paper reviews how stone tools reveal social connections, noting similar patterns can also arise independently and suggesting ways to better distinguish the two. 💫
🔗 doi.org/10.17159/saj...

Why is #TaungChild one of the most important fossils in the world?

Find out in our new podcast, which tells the story of how one fossil challenged colonial narratives & scientific authority to show human origins lie in #Africa

Listen to all episodes now🔊
www.heriuct.co.za/news-content...

ASAPA 2026 Call for Abstracts is open!
Ben Schoville and I are organising a session on Pleistocene adaptations in the Kalahari and other interior drylands of southern Africa.

Working in these landscapes? We’d love your contribution.
Submit here: asapa2026.co.za
Deadline: 31 Jan 2026

Ancient tooth proteins reveal the biological sex and genetic diversity of Paranthropus robustus.

Led by Dr. Palesa Madupe of the University of Copenhagen and UCT’s HERI, this study provides the oldest human genetic data from Africa.
🔗 www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...

Flowstones from the Cradle of Humankind in #SouthAfrica reveal no evidence of intrusion.

New work, led by HERI’s Georgina Luti, counters arguments that the flowstones are uniform & intrusive, adding support for their role in dating fossils.

🔗 www.heriuct.co.za/news-content...

🦴 The #TaungChild fossil changed how we understand human origins in #Africa. Its story is shaped by prejudice, rivalry and hidden hands.
🎧 Unburied Season 2: The Taung Child from HERI and ARC explores its history and legacy.
Listen here 👉 linktr.ee/arcdocs

Science is stronger when every voice is heard. At HERI, diversity drives discovery, challenges assumptions, and creates richer stories of our shared human story.

Applications are open for the 2025 Student Development Workshop (SDW) at Skukuza, Kruger National Park! 🌿🦓

A great opportunity for students in archaeology & heritage management.

📅 6–10 Dec 2025

See details on SAASS social media & website: www.saassarchaeology.com/upcoming-eve...

Africa’s caves are timekeepers of climate and life. 🌍

An all-women research team, led by HERI’s Georgina Luti, has revealed how rock layers called speleothems record shifts in Africa’s past and help us date fossils more reliably.

#WomenInScience & rooted in Africa.

HERI brings #Africa to the heart of #humanevolution research, blending innovation, inclusivity and transformative training. From ancient biomolecules to archaeology, we’re shaping a more ethical and African-centered science.

The #TaungChild has been silent for over 2 million years — until now.

Our new podcast takes you back to 1924 #SouthAfrica, where one fossil would upend colonial narratives to centre human origins #Africa.

🌍Unburied Season 2: The Taung Child
🔗 Listen: linktr.ee/arcdocs

HERI made a podcast! 🎧 With ARC DOCS we bring the #TaungChild story to life - not for academics but everyone interested in humanity.

Commemorate 100 years since the fossil centred human origins in #Africa by listening NOW!

Unburied Season 2🔗 Listen linktr.ee/arcdocs