The Origin of Our Species is this year's Annual Science Lecture

28 November 2011

Chris Stringer with the Broken Hill (Kabwe) skull from Zambia discovered in 1921 - the first important human fossil from Africa.

Kabwe’ or ‘Broken Hill 1’ Homo heidelbergensis skull

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Discovered: 1921 in Kabwe (formerly Broken Hill), Zambia

This skull was the first fossil of a human ancestor to be discovered in Africa. It combines primitive features such as a wide face, thick arching brow ridges and a sloping forehead with a large brain capacity of 1280 cubic centimetres. The date of this specimen is uncertain but it may be 300,000 years old. This individual had significant tooth decay and a number of associated abscesses had decayed the upper jaw bone. Significant dental decay such as this was unusual in our ancestors prior to the development of agriculture approximately 10,000 years ago when more sugars and starchy foods were included in the diet.

Photographer:

Stuart Humphreys

Rights:

© Australian Museum

 

Where did we come from? How did we evolve?[darwins dilemma]

 

 And who did we interact with along the way? Britain’s leading expert on human origins, Professor Chris Stringer, addresses the topic's big questions this Wednesday when he presents the Annual Science Lecture at the Natural History Museum.

The Origin of Our Species Annual Science Lecture is in the Museum's Central Hall at 7:30pm on 30 November and is a ticketed evening event.
Chris will take a fascinating look at where, when, and how our species, Homo sapiens, evolved. He has spent the last 40 years investigating human evolution through the study of fossils (palaeoanthropology), much of this time at the Museum.
The lecture will give visitors an overview of human evolution, from early fossil finds such as the Broken Hill (Kabwe) skull from Zambia discovered in 1921, which was the first important human fossil from Africa; to the most recent genetic discoveries that suggest modern humans interbred with Neanderthals and Denisovans.
The Broken Hill skull, also called ‘Rhodesian Man’, will be brought out from the Museum collections for a rare public appearance at the lecture. Chris calls this specimen ‘one of the most beautiful fossil human relics’.
Chris Stringer will also be signing copies of his new book The Origin of Our Species after the lecture, and there will be a question and answer session.
Tickets for The Origin of Our Species Annual Science Lecture are £14.50 and the event begins at 7:30pm, although doors and a bar open at 6:45pm.