University of Utah scientists used chemical isotopes in ancient soil to measure prehistoric tree cover – in effect, shade – and found that grassy, tree-dotted savannas prevailed at most East African sites where human ancestors and their ape relatives evolved during the past 6 million years.
Scientists from around the world are arriving at TBI's Turkwel research facility in northern Kenya for the tenth annual Stony Brook University Human Evolution Workshop, held August 2-6. The workshop, entitled “Geological History of the Turkana Basin,” will cover topics such as the plate tectonic setting of the Turkana Basin, relation of the Turkana Depression [...]
The Tenth annual SBU Human Evolution workshop, entitled "Geological History of the Turkana Basin" will be held from August 2-6, 2011 at TBI's Turkwel research facility in Kenya.
The Turkana Basin Institute is pleased to announce it has awarded two new graduate fellowships. Natasha Gownaris is a second year doctoral student at the Stony Brook University School of Marine and Atmospheric Science's Institute for Ocean Conservation Science. She is interested in how planned hydroelectric development and climate change might impact the fisheries of Lake Turkana and the [...]
Richard Leakey and Donald Johanson shared the stage at a historic event hosted by the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.
Celebrating decades of groundbreaking exploration in East Africa, these renowned paleoanthropologists will make this joint appearance to discuss the overwhelming evidence for evolution in the hominid fossil record and why understanding our evolutionary history is so important. Known for such landmark discoveries as "Lucy" (Johanson) and "Turkana Boy" (Leakey), the work of these [...]
Professor John Shea presents evidence that early human behavior was no less complex than that of living humans. Stone points dating to at least 104,000 years ago from Omo Kibish, Ethiopia. These points, shaped by pressure-flaking and likely used as projectile points are more than 65,000 years older than the oldest similar artifacts from the [...]
The ninth annual Stony Brook Human Evolution Workshop, “Our ancestors’ ancestors: the Miocene roots of the hominin tree” took place in Kenya, August 17 – 21, 2010. The ninth annual Stony Brook Human Evolution Workshop, “Our ancestors’ ancestors: the Miocene roots of the hominin tree” took place in Kenya, August 17 – 21, 2010. Participants [...]
The TBI Turkwel campus construction is still in progress. The sixth cottage is being fitted with doors and is being painted. The TBI Turkwel campus construction is still in progress. The sixth cottage is being fitted with doors and is being painted. A constructed wall of the big laboratory. Construction continues at TBI Turkwel and [...]
The Turkana Basin Institute is pleased to share our new TBI video channel on YouTube. The Turkana Basin Institute is pleased to share our new TBI video channel on YouTube. Our new video channel is designed to bring you interesting and educational videos of lectures, interviews, symposia, television programming and more, relating to the various [...]
TBI postdoctoral fellow Amanuel Beyin recently received a grant from the Wenner-Gren Foundation in the amount of $20,000 to conduct field research in the western Turkana Basin region this fall. TBI postdoctoral fellow Amanuel Beyin recently received a grant from the Wenner-Gren Foundation in the amount of $20,000 to conduct field research in the western [...]
The Office of International Academic Programs at Stony Brook University has announced that the deadline for applying to TBI's field school program has been extended to December 15, 2010. The Office of International Academic Programs at Stony Brook University has announced that the deadline for applying to TBI's field school program has been extended to [...]
Here are a few recent aerial views of TBI Turkwel to share with you. Once the six cottages are complete, construction will begin on the second large laboratory. You can also view this post in Google Earth/Maps. Here are a few recent aerial views of TBI Turkwel to share with you. Once the six cottages [...]
The construction is ongoing at the TBI Turkwel campus. Six self contained cottages are being built, the first of which is now complete. The remainder should be finished in the next two months. Here are a few recent images. You can also view this post in Google Earth/Maps. The construction is ongoing at the TBI [...]
TBI’s second Visiting Senior Scholar, Professor Simiyu Wandibba, has enjoyed a productive semester at Stony Brook University. You can also view this post in Google Earth/Maps. TBI’s second Visiting Senior Scholar, Professor Simiyu Wandibba, has enjoyed a productive semester at Stony Brook University. Professor Simiyu Wandibba, TBI’s current Visiting Senior Scholar. Since January, Professor Wandibba, [...]
Richard Leakey joins other scientists in discussing Lee Berger's amazing new "treasure trove" of Australopithecus sediba fossils You can also view this post in Google Earth/Maps. Richard Leakey joins other scientists in discussing Lee Berger's amazing new "treasure trove" of Australopithecus sediba fossils A fossil skull of the newly announced species Australopithecus sediba courtesy 60 [...]
Ever wonder where many of the most significant fossils of our earlient human ancestors were found? Curious about where in the world current research is taking place? The TBI geoBlog puts the latest news and events in the field of human evolution research in a global context. Ever wonder where many of the most significant [...]
On 19th September 2009 through the generosity of four extraordinary friends of TBI, Ian Telfer, Nancy Burke, and Jussi and Sally Westergren, a successful event was held to raise funds for the infrastructural development at Turkana. You can also view this post in Google Earth/Maps. On 19th September 2009 through the generosity of four extraordinary [...]
Here are some images of the buildings that were completed just in time for the conference held at Turkwel in August 2009. You can also view this post in Google Earth/Maps. Here are some images of the buildings that were completed just in time for the conference held at Turkwel in August 2009. Return to [...]
Several Turkana Basin Institute scientists and Stony Brook University faculty members were featured in a recent documentary exploring the latest scientific research into human origins. You can also view this post in Google Earth/Maps. Several Turkana Basin Institute scientists and Stony Brook University faculty members were featured in a recent documentary exploring the latest scientific [...]