A trail of ancient footprints embedded in rock is one of the clues that Lee Berger, adjunct professor of biological anthropology and anatomy, is following to discover the dawn of humanity.
In recognition of Berger's work and dedication to tracing the origins of humanity, trustees of the National Geographic Society have awarded the paleoanthropologist the first annual National Geographic Research and Exploration Prize. The $100,000 award is given to an "individual who epitomizes the qualities inherent in the stated goal of the Society to 'increase and diffuse geographic knowledge,'" announced the Society in a press release.
"Lee Berger is a person of great intellect and curiosity and he possesses an especially infectious enthusiasm for his subject," said George Stuart, chairman of National Geographic's Committee for Research and Exploration. "He has a tremendous potential to expand our knowledge about critical periods of human evolution."
As a result of his dedica-
tion, Berger has already been involved in a number of discoveries key to unlocking the story of early humans in South Africa.
In August, Berger announced the remarkable discovery of the oldest-known fossilized footprints of an anatomically modern human-dated at 117,000 years-which were found on the shore of Langebaan Lagoon north of Cape Town. The discovery was reported the September issue of National Geographic magazine. "If it was a woman she could conceivably be 'Eve,'" Berger said in an interview with the magazine. "Eve" is the name given to the hypothetical female who lived in Africa between 100,000 and 300,000 years ago and whom certain scientists theorize is the common female ancestor of all modern humans.
Berger was awarded the Research and Exploration Prize because he helped to "revitalize prehistoric research in South Africa," said Steve Churchill, assistant professor of BAA and a colleague of Berger. "Lee is just a real go-getter," Churchill said.
As leader of the paleoanthropology research group at the University of Witswatersrand in South Africa, Berger plans to use the tax-free prize money to lighten his teaching load and to "continue and expand the work I'm doing-research into human origins," he said.
He would also like to further his work surveying and excavating at field sites, including one in the Free State Province at Bloemfomtein, a project with which the University is working closely. Berger said he looks forward to exploring this new area where "thousands of bones are lying on the surface, gone undiscovered until two years ago."
Churchill, who is co-director of the project at Bloemfomtein, described the site as 400,000 square miles never intensively explored, with fossils "popping out" of riverbeds. Although the site has yet to produce human remains, many stone tools and animal bones with cut marks have been found, proving human activity in the area. Other interesting discoveries include fossils of a new species of shovel-tusker, an elephant with flattened tusks protruding from the lower jaw that were used for scooping up vegetation.
Berger said he is excited at the prospect of "freeing himself up" and concentrating more on his research and field work, and will hopefully make more progress in his search for the origins of modern humanity. The process, however, is slow, involving the collaborative efforts of many specialists, including geologists, physicists and pollen specialists.
To develop chronological frameworks of recovered fossils, Churchill explained, physicists date samples and pollen specialists extract pollen grain from sediments to identify plant types' places in history. Archaeologists who specialize in the Stone Age can make inferences about tools found at a site and the activities of the humans who used them. Wherever there is evidence of hominids doing something focused, the area is excavated. "Then you go deeper," Churchill said.
In addition to directing the project at Bloemfomtein, Berger also directs or co-directs several other research projects in South Africa, including three hominid excavation sites at Krugersdorp and one at Hoedjiespunt. These sites have yielded discoveries such as footprints and 300,000-year-old human teeth-indicate modern human activity in these regions.
The large number of these fossils coming out of South Africa compared with other regions of Africa leads Berger to believe that South Africa was the cradle of humanity. He pointed out that deserts and mountains isolate that part of the continent, leaving it ripe for producing unique species of plants and animals, including humans, reported National Geographic.
"There is a wealth of new information about human evolution out there," Berger said. The $100,000 National Geographic Research and Exploration prize will allow him to concentrate on collecting this information.
Berger, who grew up in Georgia, relocated to South Africa eight years ago.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.