Publications
Evaluating Random Forest Model Performance for Cave and Sinkhole Prediction in the Cradle of Humankind, South Africa: Preliminary Analysis and Variable Importance Assessments
A Random Forest model achieved 81.6% accuracy and an AUC of 0.912 in predicting cave and sinkhole locations in the Cradle of Humankind, South Africa, offering a promising tool for fossil site surveying in karst landscapes. The study analyzed multispectral imagery, DEMs, and geologic data to identify key predictive variables, with distance to faults, Chuniespoort Group location, dolomite/chert presence, and elevation proving most influential. Only three of 48 variables contributed less than random chance, highlighting their potential for refining models in future research and applications across similar regions.
Iconic Swartkrans fossils and hominid taxonomy, I: SK 15 mandible
A critical re-evaluation of the Swartkrans hominid mandible, SK 15, challenges its classification within Paranthropus, proposing instead alternative taxonomic placements that better reflect its morphological traits. The study scrutinizes a high-profile claim that SK 15 should be reclassified as Paranthropus capensis, arguing for a more nuanced approach to hominid taxonomy at this pivotal South African site. Swartkrans, renowned for its Oldowan tools and butchered bones, holds significant implications for understanding early hominid behavior and evolution. The research combines morphological analysis with taxonomic reassessment, aiming to clarify the evolutionary relationships of key fossils from one of palaeoanthropology’s most important sites.
Muographic Imaging and Cosmic-Rays Geodating at the Cradle of Humankind
Muographic imaging, leveraging atmospheric muons, offers a noninvasive method to visualize the internal structures of large, inaccessible objects. This technique, applied at the Fossil Hominid Sites of South Africa (Cradle of Humankind), demonstrates its potential for geodating and understanding complex geological formations without disturbing the site. By utilizing cosmic-ray muons, researchers can penetrate dense materials, providing detailed images that aid in the study of fossil-bearing strata. This approach enhances our ability to explore and date these significant paleoanthropological sites, contributing valuable insights into human evolution.
Characterising the spatio-temporal patterns of water quality parameters in the cradle of humankind world heritage site using Sentinel-2 and random forest regressor
A combination of Sentinel-2 satellite data and random forest regression models successfully predicted water quality parameters with high accuracy, particularly dissolved oxygen (DO) under low-flow conditions (R² = 0.88) and electrical conductivity (EC) (R² = 0.63). The study, conducted in the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site, revealed distinct seasonal variations in optically active (e.g., suspended solids) and non-optically active parameters (e.g., DO, EC), influenced by runoff dynamics and upstream pollution. Model 2, incorporating spectral bands and indices, outperformed Model 1 for most parameters, demonstrating the potential of remote sensing and machine learning to monitor freshwater ecosystems dynamically. These findings highlight the importance of high-resolution data in assessing water quality in ecologically significant areas.
Out of Africa: Learning from Teaching in the Cradle of Humankind
A decade-long teaching experience in the Cradle of Humankind, South Africa's Fossil Hominid Sites, reveals that integrating architectural heritage with sustainable development requires a recalibrated mindset and adaptive pedagogy. The study highlights the need to balance the preservation of local architectural memory with future-oriented sustainability, using autoethnographic methodology to intertwine personal observations, academic experiences in DR Congo and Rwanda, and literature reviews. This approach fosters inclusive learning that transcends boundaries, addressing renewed challenges for architects while enhancing students' awareness of their potential.
Regional geological formation and speleogenesis of the ‘Fossil Hominid Sites of South Africa’ UNESCO World Heritage Site
A critical gap in understanding the geological and geomorphological processes shaping South Africa's Fossil Hominid Sites of South Africa (The Cradle of Humankind), a UNESCO World Heritage Area, has been identified. The study reveals that while the region is renowned for its hominin fossil discoveries, there is a lack of comparative analyses of regional speleogenesis—karst formation linked to underlying geology—and its implications for palaeoanthropological and archaeological records. To address this, researchers synthesized stratigraphic and geomorphological histories, providing a foundational geological framework that integrates previously disconnected data. This approach aims to bridge the gap between large-scale regional studies and local-scale karst processes, offering new insights into the complex interactions that have preserved hominin fossils over millennia.
Taung and beyond: The mining history, geology and taphonomy of Australopithecus in South Africa
South Africa's fossil hominid sites, including Taung and the Sterkfontein and Makapan Valleys, hold the world's richest early hominin fossil record, particularly of Australopithecus africanus. This study marks the centenary of the Taung Child discovery by reviewing the landscape formation, mining history, geochronology, and taphonomy that shaped this record. It critically examines the impact of extractive practices on research, highlighting exclusionary practices in mining-centered studies. The sites offer a unique window into early australopith environments, preserved through karstic landscapes. Future research is recommended to standardize excavation techniques and develop new dating methods for cave deposits, aiming to deepen understanding of early hominin evolution and environmental change.
The large mammal fossil fauna of the Cradle of Humankind, South Africa: a review
A review of the large mammal fossil fauna from South Africa's Cradle of Humankind reveals that while hominin fossils have been extensively studied, the site's abundant non-hominin faunal assemblages have been largely overlooked despite their potential for Plio-Pleistocene palaeoenvironmental reconstructions. The study highlights a trend across eight radiometrically dated sites—Bolt's Farm, Cooper's Cave, Drimolen, Haasgat, Hoogland, Malapa, Sterkfontein, and Swartkrans—that shows wooded landscapes transitioning to grasslands over time, primarily based on faunal abundance data. The review also underscores the need for more precise dating and comprehensive faunal reporting to better contextualize these sites, many of which have not been revisited or reanalyzed in decades.
A new species of Lovebird (Aves, Psittaculidae, Agapornis) from the Plio-Pleistocene of the Cradle of Humankind (Gauteng, South Africa)
Paleontologists have identified a new extinct species of lovebird, Agapornis longipes, from Plio-Pleistocene deposits at Kromdraai, Cooper’s Cave, and Swartkrans in South Africa. This discovery is significant as it represents the first description of an Agapornis species from the Cradle of Humankind, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its rich fossil record. The new species is distinguished by elongated tarsometatarsus bones, suggesting adaptations to ground feeding in dense grasslands that characterized the region during this period. Researchers analyzed well-preserved wing and leg bones, including the humerus, ulna, carpometacarpus, and tarsometatarsus, along with fragments of the mandible and coracoid, to reconstruct the species' morphology and infer its ecological role. This finding contributes to our understanding of avian biodiversity during a critical phase in human evolution.
Combined uranium-series and electron spin resonance dating from the Pliocene fossil sites of Aves and Milo’s palaeocaves, Bolt’s Farm, Cradle of Humankind, South Africa
A groundbreaking study utilizing combined uranium-series and electron spin resonance (US-ESR) dating techniques has established the age of fossil sites at Bolt’s Farm, Cradle of Humankind, South Africa, providing critical insights into the Pliocene timeline. The research reveals that Aves Cave dates to between ~3.15 and 2.61 million years ago (Ma), while Milo’s Cave is dated to ~3.1–2.7 Ma, aligning with biochronological estimates based on fossilized species like Stage I Metridiochoerus andrewsi. Preliminary palaeomagnetic analysis further refines the age of Milo’s Cave to between ~3.03 and 3.11 Ma, reinforcing the absence of definitive deposits older than 3.2 Ma at Bolt’s Farm. The study demonstrates that US-ESR dating can reliably date fossil sites in this region beyond 3 million years, though bulk sample analysis is recommended for optimal accuracy.
Medium and large-sized Glires (Rodents and Lagomorphs) from the early Pleistocene Cooper's D locality in the Cradle of Humankind, Gauteng, South Africa
Research at the early Pleistocene Cooper's D locality in South Africa has uncovered the oldest known occurrence of the genus Geosciurus, extending its fossil record by over one million years. This discovery, derived from a detailed taxonomic and morphological analysis of rodent and lagomorph remains, provides significant insights into the ecological dynamics of mesomammals during this period. The study also incorporates taphonomic observations to better understand the preservation processes affecting these fossils. By examining craniodental remains, the research contributes to a broader understanding of past ecosystems in the Cradle of Humankind and highlights the importance of medium-sized mammals in reconstructing environmental histories.
Unveiling the First Neobatrachian (Anura) Discovered in the paleokarst system of Bolt’s Farm (Plio-Pleistocene; Cradle of Humankind), South Africa
Researchers have uncovered the first fossilized remains of a neobatrachian frog (Anura) from the Plio-Pleistocene paleokarst system at Bolt’s Farm, part of South Africa’s Cradle of Humankind. This discovery, described through CT-scanning analysis, reveals an articulated specimen with clear osteological similarities to the Pyxicephalidae family, suggesting it belonged to this large African group. The frog's preserved position mirrors that of living pyxicephalids during dormancy, implying it died in a dry season, reinforcing paleoenvironmental reconstructions of seasonal savannah conditions. This finding extends South Africa’s anuran fossil record beyond the southern Pliocene sites and provides new insights into the region’s ecological history.
A Case Report on a Human Bite Contact with a Rabid Honey Badger Mellivora capensis (Kromdraai Area, Cradle of Humankind, South Africa)
A rabid honey badger (Mellivora capensis) from the Kromdraai area, part of South Africa's Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site, transmitted a dog-origin rabies virus to humans after biting a dog and three adults in July 2021. One victim required hospitalization. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed the virus matched that of domestic dogs, highlighting wildlife's role in sustaining rabies cycles and posing risks to human health. The study underscores the need for vigilance against zoonotic diseases in regions with diverse wildlife populations.
Animals evoking fear in the Cradle of Humankind: snakes, scorpions, and large carnivores
A study reveals that snakes, scorpions, the centipede, and large carnivores like cheetahs and hyenas are perceived as the most frightening animals by Somali respondents living in the Cradle of Humankind. This finding challenges Western-centric narratives about animal fears, particularly regarding spiders, which ranked lower than scorpions—a pattern that aligns with evolutionary hypotheses suggesting fear responses may have shifted from other chelicerates. The research used standardized images of 42 local species and surveyed 236 participants to rank their fear responses, providing empirical data on animal phobias in a region critical to human evolution.
New hominin dental remains from the ∼2.04–1.95 Ma Drimolen Main Quarry, South Africa
New hominin dental remains from the Drimolen Main Quarry (DMQ) in South Africa, dating back approximately 2.04–1.95 million years, challenge the long-held hypothesis of sexual dimorphism in Paranthropus robustus. The study, which expands the DMQ fossil sample by 38%—bringing it to a total of 84 specimens—finds that dental morphology is inconsistent with significant size-based variation between males and females. Instead, some evidence supports micro-evolutionary changes within the species over time. Researchers analyzed 19 newly recovered fossils (47 dental elements) using morphological descriptions and comparative analysis, contributing to our understanding of early Homo and Paranthropus evolution in one of the world's most significant fossil hominid sites.
Dental data challenge the ubiquitous presence of Homo in the Cradle of Humankind
A groundbreaking analysis challenges the long-held assumption that Homo was ubiquitous in South Africa's Cradle of Humankind during the Early Pleistocene. Using advanced microcomputed tomography and 3D geometric morphometrics, researchers examined 23 postcanine teeth from four key sites—Sterkfontein, Swartkrans, Drimolen, and Kromdraai B—and found only four specimens with clear Homo attributes: three from Swartkrans (SK 27, SK 847, SKX 21204) and one from Sterkfontein (Sts 9). Three other teeth showed mixed traits, while the rest exhibited strong Australopithecus-like features. This reconsideration of dental taxonomy suggests a more nuanced picture of early Homo's presence in southern Africa, with implications for dietary reconstructions and phylogenetic relationships. The study also questions previous interpretations linking these sites to Homo erectus.
Paleoecological Reconstructions of the South African Plio-Pleistocene Based on Low-Magnification Dental Microwear of Fossil Primates.
A distinct pulse of cooling and drying between 1.9–1.8 million years ago (mya) is linked to shifts in primate diets, with early hominids like Australopithecus adapting as primary gramnivores amid expanding grasslands. This reconstruction emerged from low-magnification dental microwear analysis of fossil primates—predominantly Parapapio, Dinopithecus, Gorgopithecus, and Papio—revealing a trend toward increased grass consumption over the South African Plio-Pleistocene. The study leverages dental microwear patterns to infer dietary changes, suggesting early hominid adaptation to environmental shifts.
Sedge Foodplants Growing in the Cradle of Humankind, South Africa, and Cyperus Esculentus Tubers (Patrysuintjies) as a C4 Superfood
A comprehensive inventory of sedge species (Cyperaceae) in the Cradle of Humankind, South Africa, reveals that 29 taxa thrive there, most with C4 photosynthetic pathways. Contrary to prior hypotheses, these sedges do not require aquatic environments, challenging the 'aquatic diet' theory for early hominins. The study identifies six species as current foodplants for baboons and humans, highlighting Cyperus esculentus (patrysuintjies) as a potential nutritious C4 superfood due to its energy, protein, and lipid content. This research corrects dietary reconstructions by providing photographic records and nutritional insights, offering new perspectives on hominin subsistence strategies in southern Africa.
Swartkrans: A Record of Paleoenvironmental Change in the Cradle of Humankind
Swartkrans, a pivotal site within the Fossil Hominid Sites of South Africa UNESCO World Heritage Site, has yielded groundbreaking evidence of early hominin coexistence. The discovery of SK 45, an early Homo fossil from the 'pink breccia' (Member 1), alongside Paranthropus robustus fossils, demonstrated for the first time that multiple hominin species coexisted in the same paleoenvironment during the Pleistocene epoch. This finding challenged earlier assumptions about hominin evolution and ecological separation. The research, conducted by Robert Broom and John Robinson between 1948 and 1953, also revealed significant paleoenvironmental changes through the analysis of breccia layers exposed during limestone mining activities. The study's approach combined paleontological excavation with geological observations, providing a unique window into the environmental context of early hominin evolution in South Africa.
A summary of the history of exploration at the Sterkfontein Caves in the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site
Sterkfontein Caves, part of the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site, have yielded significant hominin fossils over more than a century. The caves' exploration is divided into three phases: 1895–1935, marked by unsystematic fossil recovery during limestone mining; 1936–1966, led by Robert Broom and John Robinson, which involved systematic excavations yielding numerous hominin fossils, stone artifacts, and initial mapping of deposits; and 1966 to present, characterized by extensive excavations led by Philip Tobias, Alun Hughes, Tim Partridge, Ron Clarke, Kathy Kuman, and Dominic Stratford. This phase recognized and characterized the six members of Sterkfontein deposits, recovered additional fossils and artifacts, and conducted in-depth analysis of fauna and paleoenvironments. Significant geochronological work has also been undertaken to date the complex stratigraphy.
The first hominin from the early Pleistocene paleocave of Haasgat, South Africa
Researchers have identified the first hominin fossil from Haasgat, a paleocave within the UNESCO World Heritage Site 'Fossil Hominid Sites of South Africa.' The discovery, a partial maxillary molar (HGT 500), dates to approximately 1.95 million years ago and provides critical insight into the transition period in early Pleistocene South Africa, marking the last occurrence of Australopithecus and the emergence of Paranthropus and Homo. Morphological analysis, including micro-CT scans and microscopy, suggests the molar aligns with either late-occurring Australopithecus or early Homo, excluding Paranthropus. This finding underscores Haasgat's significance for understanding hominin evolution and interactions within distinct northern ecosystems, contrasting with better-studied southern sites.
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