Recent Contributions from Science and Anthropology for Understanding Human Origins and the Evolution of Human Behavior

Early hominids originated in Africa 2.5 million years ago and spread to the rest of the world 1.5 million years later. During the last three years, research in the fields of human paleontology, archaeology, geology, and molecular genetics has demonstrated that anatomically modern man originated in Africa about 200,000 years ago and replaced or absorbed preexisting populations in Europe and Asia. J. Desmond Clark is universally recognized as the leading figure in the field of African archaeology, having had a long and distinguished career dating from 1937 to the present. He is, therefore, in a unique position to share his perspectives on these most recent discoveries resulting from the marriage of science and anthropology.

In conjunction with: Department of Anthropology; Department of Ecology, Ethology, and Evolution; Department of Geology; Center for African Studies; Program on Ancient Technologies and Archaeological Materials (ATAM); Program in Science, Technology, and Society; Humanities Council / LAS; Natural History Museum; World Heritage Museum; Graduate Anthropology Students Association; Organization Fund Advisory Board (OFAB); Student Organization Resource Fee (SORF); Archaeological Institute of America; Illinois State Water Survey; George A. Miller Committee