How did climate change impact ancient human behavior? This is one of the questions Justin Pargeter and his team are investigating at a site called Boomplaas Cave in South Africa. This site has a unique record of human presence over the past 80,000 years or so. Importantly, the site is helping researchers piece together the story of how humans adapted to rapidly shifting climates in the past.
Origin Stories producer Ray Pang interviews Leakey Foundation grantee Justin Pargeter, an archaeologist and professor at NYU about his work at the site, the history and importance of the cave, and why African-led research is critical for the future of science.
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Credits:
This episode was produced by Ray Pang. Our editor is Audrey Quinn. Theme music by Henry Nagle, additional music by Lee Roservere.
Episode 19: Being Human - Born and Evolved to Run
Episode 18: Empathy
Episode 04: How to Document a Society (Re-release)
Episode 17: Being Human - Speaking of Sex
Episode 16: Neanderthals
Episode 15: The Grandmother Hypothesis
Episode 14: Being Human - Why Do We Laugh?
Episode 13: Evolutionary Arms Race
Episode 12: The Origins of Tuberculosis
Episode 11: Face Mites
Episode 10: Being Human with Alison Gopnik
Episode 09: Did Cooking Make Us Human?
Episode 08: Being Human with Robert Sapolsky
Episode 07: The Currant Bush of Life with Bernard Wood
Episode 06: Being a Nice Animal
Episode 05: Discovery at Ledi-Geraru
Episode 04: How to Document a Society
Episode 03: Jane Goodall
Episode 02: Why Do We Get Hiccups?
Episode 01: On Two Feet
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