Louis S. B. Leakey

The Leakey family was one that bettered the understanding of our origin as a species. Louis S. B. Leakey and Mary Leakey were anthropologists in search of remnants of ancient humans. An expedition was begun by Mary Leakey in the region of Laetoli in Tanzania in East Africa. Her and her team found footprints preserved in volcanic ash that appeared to be very similar to those of a modern human. The Australopithecines, ancient humanlike beings, were the ones who made these marks. Australopithecines are a type of hominid, which includes humans and other beings that walk upright. This discovery was a tremendous leap in the quest to find out more of man’s origins.

Australopithecines (remember- humanlike beings) are the oldest of this list, living
to 1.5 million B.C., there were the Homo habilis. Although still residing in Africa (the East to be specific), this new species had gone through new enhancements. Homo habilis does mean “man of skill”. And skill they did have (for their time of course). They had finally started utilizing what was all around them- stone. Using this stone as tools made cracking bones open, cutting meat, or whatever else made surviving and prospering a lot more
It was assumed because many of their characteristics and those of our ancestors coincide notably well. The fossilized bone fragments of the Neanderthals were found in “Neander Valley”, hence their name. They lived from 200,000 B.C. to 30,000 B.C. and in Europe and Southeast Asia. Because they had to survive brutal ice age winters, they had to have the proper adaptations for it. The Neanderthals were built powerfully and to best suit their environment. They had heavy slanted brows, robust muscles, and thick bones. They were excellent hunters and used their surroundings to their advantage, like making shelters out of leftover animal skin and wood. The Neanderthals were also thought to bear spirituality and/or religious beliefs because of the evidence found for a funeral they had held for one of their