### Revitalizing Paleoanthropology: An African Perspective

In autumn 1974, American paleoanthropologist Donald Johanson unearthed a pivotal piece of history in northern Ethiopia. He discovered the first fossil of "Lucy," an ancient female hominin, significantly pushing back the timeline of human evolution beyond 3 million years. This autumn also commemorates the 100th anniversary of discovering the "Taung child." Found in South Africa, this fossilized skull provided crucial insights that ancient humans first evolved in Africa. Despite Africa being the "cradle of mankind," African scientists have historically been sidelined in the narrative of hominin fossil discoveries.

In a recent episode of The Conversation Weekly podcast and a Q&A segment for their Insights series, Ethiopian paleoanthropologist Yohannes Haile-Selassie discusses the Western-centric nature of the story of human origins and the urgent need for change. Haile-Selassie points out that many significant fossils that garnered fame for Western scientists were actually found by local Africans, who were minimally acknowledged in academic publications.

Haile-Selassie notes that African scholars were long excluded from the analysis and storytelling of human evolution, relegated to roles as laborers and fossil hunters up until the 1990s. As the current director of the Institute of Human Origins at Arizona State University, he has made noteworthy fossil discoveries in Ethiopia, including the 1997 find of Ardipithecus kadabba, estimating to be more than 5 million years old.

Haile-Selassie emphasizes the necessity for increased support for African institutions and scientists to further paleoanthropological research and to "decolonise paleoanthropology." He argues that progress in the field requires a focused effort on bolstering African paleosciences to ensure continuous and fruitful explorations. Haile-Selassie envisions that with proper support, undiscovered fossils in unexplored regions such as West Africa could significantly contribute to understanding human history.

Lack of Western investment in African research infrastructures, Haile-Selassie warns, could lead to stricter restrictions on future exploration permissions. He alludes to the possibility that African countries might tighten control over who is allowed to conduct research, emphasizing the importance of establishing a robust foundation for future African scientists.

To delve deeper into this conversation, listeners are encouraged to check out the full episode of The Conversation Weekly podcast, which features an in-depth interview with Yohannes Haile-Selassie conducted by Mike Herd, the Insights editor at The Conversation.