Shows
Discovering UsSecrets of the Orangutan CycleThere are only five kinds of great apes alive today. Chimpanzees, gorillas, bonobos, orangutans, and us. Among the non-human apes, orangutans are unique. Orangutans live only in Asia - in the forests of Sumatra and Borneo. They’re intelligent, solitary animals that feed mostly on fruit. There is a lot we can learn from them - but it’s not an easy job.Further learningCheryl Knott's orangutan researchErin Vogel's orangutan research Lunch Break Science episode on how orangutans learnOrigin Stories podcast with Biruté Mary GaldikasAbout The Leakey FoundationThe Leakey Foundation is a n...2022-09-2610 min
Discovering UsBorn and Evolved to RunOne of the enduring mysteries in human evolution is the question of how and when humans evolved our unusually large brains. Another mystery is how and why we started moving around on two legs. This episode of Discovering Us explores both of these questions by exploring the human ability to run over long distances.Further readingAbout The Leakey FoundationThe Leakey Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to funding human origins research and sharing discoveries. The Foundation was established in 1968 to fund work at the forefront of fossil and primate studies and...2022-09-2607 min
Discovering UsThe HobbitIn this episode, Ashley Judd tells the story of a startling discovery on the island of Flores. Deep inside a remote, limestone cave with a high, arched ceiling, researchers uncovered fossils of an ancient human species unlike any other. This discovery added a new member to the human family tree and shook up our understanding of human evolution.Further reading:Homo floresiensis - SmithsonianMaking sense of the small-bodied fossils from FloresAbout The Leakey FoundationThe Leakey Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to funding human origins research and sharing discoveries. The Foundation...2022-09-2610 min
Discovering UsThe Pit of BonesIt takes a special kind of detective work to figure out the story of how we became human. This episode takes us to a unique fossil site in Spain where scientists go back through time - finding clues in a rich fossil record that stretches over hundreds and thousands of years. They are uncovering a story with twists and turns that are more dramatic and mysterious than an Agatha Christie novel.Further reading (and listening)Origin Stories: Detective of the DeadAtapuerca, UNESCO World Heritage SiteAbout The Leakey FoundationThe Leakey Foundation is...2022-09-2608 min
Discovering UsUnexpected ArdiIn this episode, Ashley Judd tells the story of the discovery of a fascinating fossil of a female that lived 4.4-million-years ago. This unexpected find opened up a new window into the very early evolution of the human species.Further readingArdipithecus ramidus - SmithsonianArdipithecus ramidus - Science About The Leakey FoundationThe Leakey Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to funding human origins research and sharing discoveries. The Foundation was established in 1968 to fund work at the forefront of fossil and primate studies and provide opportunities for a global community of scientists. L...2022-09-2607 min
Discovering UsThe African Milk TrailThere are some mysteries about human evolution that can’t be answered by looking at fossils or our closest living primate relatives. In this episode, you’ll learn how scientists used genetic research to explain how humans came to be the only mammals who continue to drink milk - even after we’re grown.Further readingMilk tolerance evolved more than onceAbout The Leakey FoundationThe Leakey Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to funding human origins research and sharing discoveries. The Foundation was established in 1968 to fund work at the forefront of fos...2022-09-2608 min
Discovering UsAmbush at the LakeIn this episode of Discovering Us, Ashley Judd takes you to Ice Age Europe, where a stunning discovery paints a picture of how early humans survived in a harsh and highly competitive landscape. About The Leakey FoundationThe Leakey Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to funding human origins research and sharing discoveries. The Foundation was established in 1968 to fund work at the forefront of fossil and primate studies and provide opportunities for a global community of scientists. Learn more at leakeyfoundation.org.Discovering Us: 50 Great Discoveries in Human OriginsIn 50 li...2022-09-2608 min
Discovering UsThe Lion ManOne thing that’s special about humans is the way we express ourselves through art and music. Ancient humans were no different. The art they left on cave walls and carved in stone lives on. It gives us a profound connection to our ancestors and their creative, complex lives. In this episode, Ashley Judd explores some of the earliest art ever discovered.Further reading:The Lion Man: An Ice Age MasterpieceAbout The Leakey FoundationThe Leakey Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to funding human origins research and sharing discoveries. The Foundation wa...2022-09-2608 min
Discovering UsThe People of the RockNeanderthals lived from around 400,000 years ago to around 40,000 years ago. Scientists are still working to understand how and why Neanderthals went extinct. This episode takes you to the island of Gibraltar–where researchers think the very last surviving population of Neanderthals lived and died.Further reading (and listening):Gorham's Cave - UNESCO World Heritage SiteOrigin Stories: NeanderthalsOrigin Stories: Understanding NeanderthalsAbout The Leakey FoundationThe Leakey Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to funding human origins research and sharing discoveries. The Foundation was established in 1968 to fund work at the forefront of fossil an...2022-09-2610 min
Discovering UsInside Baboon MindsWhy are humans such social creatures? In this episode, Ashley Judd explores the origins of social behavior by taking you inside the minds of a troop of baboons living in Botswana’s Okovango Delta.Further reading (and listening)Baboon Metaphysics: The Evolution of a Social MindOrigin Stories - Being a Nice Animal -podcast episodeLunch Break ScienceAbout The Leakey FoundationThe Leakey Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to funding human origins research and sharing discoveries. The Foundation was established in 1968 to fund work at the forefront of fossil and primate studies and pr...2022-09-2610 min
Discovering UsChimpanzee HuntingThis installment of Discovering Us tells the story of an unusual group of chimpanzees that live on the grassy plains of Fongoli, Senegal where temperatures reach over 110 degrees. Water is scarce, and wildfires sweep through every year - burning the leaves from the trees and baking the soil. These chimpanzees have adapted to their environment in surprising ways that can shed light on the evolution of our own species. Further reading:Fongoli Savanna Chimpanzee ProjectOpen-access research paper on tool-assisted hunting in chimpanzeesAbout The Leakey FoundationThe Leakey Foundation is a nonprofit organization d...2022-09-2606 min
Discovering UsBonobos' Powerful SisterhoodBonobos are close cousins of humans, known for their highly active sex lives and peaceful female-centered social structure. In this episode, Ashley Judd shares how researchers studying bonobos are unlocking the secrets of female friendship.Further reading:Dr. Liza Moscovice - Leakey Foundation Grantee SpotlightOpen-access research on bonobo interactionsRare bonobo behavior photographed at LuiKotaleAbout The Leakey FoundationThe Leakey Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to funding human origins research and sharing discoveries. The Foundation was established in 1968 to fund work at the forefront of fossil and primate studies and provide opportunities...2022-09-2608 min
Discovering UsPrologueIn this series, actor Ashley Judd tells the stories behind some of the most important human origins discoveries of the past 50 years. This prologue explores the fossil find that launched the scientific saga of the Leakey family and the quest to uncover humanity’s origins.About The Leakey FoundationThe Leakey Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to funding human origins research and sharing discoveries. The Foundation was established in 1968 to fund work at the forefront of fossil and primate studies and provide opportunities for a global community of scientists. Learn more at leakeyfoundation.org....2022-09-2604 min