Dr. Henry Gee

But some of these were probably more closely related to gorillas and orangutans than to humans. But after that period, the forests tend to thin out. Rather, there was a slow... In fact, since then, there's been a generally slow cooling of the Earth towards the Ice Ages.

But some of these were probably more closely related to gorillas and orangutans than to humans. But after that period, the forests tend to thin out. Rather, there was a slow... In fact, since then, there's been a generally slow cooling of the Earth towards the Ice Ages.

And in the tropics, the cooling is manifested as forests dying out to be replaced by a more mixed habitat of what you might call savanna or parkland with grasslands and a few trees here and there. And the number of apes diminished, and monkeys became more prevalent. So there were a few apes hanging on. But after about 10, 9 million years, the fossil record of apes almost disappears completely.

And in the tropics, the cooling is manifested as forests dying out to be replaced by a more mixed habitat of what you might call savanna or parkland with grasslands and a few trees here and there. And the number of apes diminished, and monkeys became more prevalent. So there were a few apes hanging on. But after about 10, 9 million years, the fossil record of apes almost disappears completely.

And in the tropics, the cooling is manifested as forests dying out to be replaced by a more mixed habitat of what you might call savanna or parkland with grasslands and a few trees here and there. And the number of apes diminished, and monkeys became more prevalent. So there were a few apes hanging on. But after about 10, 9 million years, the fossil record of apes almost disappears completely.

And so until the turn of this century, there was essentially no record of apes or humans or possible human relatives between 10 and 5 million years ago. None. None at all. And then suddenly, just after 2000, an entire skull dropped right into the middle. It was about 7 million years ago. And this came from Chad in Central Africa, which hadn't been very well explored.

And so until the turn of this century, there was essentially no record of apes or humans or possible human relatives between 10 and 5 million years ago. None. None at all. And then suddenly, just after 2000, an entire skull dropped right into the middle. It was about 7 million years ago. And this came from Chad in Central Africa, which hadn't been very well explored.

And so until the turn of this century, there was essentially no record of apes or humans or possible human relatives between 10 and 5 million years ago. None. None at all. And then suddenly, just after 2000, an entire skull dropped right into the middle. It was about 7 million years ago. And this came from Chad in Central Africa, which hadn't been very well explored.

And it was an entire skull of a creature called Sahelanthropus chadensis. Sahelanthropus. And it's an unbelievably hard place to work. I mean, it really does look like a blasted desert. And people, I've seen people come, I haven't been there, but I have seen people who've come direct to France, because it was a French and Chad joint expedition.

And it was an entire skull of a creature called Sahelanthropus chadensis. Sahelanthropus. And it's an unbelievably hard place to work. I mean, it really does look like a blasted desert. And people, I've seen people come, I haven't been there, but I have seen people who've come direct to France, because it was a French and Chad joint expedition.

And it was an entire skull of a creature called Sahelanthropus chadensis. Sahelanthropus. And it's an unbelievably hard place to work. I mean, it really does look like a blasted desert. And people, I've seen people come, I haven't been there, but I have seen people who've come direct to France, because it was a French and Chad joint expedition.

I've seen people come back to France directly from Chad without washing, and they look yellow, they look completely sandblasted. So, but Salampus chalensis was a whole skull, and also there was a couple of elbow joints and a bit of a leg bone that was described later. And these vines, they haven't been directly dated, but there are lots of other animals found there.

I've seen people come back to France directly from Chad without washing, and they look yellow, they look completely sandblasted. So, but Salampus chalensis was a whole skull, and also there was a couple of elbow joints and a bit of a leg bone that was described later. And these vines, they haven't been directly dated, but there are lots of other animals found there.

I've seen people come back to France directly from Chad without washing, and they look yellow, they look completely sandblasted. So, but Salampus chalensis was a whole skull, and also there was a couple of elbow joints and a bit of a leg bone that was described later. And these vines, they haven't been directly dated, but there are lots of other animals found there.

And looking at the complexion of the fauna, you can tell that it's about 7 million years old. But the interesting thing about Sahelanthropus is it looks like an ape. The skull's about the same size as a chimpanzee. But the hole in the base of the skull, where the spinal cord goes in,

And looking at the complexion of the fauna, you can tell that it's about 7 million years old. But the interesting thing about Sahelanthropus is it looks like an ape. The skull's about the same size as a chimpanzee. But the hole in the base of the skull, where the spinal cord goes in,

And looking at the complexion of the fauna, you can tell that it's about 7 million years old. But the interesting thing about Sahelanthropus is it looks like an ape. The skull's about the same size as a chimpanzee. But the hole in the base of the skull, where the spinal cord goes in,

is right in the middle at the bottom or almost rather than at the back and that's crucial because a skull that balances on the spinal cord that's on the bottom it comes from an animal that's a biped it walks on two legs if the hole that the spinal cord goes in is at the back of the skull that suggests that the animal is like your sheep or your cat or dog I have a sheep skull here.

is right in the middle at the bottom or almost rather than at the back and that's crucial because a skull that balances on the spinal cord that's on the bottom it comes from an animal that's a biped it walks on two legs if the hole that the spinal cord goes in is at the back of the skull that suggests that the animal is like your sheep or your cat or dog I have a sheep skull here.

is right in the middle at the bottom or almost rather than at the back and that's crucial because a skull that balances on the spinal cord that's on the bottom it comes from an animal that's a biped it walks on two legs if the hole that the spinal cord goes in is at the back of the skull that suggests that the animal is like your sheep or your cat or dog I have a sheep skull here.