Fossils, Ecology, and Human Evolution

In the remote Turkana Basin in northern Kenya, bone fragments and fossil footprints preserve stories stretching back millions of years. Dr. Kay Behrensmeyer brings these stories to life, showing how scientists piece together ancient ecological settings and animal behavior from what remains after death.

Her work reveals how climate, landscape, and living communities affect both species adaptations and the fate of their remains. Through these deep-time insights, we’ll explore how the forces that shaped the past influence our world today and into the future.

Speaker: Kay Behrensmeyer, Smithsonian Institution