I’d come to South Africa I’d launch myself into exploration and out I went
myself into exploration and out I went
myself into exploration and out I went looking to combine these technologies
looking to combine these technologies
looking to combine these technologies satellite imagery in handheld GPS
satellite imagery in handheld GPS
satellite imagery in handheld GPS started mapping sites I saw that cave
started mapping sites I saw that cave
started mapping sites I saw that cave sites formed in linear lines I saw
sites formed in linear lines I saw
sites formed in linear lines I saw fossil sites clustered together
fossil sites clustered together
fossil sites clustered together intrigued me so much I put together a
intrigued me so much I put together a
intrigued me so much I put together a list of targets print them on an a4
list of targets print them on an a4
list of targets print them on an a4 sheet loaded my dog into the car and on
sheet loaded my dog into the car and on
sheet loaded my dog into the car and on the first day out I found 21 new cave
the first day out I found 21 new cave
the first day out I found 21 new cave sites became an addictive process by
sites became an addictive process by
sites became an addictive process by July that year 2008 I found more than
July that year 2008 I found more than
July that year 2008 I found more than 600 cave sites
600 cave sites
600 cave sites I discovered more than 60 new fossil
I discovered more than 60 new fossil
I discovered more than 60 new fossil sites and I thought this was my legacy
sites and I thought this was my legacy
sites and I thought this was my legacy that’s fantastic
that’s fantastic
that’s fantastic this will be my gift to future
this will be my gift to future
this will be my gift to future generations of these discoveries began
generations of these discoveries began
generations of these discoveries began in a situation that I found myself in
in a situation that I found myself in
in a situation that I found myself in back in the 1990s a situation where
back in the 1990s a situation where
back in the 1990s a situation where exploration appeared to have been
exploration appeared to have been
exploration appeared to have been finished in the field of
finished in the field of
finished in the field of paleoanthropology in the search for
paleoanthropology in the search for
paleoanthropology in the search for human origins I found my own University
human origins I found my own University
human origins I found my own University closing my exploration program I found
closing my exploration program I found
closing my exploration program I found myself in a situation of assisting in a
myself in a situation of assisting in a
myself in a situation of assisting in a job search to find a new director to
job search to find a new director to
job search to find a new director to push the paleoanthropology the human
push the paleoanthropology the human
push the paleoanthropology the human origin study in a new direction towards
origin study in a new direction towards
origin study in a new direction towards technology towards the application of
technology towards the application of
technology towards the application of using modern technology to study
using modern technology to study
using modern technology to study existing fossils not to find new ones a
existing fossils not to find new ones a
existing fossils not to find new ones a young man that was going to take over my
young man that was going to take over my
young man that was going to take over my directorship position and lead us in the
directorship position and lead us in the
directorship position and lead us in the new direction was killed in a motorcycle
new direction was killed in a motorcycle
new direction was killed in a motorcycle accident in London but we had already
accident in London but we had already
accident in London but we had already invested in that direction we had post
invested in that direction we had post
invested in that direction we had post doctoral students computers everything
doctoral students computers everything
doctoral students computers everything and one of them a young Kenyan named
and one of them a young Kenyan named
and one of them a young Kenyan named Jobe Kibby came into my office and said
Jobe Kibby came into my office and said
Jobe Kibby came into my office and said would I be his postdoctoral supervisor
would I be his postdoctoral supervisor
would I be his postdoctoral supervisor now with this tragedy I said no because
now with this tragedy I said no because
now with this tragedy I said no because I can’t be you’re a lab guy I’m a feel
I can’t be you’re a lab guy I’m a feel
I can’t be you’re a lab guy I’m a feel god but I just found this site it’s
god but I just found this site it’s
god but I just found this site it’s bugging me so you want to learn to be a
bugging me so you want to learn to be a
bugging me so you want to learn to be a field guy let’s go out to the site and
field guy let’s go out to the site and
field guy let’s go out to the site and see what has to offer
see what has to offer
see what has to offer August 15 2008 Jobe myself a dog towel
August 15 2008 Jobe myself a dog towel
August 15 2008 Jobe myself a dog towel my then nine-year-old son Matthew
my then nine-year-old son Matthew
my then nine-year-old son Matthew walked up to the side I got to the edge
walked up to the side I got to the edge
walked up to the side I got to the edge of it we’re looking around I said go
of it we’re looking around I said go
of it we’re looking around I said go find fossils and with that off Matthew
find fossils and with that off Matthew
find fossils and with that off Matthew and towel win and I was talking to Joe
and towel win and I was talking to Joe
and towel win and I was talking to Joe man I said you know I don’t know why
man I said you know I don’t know why
man I said you know I don’t know why they left this little hole miners had
they left this little hole miners had
they left this little hole miners had actually found this and split a couple
actually found this and split a couple
actually found this and split a couple of blasts into it but then they left it
of blasts into it but then they left it
of blasts into it but then they left it and as I finish saying that Matthew
and as I finish saying that Matthew
and as I finish saying that Matthew who’s now 15 yards off the site in the
who’s now 15 yards off the site in the
who’s now 15 yards off the site in the middle of grass says dad I found a
middle of grass says dad I found a
middle of grass says dad I found a fossil I almost didn’t go and look
fossil I almost didn’t go and look
fossil I almost didn’t go and look but he’s my 9 year old son and I like
but he’s my 9 year old son and I like
but he’s my 9 year old son and I like all of you you want to encourage fossil
all of you you want to encourage fossil
all of you you want to encourage fossil hunting so I started walking towards him
hunting so I started walking towards him
hunting so I started walking towards him and this is what I saw and five meters
and this is what I saw and five meters
and this is what I saw and five meters away I knew his in my life were going to
away I knew his in my life were going to
away I knew his in my life were going to change forever it’s sticking out of the
change forever it’s sticking out of the
change forever it’s sticking out of the side of that rock I saw a hominid
side of that rock I saw a hominid
side of that rock I saw a hominid clavicle Matthew says I cursed I don’t
clavicle Matthew says I cursed I don’t
clavicle Matthew says I cursed I don’t remember that and I turned the rock over
remember that and I turned the rock over
remember that and I turned the rock over and there sticking out of the back of it
and there sticking out of the back of it
and there sticking out of the back of it was a jaw a tooth and that would lead to
was a jaw a tooth and that would lead to
was a jaw a tooth and that would lead to an extraordinary time Matthew had found
an extraordinary time Matthew had found
an extraordinary time Matthew had found a skeleton one of the rarest things you
a skeleton one of the rarest things you
a skeleton one of the rarest things you can ever find that skeleton would be
can ever find that skeleton would be
can ever find that skeleton would be part of this skull we would eventually
part of this skull we would eventually
part of this skull we would eventually find another one and then another one
find another one and then another one
find another one and then another one and then another one and then another
and then another one and then another
and then another one and then another one we would call that little site
one we would call that little site
one we would call that little site malapa and it would for a moment in
malapa and it would for a moment in
malapa and it would for a moment in history be one of if not the richest
history be one of if not the richest
history be one of if not the richest early hominid site on the continent of
early hominid site on the continent of
early hominid site on the continent of Africa skeletons in remarkable pristine
Africa skeletons in remarkable pristine
Africa skeletons in remarkable pristine condition the organic material I threw
condition the organic material I threw
condition the organic material I threw myself into this this was a paleo
myself into this this was a paleo
myself into this this was a paleo anthropological equivalent of winning
anthropological equivalent of winning
anthropological equivalent of winning the lottery we don’t find these things
the lottery we don’t find these things
the lottery we don’t find these things over the years following that 2011 2012
over the years following that 2011 2012
over the years following that 2011 2012 2013 we would have the time of our
2013 we would have the time of our
2013 we would have the time of our scientific lives something like 15
scientific lives something like 15
scientific lives something like 15 papers in the journal science more in
papers in the journal science more in
papers in the journal science more in the journal Nature
the journal Nature
the journal Nature dozens of peer-reviewed articles it was
dozens of peer-reviewed articles it was
dozens of peer-reviewed articles it was living a scientific dream it was our
living a scientific dream it was our
living a scientific dream it was our version of a scientific lottery all from
version of a scientific lottery all from
version of a scientific lottery all from a little site that looks like that a
a little site that looks like that a
a little site that looks like that a hole in the ground and I realized at
hole in the ground and I realized at
hole in the ground and I realized at that moment this was about
that moment this was about
that moment this was about June July of 2013 that I’ve made an
June July of 2013 that I’ve made an
June July of 2013 that I’ve made an error that error was pretty fundamental
error that error was pretty fundamental
error that error was pretty fundamental and pretty simple I had not been
and pretty simple I had not been
and pretty simple I had not been exploring since Matthew had said dad I
exploring since Matthew had said dad I
exploring since Matthew had said dad I found a fossil I had literally won the
found a fossil I had literally won the
found a fossil I had literally won the lottery why would you fair enough to say
lottery why would you fair enough to say
lottery why would you fair enough to say that I was putting together this great
that I was putting together this great
that I was putting together this great scientific team we were producing this
scientific team we were producing this
scientific team we were producing this research but I’d not gone back out and
research but I’d not gone back out and
research but I’d not gone back out and gone to those hundreds and hundreds and
gone to those hundreds and hundreds and
gone to those hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of sites that I discovered
hundreds of sites that I discovered
hundreds of sites that I discovered walking those hills and so I decided to
walking those hills and so I decided to
walking those hills and so I decided to go back out in the field then if you can
go back out in the field then if you can
go back out in the field then if you can imagine that this landscape is less than
imagine that this landscape is less than
imagine that this landscape is less than 45 minutes outside of the city of
45 minutes outside of the city of
45 minutes outside of the city of Johannesburg it looks like that and when
Johannesburg it looks like that and when
Johannesburg it looks like that and when you look at that you probably see one of
you look at that you probably see one of
you look at that you probably see one of these beautiful rolling African
these beautiful rolling African
these beautiful rolling African landscapes
landscapes
landscapes but that’s not what I see I see a giant
but that’s not what I see I see a giant
but that’s not what I see I see a giant block of Swiss cheese because underneath
block of Swiss cheese because underneath
block of Swiss cheese because underneath that dolomitic limestone are a network
that dolomitic limestone are a network
that dolomitic limestone are a network of hundreds of kilometres of caves but
of hundreds of kilometres of caves but
of hundreds of kilometres of caves but most of them are not these big cavernous
most of them are not these big cavernous
most of them are not these big cavernous type caves that some of you may envision
type caves that some of you may envision
type caves that some of you may envision when you hear the word cave most of them
when you hear the word cave most of them
when you hear the word cave most of them are these small narrow trenches ins and
are these small narrow trenches ins and
are these small narrow trenches ins and splits in the ground forming along
splits in the ground forming along
splits in the ground forming along ancient fault lines and I was thinking
ancient fault lines and I was thinking
ancient fault lines and I was thinking how am I going to do this I had done
how am I going to do this I had done
how am I going to do this I had done cave exploration in this region back in
cave exploration in this region back in
cave exploration in this region back in the 1990’s and I had looked and squeezed
the 1990’s and I had looked and squeezed
the 1990’s and I had looked and squeezed my way through these things in the 90s
my way through these things in the 90s
my way through these things in the 90s and did not found much as I was thinking
and did not found much as I was thinking
and did not found much as I was thinking of how I would move forward with a
of how I would move forward with a
of how I would move forward with a exploration program to take my surface
exploration program to take my surface
exploration program to take my surface images and move them underground
images and move them underground
images and move them underground a pirate walked into my office it was a
a pirate walked into my office it was a
a pirate walked into my office it was a former student of mine Pedro Boshoff he
former student of mine Pedro Boshoff he
former student of mine Pedro Boshoff he had gone off diamond prospecting in
had gone off diamond prospecting in
had gone off diamond prospecting in Central Africa and failed and it come
Central Africa and failed and it come
Central Africa and failed and it come back destitute and said I made a mistake
back destitute and said I made a mistake
back destitute and said I made a mistake I paleoanthropologist my love please can
I paleoanthropologist my love please can
I paleoanthropologist my love please can you give me a job I want to get back
you give me a job I want to get back
you give me a job I want to get back into it and I said you know your timings
into it and I said you know your timings
into it and I said you know your timings good I want to get underground and Pedro
good I want to get underground and Pedro
good I want to get underground and Pedro quickly found out something that I
quickly found out something that I
quickly found out something that I already knew that liked me he had no
already knew that liked me he had no
already knew that liked me he had no longer become physiologically
longer become physiologically
longer become physiologically appropriate for much of this underground
appropriate for much of this underground
appropriate for much of this underground work
these are narrow squeezes but I said you
these are narrow squeezes but I said you know get out there and go to the areas
know get out there and go to the areas
know get out there and go to the areas we know the best I had learned something
we know the best I had learned something
we know the best I had learned something from a lapa and so he went to the caving
from a lapa and so he went to the caving
from a lapa and so he went to the caving club and found two young men who were
club and found two young men who were
club and found two young men who were physiologically appropriate on the right
physiologically appropriate on the right
physiologically appropriate on the right was Rick hunter who was a member of
was Rick hunter who was a member of
was Rick hunter who was a member of Mensa who’d been kicked out of high
Mensa who’d been kicked out of high
Mensa who’d been kicked out of high school for blowing up the high school
school for blowing up the high school
school for blowing up the high school science lab that is a true story and was
science lab that is a true story and was
science lab that is a true story and was working as a builder and on the Left
working as a builder and on the Left
working as a builder and on the Left Steve Tucker an accountant by day we
Steve Tucker an accountant by day we
Steve Tucker an accountant by day we showed them what we were looking for
showed them what we were looking for
showed them what we were looking for kind of cast photographs and sent them
kind of cast photographs and sent them
kind of cast photographs and sent them into some of these deeper recesses Steve
into some of these deeper recesses Steve
into some of these deeper recesses Steve and Rick went into the site that they
and Rick went into the site that they
and Rick went into the site that they expected the least from perhaps the
expected the least from perhaps the
expected the least from perhaps the best-known cave site in South Africa if
best-known cave site in South Africa if
best-known cave site in South Africa if not in Africa the rising star system it
not in Africa the rising star system it
not in Africa the rising star system it was completely mapped or so they thought
was completely mapped or so they thought
was completely mapped or so they thought until they work their way on that late
until they work their way on that late
until they work their way on that late evening up an area after spending four
evening up an area after spending four
evening up an area after spending four and a half hours going through torturous
and a half hours going through torturous
and a half hours going through torturous sort of little squeezes and crevices up
sort of little squeezes and crevices up
sort of little squeezes and crevices up a thing that’s called Dragons back on
a thing that’s called Dragons back on
a thing that’s called Dragons back on the map a series of collapses it’s knife
the map a series of collapses it’s knife
the map a series of collapses it’s knife dead they were 40 meters underground
dead they were 40 meters underground
dead they were 40 meters underground they climbed about 20 meters to look
they climbed about 20 meters to look
they climbed about 20 meters to look down a little slot so seven and a half
down a little slot so seven and a half
down a little slot so seven and a half inches wide into the darkness and of
inches wide into the darkness and of
inches wide into the darkness and of course they went down down more than 60
course they went down down more than 60
course they went down down more than 60 feet into this narrow slot squeezing
feet into this narrow slot squeezing
feet into this narrow slot squeezing their way and not knowing if it was
their way and not knowing if it was
their way and not knowing if it was going to open up at any time and down
going to open up at any time and down
going to open up at any time and down you drop at the bottom they entered a
you drop at the bottom they entered a
you drop at the bottom they entered a little narrow passage and there they
little narrow passage and there they
little narrow passage and there they began to immediately see small white
began to immediately see small white
began to immediately see small white bits on the ground that looked like
bits on the ground that looked like
bits on the ground that looked like bones they followed them in which led to
bones they followed them in which led to
bones they followed them in which led to a slightly larger chamber and there they
a slightly larger chamber and there they
a slightly larger chamber and there they saw material on the ground they thought
saw material on the ground they thought
saw material on the ground they thought looked a lot like what I told them we
looked a lot like what I told them we
looked a lot like what I told them we were looking for October 1st 2013 I was
were looking for October 1st 2013 I was
were looking for October 1st 2013 I was sitting at home the front intercom at my
sitting at home the front intercom at my
sitting at home the front intercom at my gate went I picked up the intercom and
gate went I picked up the intercom and
gate went I picked up the intercom and there a voice said you gotta want to let
there a voice said you gotta want to let
there a voice said you gotta want to let us in it was creepy just like that
it was Pedro and I opened the gate
it was Pedro and I opened the gate eventually and let him in and there
eventually and let him in and there
eventually and let him in and there Steve opened up his laptop and I saw the
Steve opened up his laptop and I saw the
Steve opened up his laptop and I saw the most extraordinary pictures I thought I
most extraordinary pictures I thought I
most extraordinary pictures I thought I would never see in my life
”
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