Meave Leakey
Encyclopedia
Meave G. Leakey is together with her husband Richard Leakey
one of the most renowned contemporary paleontologists. She studies the origin of mankind in Africa.
, Kenya
made a discovery in 1999 that completely changed our understanding of early human ancestry. They found a 3.5 million-year-old skull and partial jaw
thought to belong to a new branch of our early human family. She named the find Kenyanthropus platyops
, or flat-faced man of Kenya.
, a famous paleontologist. They have two children, Louise (born 1972) and Samira (born 1974). Her daughter Louise Leakey
continues family traditions by conducting paleontological research.
Richard Leakey
Richard Erskine Frere Leakey is a politician, paleoanthropologist and conservationist. He is second of the three sons of the archaeologists Louis Leakey and Mary Leakey, and is the younger brother of Colin Leakey...
one of the most renowned contemporary paleontologists. She studies the origin of mankind in Africa.
Flat-Faced Man of Kenya
Dr. Leakey's research team at Lake TurkanaLake Turkana
Lake Turkana , formerly known as Lake Rudolf, is a lake in the Great Rift Valley in Kenya, with its far northern end crossing into Ethiopia. It is the world's largest permanent desert lake and the world's largest alkaline lake...
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
made a discovery in 1999 that completely changed our understanding of early human ancestry. They found a 3.5 million-year-old skull and partial jaw
Jaw
The jaw is any opposable articulated structure at the entrance of the mouth, typically used for grasping and manipulating food. The term jaws is also broadly applied to the whole of the structures constituting the vault of the mouth and serving to open and close it and is part of the body plan of...
thought to belong to a new branch of our early human family. She named the find Kenyanthropus platyops
Kenyanthropus platyops
Kenyanthropus platyops is a 3.5 to 3.2 million year old hominin fossil that was discovered in Lake Turkana, Kenya in 1999 by Justus Erus, who was part of Meave Leakey's team...
, or flat-faced man of Kenya.
Personal life
Meave Leakey is married to Richard LeakeyRichard Leakey
Richard Erskine Frere Leakey is a politician, paleoanthropologist and conservationist. He is second of the three sons of the archaeologists Louis Leakey and Mary Leakey, and is the younger brother of Colin Leakey...
, a famous paleontologist. They have two children, Louise (born 1972) and Samira (born 1974). Her daughter Louise Leakey
Louise Leakey
Louise Leakey is a Kenyan paleontologist. She does research and field work related to human fossils in Eastern Africa. She first became actively involved in fossil discoveries in 1977, at the age of six, when she became the youngest person to find hominid fossils...
continues family traditions by conducting paleontological research.
Publications by Dr. Leakey
- Lothagam: The Dawn of Humanity in Eastern Africa by John Harris and Meave Leakey, Eds. (December 2001).
- Stratigraphy and Paleontology of Pliocene and Pleistocene Localities West of Lake Turkana, Kenya by John Harris, Meave Leakey, Eds. et al. (October 1988).
See also
- Meave (Irish name)Meave (Irish name)Maeve, Irish Gaelic female given name.It was spelled Medb in Old Irish , Meḋḃ, Meaḋḃ in Middle Irish, Meadhbh in early modern Irish , and is now spelled Méabh or Medbh in reformed modern Irish...
- List of fossil sites (with link directory)
- List of hominina (hominid) fossils (with images)