Among the many recent advances in our understanding of human origins, one of the most exciting has been the discovery that our lineage was complex and reticulate, with contributions from multiple archaic groups making us the humans we are today.

Here Dr Ackermann will discuss the current understanding of the role hybridization has played in human evolution, with a particular focus on the last million years and will concentrate especially on what we currently know about what hybrids looked like, how we can identify hybridization in the fossil record, and how hybridization provided important benefits that changed the adaptability of our species.

Dr Rebecca Ackermann is from the Department of Archaeology, University of Cape Town.

Date: Wednesday 26 July 2017 at 6pm.

Venue: Iziko South African Museum, 25 Queen Victoria Street, Cape Town 

Cost: Members on presentation of valid 2017 membership card–free of charge | Non-members: a donation of R 30

Email: samfriends@iziko.org.za