Looking for Human Origins in Southern Africa (2025-2029)
Principal investigator
Amélie Beaudet
Funding
Programme Jeune Chercheur Jeune Chercheuse de l’Agence Nationale de la Recherche (285 409 euros).
Abstract
Because of the exceptional degree of preservation of the fossil record and the density of the remains, the southern African Plio-Pleistocene paleontological sites play a major role in the search for human origins. The general aim of LHOSA is to shed new light on the taxonomic and evolutionary context of the southern African fossil hominins, and more particularly those from the prolific site of Sterkfontein, to further explore this long-standing conundrum.
Team members
Co-evolution between the brain and dietary
behaviours within the hominin lineage (2024-2029)
Principal investigator
Amélie Beaudet
Funding
Chaire de Professeure Junior du Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (200 000 euros) & Fondation Fyssen (90 000 euros).
Abstract
The CoEvol project tackles the question of the origins of the human brain by addressing this key issue: Could our brain have evolved into the complex and energy-demanding organ we know today without a fundamental change in its metabolism? CoEvol aims to provide new insights into this question through an interdisciplinary approach that integrates paleontology, neuroscience, and health sciences.
Team members
BrAIn Evolution – Combining high-resolution imaging techniques and artificial intelligence to decode human brain origins (2021-2023)
Principal investigator
Amélie Beaudet
Funding
Mission pour les initiatives transverses et interdisciplinaires (38 000 euros).
Abstract
The study of fossil brains is a challenging task because of the absence of fossilized brains and having to deal with missing data (i.e., cranial fragments). The BrAIn Evolution project will fill in a gap in our understanding of human brain evolution by developing an innovative approach that combines high-resolution digital twins and artificial intelligence.
Team members
Mapping the brain of our ancestors (2021-2023)
Principal investigators
Amélie Beaudet & Caroline Fonta
Funding
PROTEA programme (Partenariat Hubert Curien franco sud-africain) funded by the Ministère de l’Europe et des Affaires étrangères (MEAE), the Ministère de l’Education nationale et de l’Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche (MESR) (19 590 euros), and the National Research Foundation of South Africa (259 000 rands).
Abstract
The EndoMap team generated maps of the fossil and extant human fossil endocasts that contribute to an accurate identification of brain imprints and represent a critical database for understanding the origins of the human brain. 3D maps can be downloaded here.
Team members
