Fossil History
How do we know what we know about humans’ evolutionary past?
Paige Madison is a
In addition to her dissertation research, Paige is interested in science communication and social media as a tool for such communication. She blogs about fossils and history in order to communicate and celebrate her genuine enthusiasm for fossils. She can also be found on social media sharing new discoveries, celebrating important moments in history, and just generally being excited.
Features
A Lonely Spot on the River Solo: Revisiting Java Man
Standing in a thick tangle of brush, sweltering under the incessant glare of the Indonesian sun, I am squinting across a muddy river, trying to get a clear view of the heavily vegetated bank on the other side. I'm struck by the unexceptional feel of the spot in which...
Fossils, Cave Dirt, and Gold Dust: Best Paleoanthropology of the Decade
The future is never going to look quite like we imagined. We might envision flying saucers and colonies on Mars while experiencing smaller futuristic advances like cordless earphones. Although we aren’t all zipping around the solar system on space shuttles (yet), I...
Conditions the World Cannot Conceive: Studying Taung in 1920s South Africa
The Taung Child—one of the most iconic fossils in paleoanthropology’s history—was initially rejected by the scientific community. Despite claims from the little skull’s discoverer that it was an important “missing link,” the fossil was dismissed. Excluded from the...