Tephrochronology (from tephra, Gk 'ashes') is a unique stratigraphic method for linking,
dating, and synchronizing geological, palaeoenvironmental, or archaeological sequences or …

Abstract The Afar Depression is a unique place on Earth where active rift processes can be
directly observed. It is believed to be close to continental breakup. The Afar hotspot has a …

Only one partial skeleton that includes both forelimb and hindlimb elements has been
reported for Australopithecus afarensis. The diminutive size of this specimen (AL 288-1 [" …

A newly discovered partial hominin foot skeleton from eastern Africa indicates the presence
of more than one hominin locomotor adaptation at the beginning of the Late Pliocene epoch …

Abstract The accuracy of 40 Ar/39 Ar geochronology relies in large part on precise and
accurate calibration of the ages and K-Ar isotopic compositions of standards. A widely used …

The origin of the Middle Stone Age (MSA) marks the transition from a highly persistent mode
of stone toolmaking, the Acheulean, to a period of increasing technological innovation and …

Living hominoids are distinguished by upright torsos and versatile locomotion. It is
hypothesized that these features evolved for feeding on fruit from terminal branches in …

Despite recent advances in chronometric techniques (eg, Uranium-Lead [U-Pb], cosmogenic
nuclides, electron spin resonance spectroscopy [ESR]), considerable uncertainty remains …

40Ar/39Ar dating of tuffs and lavas of the late Pleistocene volcanic and sedimentary
sequence of Olduvai Gorge, north-central Tanzania, provides the basis for a revision of Bed I …

Determining the diet of an extinct species is paramount in any attempt to reconstruct its
paleoecology. Because the distribution and mechanical properties of food items may impact …