Take a look inside our world-renowned fossil vault

In this series of 30min+ online video lectures, Lee Berger, a Professor in Palaeoanthropology at Wits University and an Explorer at Large at National Geographic, takes us on a journey to explore some of the most precious fossils in the world related to the origins of humankind.

"Join me for a behind-the-scenes look at our fossil vault at Wits, which holds over 50% of the entire record of human origins known on the continent of Africa.¡± - Lee Berger

This vault is off-limits to the public and mostly only scientists are allowed inside but these video lectures are designed to give the general public a glimpse of the world of palaeoanthropology and human origins, as well as to be used as a teaching tool for teachers and lecturers in their classrooms during and beyond these difficult times as the world fights the coronavirus.

 Ep 01: The original Taung Child fossil

 Ep 02: Rise of Prometheus

 EP 03: The muddle in the middle-Pleistocene

 Ep 04: Welcome to Sterkfontein: one of the world's richest fossil hominid sites

Ep 05: Exploring the Fossil Hominid Vault at Wits University

Ep 06: Species concepts in Palaeoanthropology

Ep 07: The context of fossil hominid discoveries in Africa

Ep 08: When were their giants?

Ep 09: A matter of time

Ep 10: A question of numbers 

Ep 11: The impact of Gladysvale

Ep 12: The long arm and short legs fossil wars 

Ep 13: How to discover a fossil site