The identification of new species is of major importance in studies of human evolution. But how do paleoanthropologists actually identify new fossil human species? In this video, Sheela Athreya, a biological anthropologist at Texas A&M University, shares how she is combining her research on Middle Pleistocene human fossils, Asian paleoanthropology, and decolonization of science to disrupt the conventional species concept. 

Briana Pobiner, paleoanthropologist and educator at Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, moderates the program, which is part of the ongoing HOT (Human Origins Today) Topic series. This Zoom webinar aired October 13, 2022.

Learn more about the HOT Topic series and get info about upcoming webinars on the museum's Events for Adults page: https://naturalhistory.si.edu/events/...

Human Origins website: https://humanorigins.si.edu/