Dr Miengah Abrahams and co-authors have identified a new species of fossilised termite nest, the Columnanidus calitzdorpensis ichnogen. ichnosp. nov., from Quaternary alluvial deposits near Calitzdorp, here in South Africa.

The fact that we can use geochemical techniques, such as high-resolution trace and major element mapping, to answer fundamental questions about early modern human behaviour is a huge benefit for our researchers

Georgina Luti is pursuing a doctorate in the geochronology of human evolution. She uses new generation high resolution mass spectrometer (the Attom), which can simultaneously measure U and Pb, to date the rocks around Paranthropus fossils.