Bernhard Zipfel
YOU?
Author Swipe
View article: Homo sapiens-specific evolution unveiled by ancient southern African genomes
Homo sapiens-specific evolution unveiled by ancient southern African genomes Open
Homo sapiens evolved hundreds of thousands of years ago in Africa, later spreading across the globe 1 , but the early evolutionary process is debated 2–6 . Here we present whole-genome sequencing data for 28 ancient southern African indivi…
View article: Reconstructing the palaeoclimate of the Cradle of Humankind in South Africa over the last 3.5 million years using machine learning and mammalian fossil assemblages
Reconstructing the palaeoclimate of the Cradle of Humankind in South Africa over the last 3.5 million years using machine learning and mammalian fossil assemblages Open
International audience
View article: Catalogue of immature hominin fossils from the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa
Catalogue of immature hominin fossils from the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa Open
Conclusions: This comprehensive catalogue of immature fossils provides a critical resource for investigating morphological variation, life history traits, and evolutionary adaptations across hominin genera. It underscores the significance …
View article: Enamel proteins reveal biological sex and genetic variability in southern African <i>Paranthropus</i>
Enamel proteins reveal biological sex and genetic variability in southern African <i>Paranthropus</i> Open
Paranthropus robustus is a morphologically well-documented Early Pleistocene hominin species from southern Africa with no genetic evidence reported so far. In this work, we describe the mass spectrometric sequencing of enamel peptides from…
View article: Phalangeal cortical bone distribution reveals different dexterous and climbing behaviors in <i>Australopithecus sediba</i> and <i>Homo naledi</i>
Phalangeal cortical bone distribution reveals different dexterous and climbing behaviors in <i>Australopithecus sediba</i> and <i>Homo naledi</i> Open
The evolution of the human hand is marked by a transition from a hand primarily used for locomotion to one primarily used for dexterous manipulation. The hand skeletons of Plio-Pleistocene hominins have different mosaics of human-like feat…
View article: Hominin heritage: How institutional repositories are managing collections, collaboration and repatriation
Hominin heritage: How institutional repositories are managing collections, collaboration and repatriation Open
In this article, we discuss South African heritage management, and how it has shaped the role institutions play in protecting heritage 100 years ago versus today. Museums and universities are in a difficult position as they address past un…
View article: Ecomorphological analysis of bovid remains from the Plio-Pleistocene hominin-bearing deposit of Unit P at Kromdraai, South Africa
Ecomorphological analysis of bovid remains from the Plio-Pleistocene hominin-bearing deposit of Unit P at Kromdraai, South Africa Open
International audience
View article: A new species of Lovebird (Aves, Psittaculidae, Agapornis) from the Plio-Pleistocene of the Cradle of Humankind (Gauteng, South Africa)
A new species of Lovebird (Aves, Psittaculidae, Agapornis) from the Plio-Pleistocene of the Cradle of Humankind (Gauteng, South Africa) Open
International audience
View article: Revisiting mandibular symphyseal shape in juvenile early hominins and modern humans using a deformation-based approach
Revisiting mandibular symphyseal shape in juvenile early hominins and modern humans using a deformation-based approach Open
The juvenile mandible is important in the investigation of ontogenetic and evolutionary changes among early hominins. We revisit the mandibular symphysis in juvenile specimens of Australopithecus africanus and Paranthropus robustus with tw…
View article: Revisiting mandibular symphyseal shape in juvenile early hominins and modern humans using a deformation-based approach
Revisiting mandibular symphyseal shape in juvenile early hominins and modern humans using a deformation-based approach Open
The juvenile mandible is important in the investigation of ontogenetic and evolutionary changes among early hominins. We revisit the mandibular symphysis in juvenile specimens of Australopithecus africanus and Paranthropus robustus with tw…
View article: An online survey on user perceptions of natural science collections in South Africa
An online survey on user perceptions of natural science collections in South Africa Open
Background: In South Africa, and globally, the value of natural science collections for scientific research is not widely recognised and has led to its marginalisation, which in turn has resulted in low funding, staffing and use of the col…
View article: Enamel proteins reveal biological sex and genetic variability within southern African<i>Paranthropus</i>
Enamel proteins reveal biological sex and genetic variability within southern African<i>Paranthropus</i> Open
The evolutionary relationships among extinct African hominin taxa are highly debated and largely unresolved, due in part to a lack of molecular data. Even within taxa, it is not always clear, based on morphology alone, whether ranges of va…
View article: Hominin fossils from Kromdraai and Drimolen inform <i>Paranthropus robustus</i> craniofacial ontogeny
Hominin fossils from Kromdraai and Drimolen inform <i>Paranthropus robustus</i> craniofacial ontogeny Open
Ontogeny provides critical information about the evolutionary history of early hominin adult morphology. We describe fossils from the southern African sites of Kromdraai and Drimolen that provide insights into early craniofacial developmen…
View article: Assessing the need for a standardised paediatric assessment tool for podiatrists in South Africa
Assessing the need for a standardised paediatric assessment tool for podiatrists in South Africa Open
All participants agreed that the GALLOP Assessment Tool would be beneficial to South African podiatrists and that the assessment tool does not need to be improved upon.
View article: Overlooked or Unimportant? An Overview of the Coprolite Collections at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Overlooked or Unimportant? An Overview of the Coprolite Collections at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa Open
Fossilized feces, termed coprolites, provide unique information on digestive systems, diets, and ecosystems of extinct animals, and are potentially useful for palynology, biostratigraphy and preservation of animal and plant remains. Despit…
View article: Frontal sinuses and human evolution
Frontal sinuses and human evolution Open
The frontal sinuses are cavities inside the frontal bone located at the junction between the face and the cranial vault and close to the brain. Despite a long history of study, understanding of their origin and variation through evolution …
View article: Dental data challenge the ubiquitous presence of <i>Homo</i> in the Cradle of Humankind
Dental data challenge the ubiquitous presence of <i>Homo</i> in the Cradle of Humankind Open
The origins of Homo , as well as the diversity and biogeographic distribution of early Homo species, remain critical outstanding issues in paleoanthropology. Debates about the recognition of early Homo , first appearance dates, and taxonom…
View article: New fossils from Kromdraai and Drimolen, South Africa, and their distinctiveness among Paranthropus robustus
New fossils from Kromdraai and Drimolen, South Africa, and their distinctiveness among Paranthropus robustus Open
Most fossil hominin species are sampled with spatial, temporal or anatomical biases that render difficult the assessments of their paleodiversity, and may not yield genuine evolutionary signals. We use new fossils from the Kromdraai (Unit …
View article: The immature <i>Homo naledi</i> ilium from the Lesedi Chamber, Rising Star Cave, South Africa
The immature <i>Homo naledi</i> ilium from the Lesedi Chamber, Rising Star Cave, South Africa Open
Objectives Homo naledi is represented by abundant remains from the Dinaledi Chamber of the Rising Star Cave system in South Africa. While pelvic elements from the Dinaledi Chamber of the cave are fragmentary, a relatively complete ilium (U…
View article: A new early hominin calcaneus from Kromdraai (South Africa)
A new early hominin calcaneus from Kromdraai (South Africa) Open
The Kromdraai site in South Africa has yielded numerous early hominin fossils since 1938. As a part of recent excavations within Unit P, a largely complete early hominin calcaneus (KW 6302) was discovered. Due to its role in locomotion, th…
View article: Mechanical loading of primate fingers on vertical rock surfaces
Mechanical loading of primate fingers on vertical rock surfaces Open
Mechanical loading of finger bones (phalanges) can induce angular curvature, which benefits arboreal primates by dissipating forces and economising the recruitment of muscles during climbing. The recent discovery of extremely curved phalan…
View article: The dysmorphic metatarsal parabola in diabetes—clinical examination and management: a narrative review
The dysmorphic metatarsal parabola in diabetes—clinical examination and management: a narrative review Open
Foot posture and function is important in diabetes, particularly as neuropathy in diabetes may present with motor in addition to sensory neural deficits. Examination of the anatomical architecture of the foot can inform on its load-bearing…
View article: COVID-19 Pandemic and the South African Podiatrist
COVID-19 Pandemic and the South African Podiatrist Open
The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is clearly taking a firmer grip on South Africa and more podiatrists will face the potential transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Government response was swift with the implementation of a travel ban…