Sterkfontein Caves Research

27/10/2026

Wits Professor Elhadi Adam made the country proud after his stellar research contribution earned him a prestigious award from NASA 🙌. Full story in the comments.

Image: University of the Witwatersrand / Facebook

23/10/2026

A journey through time, a discovery of our shared origins!

From exploring the ancient chambers of Sterkfontein Caves to discovering the remarkable fossil heritage preserved within them, every visit is an opportunity to connect with millions of years of human evolutionary history.

📍 Wits Sterkfontein Caves | Cradle of Humankind

17/10/2026

Days 1 & 2 | Wits Sterkfontein Caves × Our Origins Kids Village Festival.

Two days filled with curious minds, big questions and exciting discoveries! We’ve loved introducing young explorers to fossils, our ancient past and the fascinating world of palaeosciences.

One more day to go—come and discover with us!

10/10/2026

Just another day at Wits Sterkfontein Caves!

We continue to educate, inspire curiosity, and bring the story of our human origins to life, one generation at a time.

Every visit is an opportunity to learn, explore, and connect with our shared heritage.

10/10/2026

Did you know that all human beings share 99.9% of our DNA? 🧬✨

PAST’s campaign uses this incredible truth—and humankind’s shared origins in Africa—to bring people closer together. When we look back at our common roots, it becomes clear that our diversity is something to celebrate and protect, helping us build stronger, more cohesive communities. 🌍

But it doesn't stop with people! also reminds us that all living things share a common origin.

Embracing this shared connection inspires us to take better care of Earth’s environments and protect the incredible biodiversity around us 🌿🐘🌻.

We are all part of the same story. Let’s work together to honour our shared origins and protect our planet! 🌍🤝

👉 To learn more about the campaign, to request a workshop for your school, or to support our work, please visit www.past.org.za

23/09/2026

Heritage Day plans? Come spend the day with us at Wits Sterkfontein Caves!

We’ll be OPEN on Heritage Day, 24 September, and look forward to welcoming visitors to explore one of South Africa’s most remarkable heritage sites.

Come discover the caves, learn about the fascinating story of human origins, and spend part of Heritage Day connecting with a past that stretches back millions of years.

📍 Wits Sterkfontein Caves
📅 24 September 2026
We’re open — come visit us!

21/09/2026

📢 Call for Proposals: Andrea Leenen Memorial All From One Research Grant

Happy Fossil Friday 🦴 ! Take our money! 💸

PAST is inviting applications for African-based field, laboratory & museum collections research in palaeontology 🦴🔬

Projects should address one or more of these themes:

🌍 African origins & human unity

🌡️ Palaeoclimate, palaeoecology & today’s environmental crisis

🦣 Prehistoric extinctions & the modern biodiversity crisis

📅 Deadline: 23 October 2026

Full details & application info 👇
https://past.org.za/wp-content/uploads/Call-for-All-from-One-Grant-Proposals-2027.pdf

21/09/2026

Sterkfontein and Little Foot in the spotlight!

We’re delighted to see recent research on Little Foot (StW 573) from Wits Sterkfontein Caves featured in the latest episode of Wits in 60 Seconds – Season 4, Episode 32.

The study provides new insights into how our early human ancestors moved, contributing to our growing understanding of locomotion and human evolution.

It’s always exciting to see research from Sterkfontein Caves reaching wider audiences and continuing the site’s long legacy of discovery and scientific research.

🎥 Watch the latest Wits in 60 Seconds to learn more.

Wits engineering students gain access to specialised aerospace trai...

17/09/2026

📢 NEW PUBLICATION ALERT!

New research featuring Little Foot (StW 573) from the Wits Sterkfontein Caves has been published in Science Advances.

The study, “Proportional limb strengths signal an adaptive shift in arboreality in early human evolution,” examines what limb bone strength can tell us about how Australopithecus and early Homo moved, and points to an important shift in the role of tree-climbing during human evolution.

Little Foot continues to provide remarkable insights into the lives and locomotion of our early ancestors.


https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aeh1752

17/09/2026

📢 NEW PUBLICATION ALERT!

New research on Little Foot (StW 573) from the Wits Sterkfontein Caves is shedding new light on a major shift in how our human ancestors moved through their environment.

Published in Science Advances, the study suggests that Australopithecus , including the approximately 3.67-million-year-old Little Foot, combined regular tree-climbing with walking on two legs on the ground. By around 1.8 million years ago, early members of Homo show a much stronger shift towards life and movement on the ground.

By comparing the relative strength of arm and leg bones, researchers found that Little Foot preserves a fascinating combination: relatively strong arms consistent with regular climbing, alongside a lower-limb strength pattern more similar to that of modern humans.

The findings offer another remarkable glimpse into the evolutionary story preserved in the fossils of the Wits Sterkfontein Caves.

🔗 Read more:
https://www.wits.ac.za/news/latest-news/research-news/2026/2026-09/little-foot-study-points-to-major-shift-in-how-human-ancestors-moved.html