Animated Life: Mary Leakey

Topic

Resource Type

Level

Middle/Junior High High School — General High School — AP/IB College

Duration

00:07:52

Saved By

4 Users

Description

This animated short video illustrates the life and work of paleoanthropologist Mary Leakey, including her discovery of the Laetoli footprints.

The video uses animated paper puppets and narration by experts in the field to cover many highlights of Mary Leakey’s career. Forty years ago in Laetoli, Tanzania, a team of paleontologists led by Leakey discovered a set of 3.6-million-year-old fossil footprints of early hominins — likely our ancestors. Leakey described the discovery of the Laetoli footprints as one of her most important fossil finds.

An audio descriptive version of the film is available via our media player.

Key Terms

Africa, anthropology, Australopithecus afarensis, bipedalism, hominin, Olduvai Gorge, paleontology, trace fossil

Primary Literature

Leakey, M. D. and R. L. Hay. “Pliocene footprints in the Laetoli Beds at Laetoli, northern Tanzania.” Nature 278, 5702 (1979): 317–323. https://doi.org/10.1038/278317a0.