This is Origin Stories, the Leakey Foundation podcast.

I'm Meredith Johnson.

Today, in the final installment of our From the Archive series, Louis Leakey.

I should be speaking at this.

Just about you, no.

I'd be speaking at this, though, because I don't I'd be speaking at this level because I don't restrain my voice too much.

Are you getting it as loud as you'd like to have it, I wonder?

Lewis Seymour Bazot Leakey was a Kenyan paleoanthropologist

who devoted his life to the study of human origins.

He was born on August 7, 1903.

That's 116 years ago today, if you're listening on the day this episode was released.

Leakey was famous for his many fossil and archaeological discoveries.

His work showed the world that our human journey began in Africa.

He was also famous for inspiring others to explore the fascinating story of how we

became human. His charisma was legendary, and his passion for science was contagious. He was a relentless

promoter and popularizer of human evolution. He traveled the world, giving lectures, making public

appearances, and raising money for he and Mary's research and for the research of others.

Lewis Leakey worked alongside his wife and collaborator Mary Leakey.

Their discoveries include Zinge, now known as Paranthropist Boisei, and Homo habilis, nicknamed Handyman.

They found so many fossils and stone tools that they were known for having a special

knack called Leakey's luck.

I can't think of anyone who's had a bigger impact on a field of research, as Lewis Leakey did.

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