File:(left_to_right)_Mary_Douglas_Nicol_Leakey_(1913-1996)_and_her_husband_Louis_Seymour_Bazett_Leakey_(1903-1972).jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons
Louis Leakey
Sign in to saveAlso known as Louis Seymour Bazett Leakey, L.S.B. Leakey, L. S. B. Leakey
kenyan-British archaeologist and naturalist
Louis Leakey was a Kenyan-British archaeologist and naturalist who made significant contributions to understanding human origins through his fossil discoveries and research in Africa. His work matters because it fundamentally shaped our scientific knowledge of human evolution and early human history.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Key facts
- Born
- Louis Seymour Bazet Leakey , ( 1903-08-07 ) 7 August 1903, Kabete , East Africa Protectorate
- Died
- 1 October 1972 (1972-10-01) (aged 69), London, England
- Education
- St John's College, Cambridge ( BA , PhD )
- Known for
- Pioneering the study of human evolution in Africa
- Spouses
- Frida Avern ( married</span>"}]]}'>m. 1928 ; divorced</span>"}]]}'>div. 1936 ) Mary Leakey ( married</span>"}]]}'>m. 1936 )
- Children
- 5, including Colin Leakey Richard Leakey Philip Leakey
- Awards
- Hubbard Medal (1962), Royal Geographical Society's Founder's Medal (1968), Prestwich Medal (1969)
- Fields
- Archaeology , palaeoanthropology , palaeontology
via Wikipedia infobox
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- human
- Gender
- male
- Citizenship
- Kenya
- Place of birth
- Nairobi
- Place of death
- London
- Occupation
- curator
- Languages spoken
- English language
- Field of work
- archaeology
- Image
- (left to right) Mary Douglas Nicol Leakey (1913-1996) and her husband Louis Seymour Bazett Leakey (1903-1972).jpg
Show 9 more facts
- date of birth
- 1903-08-07
- date of death
- 1972-10-01
- cause of death
- myocardial infarction
- manner of death
- natural causes
- Commons category
- Louis Leakey
- ethnic group
- English people
- name in native language
- Louis Leakey
- birth name
- Louis Seymour Bazett Leakey
- author citation (zoology)
- L. S. B. Leakey
Sources (1)
via Wikidata · CC0
~32 min read
Encyclopedic overview
Louis Seymour Bazett Leakey (7 August 1903 – 1 October 1972) was a Kenyan-British palaeoanthropologist and archaeologist whose work was important in demonstrating that humans evolved in Africa, particularly through discoveries made at Olduvai Gorge with his wife, fellow palaeoanthropologist Mary Leakey. Having established a programme of palaeoanthropological inquiry in eastern Africa, he also motivated many future generations to continue this scholarly work. Several members of the Leakey family became prominent scholars themselves.
Another of Leakey's legacies stems from his role in fostering field research of primates in their natural habitats, which he saw as key to understanding human evolution. He personally focused on three female researchers, Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Birutė Galdikas, calling them "The Trimates." Each went on to become an important scholar in the field of primatology. Leakey also encouraged and supported many other PhD candidates, most notably from the University of Cambridge. As well, Leakey played a role in creating organisations for future research in Africa and for protecting wildlife there.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Louis Leakey” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.