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He was born in Brisbane, Australia and studied at the University of Queensland, University of Sydney and University College, London, before taking a position as head of the newly established department of anatomy at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1922.
In 1924, one of his students brought Dart an endocranial cast found at a limestone quarry at Taung. Dart examined the Taung Child fossil, as it came to be known, and pronounced it to be a new species, Australopithecus africanus . Dart postulated his new find to be a missing link between apes and humans because of its small brain size, but relatively human-like dentition and a probable upright posture.
Dart's discovery and Dart himself were initially heavily criticized by the eminent anthropologists of the day, most notably Sir Arthur Keith who claimed the Taung Child to be nothing other than a juvenile gorillaGorilla gorilla Gorilla beringei The Gorilla the largest of the primates, is a ground-dwelling herbivore that inhabits the forests of central Africa. Gorillas move about by knuckle-walking. Males range in height from 1. 75 m, and in weight from 140 kg to. Because the specimen was indeed a juvenile, there was a lot of room for interpretation, and because African origins for mankind and the development of bipedalism before a human-like brain were both inconsistent with the prevailing evolutionary notions of the time, Dart and his Child became the butt of many attacks.
Dart's closest ally was Robert BroomRobert Broom, M. November 30, 1866 April 6, 1951), born in Paisley, Renfrew, Scotland, was a South African physician and paleontologist. He received his Masters Degree in 1895 from the University of Glasgow. Broom was first known for his study of mammal-l whose discoveries of further australopithecineAustralopithecines Austrolopithecus africanus''Hominid Reconstruction Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Primates Family: Hominidae Genus Australopithecus Species A. afarensis ("Lucy") A. africanus ''A.s, as well as Wilford Le Gros Clark 's support eventually vindicated Dart.
Not all of Dart's ideas are accepted today, however. His assertion that gazelle long-bones found in association with "Australopithecus africanus" were used as tools is unproven and largely dismissed, likewise his theories on war and interpersonal aggression as the driving force behind the evolution from ape to man.
Dart continued in his position as director of the school of anatomy at Witwatersrand until 1958Events January January 1 Treaty of Rome founding the EU is implemented January 4 Sputnik 1 falls to Earth from its orbit (launched on October 4 1957) January 8 14 year old Bobby Fischer wins the United States Chess Championship January 18 Armed Lumbee Nat. In 1959Events January-February January 1 Cultivars of plants named after this date must be named in a modern language, not in Latin. January 1 Cuba: Fulgencio Batista flees Havana when forces of Fidel Castro advance January 2 CBS Radio cuts four soap operas: Bac, an autobiographical account of his discovery was published called "Adventures with the Missing Link."
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