https://www.pithecus.org/research daily 0.75 2022-06-03 https://www.pithecus.org/research/frontiers monthly 0.5 2021-06-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1622923236343-H3ANA7V0GCYZ2LAC9FC0/_DSC6485R.jpg Our Research - First Review Article - Make it stand out Gabriel’s marble carving, titled “Santa Lucia”, also features in the article in the section regarding the ethics of reconstruction to highlight the difference between artistic license and scientific license. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1622764632797-D93WFTYBMZSBI1BC3VZD/Press_Release_GV6.jpg Our Research - First Review Article - Reconstructions of Plio-Pleistocene hominids have become increasingly popular in recent years, particularly those key species on the branch of the tree of life to which we belong. The use of such reconstructions has been considered as an effective translator of scientific knowledge, as they represent a synthesis of information that is more accessible and comprehensible to the general public. Therefore, their role in disseminating discoveries and advances in the field of biological/physical anthropology is of fundamental importance. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1622765238167-1YPON5QL933HOQGKHWTJ/Figure_Lucy.jpg Our Research - First Review Article - This publication was intended from the outset to be read within the context of an eBook, the text includes references to the “special issue” to which this manuscript was enclosed, but the content stands on its own and can be read as such. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1622767191127-JG5WPAS1L4OTWOMCV89G/06+figure+5_v3.jpg Our Research - First Review Article https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1622767351492-AA54PN071PQ81YT9I7O5/Amud_BW.jpg Our Research - First Review Article https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1622766344534-BF8OIHFGHI4S3QO7OV6L/Figure+3.1.jpg Our Research - First Review Article - The basis for this review stemmed chiefly from the work we began in 2014 attempting to produce our own reconstructions. As these preliminary studies show, the practice is mostly based on methods that are unreliable resulting in gross discrepancies between reconstructions of the same individual between museum displays. So severe are these discrepancies that it is almost as though previous practitioners had never encountered a single hominin reconstruction before commending their own. The figure to the right highlights this issue in one of our own reconstructions made using those unreliable methods. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1622764808326-S8HM85UXDMU4JHG9ZFGI/Figure+1v2.jpg Our Research - First Review Article - The aims of this research were to provide a comprehensive review of the approaches involved in the production of hominid reconstructions, from the early nineteenth century to modern-day forensic and computer-based methods. This research also provides a review of the broader societal implications of presenting visual depictions of hominids that are not based on strong scientific foundations. https://www.pithecus.org/research/plosone monthly 0.5 2022-06-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1622823693536-OE798NHZ4PHB1M77GZ0J/Fig6.jpg Our Research - First Research Article - Make it stand out The regression equations were created by analyzing a population of chimpanzees (A), which were then tested on a bonobo (B), an Australopithecus (C), and a modern human (D). The test on the modern human material did not work well. The predicted soft tissue thickness values yielding both wild and negative numbers. Conversely, the bonobo yielded wonderful results that matched closely to that individual’s actual soft tissue thickness. As for the Australopithecus, we obviously don’t have any soft tissue data in the fossil record to compare our result with, however, the equations yielded measurements for points that fall within observed thicknesses for chimpanzees, bonobos, and humans. This cements the scientific understanding that craniometrics covary with overlying soft tissues and that regression equations have utility when regarding the fossil remains of hominids that share cranial affinities with chimpanzees. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1622824723392-LZNYLNVACTQO8S31SHFU/Fig1.3.jpg Our Research - First Research Article https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1622824465584-O2KQ6LZDZ61JKKSK1QS4/Fig2.jpg Our Research - First Research Article https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1622823174638-T6IEHJMWQGFUI6WRCA40/Figure_7_new.jpg Our Research - First Research Article - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1622825487300-HHZXCBJZ160CXJO2GF02/Fig3.jpg Our Research - First Research Article - As shown here, the equations provide a solid foundation - what we call “silhouettes” - upon which facial features and surface details can be built. A predicted values constrain the freedom of the practitioner in such a way that they can serve as a crucial step to standardize the appearance of reconstructed hominids greatly. https://www.pithecus.org/research/plosone-7debl monthly 0.5 2022-06-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1654295574921-OJ9IISVK8JMT6LRLAM8E/Figure_5_2022-1.jpg Our Research - Second Research Article - As shown here, the equations provide a solid foundation - what we call “silhouettes” - upon which facial features and surface details can be built. A predicted values constrain the freedom of the practitioner in such a way that they can serve as a crucial step to standardize the appearance of reconstructed hominids greatly. Fig 5. Reduced major axis regression formulae applied in 3D approximations of the nasal region for out-of-group test subjects in norma lateralis. (A) H. sapiens: Anonymous 29-year-old male subject. (B) P. troglodytes: PRI-7895, 3-years-old. (C) P. paniscus: S9655, 4-years-old. (D) G. gorilla: PRI-Oki, 54-years-old. (E) G. gorilla: PRI-7902, 3-years-old. Scale Bar = 10 cm. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1654295213129-I08QP9D675YYQ5KI4FPO/figure+5_2022.jpg Our Research - Second Research Article - Make it stand out Fig 6. Reduced major axis regression formulae applied in 3D approximations of the nasal region for extinct hominids in norma lateralis. (A) Australopithecus genus: Sts 5 (A. africanus) and MH1 (A. sediba). (B) Paranthropus genus: KNM-WT 17000 (P. aethiopicus) and OH5 (P. boisei). (C) Homo genus: KNM-ER 1813 (H. habilis), KNM-WT 15000, (H. ergaster / erectus), LES1 (H. naledi), Kabwe 1 (H. rhodesiensis/heidelbergensis), and Amud 1 (H. neaderthalensis/Neandertals). Scale Bar = 10 cm. https://www.pithecus.org/home daily 1.0 2022-06-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1622493518874-5TC99P04LD7STN8JWCN4/Press_Release_GV6.jpg Home - Our Reconstructions Not only do we strive to make sure our reconstructions are as realistic as possible, but we endeavor to make sure that every single model is supported by peer-reviewed research. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1622494167083-N6S6SG4AB7W79A4WIXGA/Figure_7_caption.jpg Home - Our Research We contribute to the scientific literature in ways that no one ever has before. Our peer-reviewed research articles are “open access”, which means that they can be shared with anybody, anywhere, and at any time. https://www.pithecus.org/aboutus daily 0.75 2022-10-20 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1622927842088-XUHRLHNRLGQA07CAY177/BW+GV.jpg About Us https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1622755080149-657MBJEFY0800UB87814/maciej3.png About Us https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1622927811137-1GPKF6KRT2QC8AVS07TV/RC+BW.jpg About Us https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1622875490554-2HBR3FN0997BL9RC427T/maciej5.png About Us - In 2014, Professor Maciej Henneberg was asked by a young enthusiastic undergraduate student if he could mold and cast his replica of the Taung Child fossil – that student was Ryan M. Campbell. The model had been shown to him during one of the professor’s lectures, which was gifted to Maciej while he was the custodian of the original fossil at The University of Witwatersrand. Upon asking to duplicate the replica, Ryan was met with a response that would become emblematic of the man that would become not just his Ph.D. supervisor, but also a constant source of encouragement throughout his university career. The professor said “yes!” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1622740707367-B4O1BQBRKUBNE4254LWZ/taung3.jpeg About Us https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1622743678803-1L6X3XHX8162MQ5TFUEY/IMG_8357.JPG About Us - As he cast his replica, Ryan had a thought: “What if I brought him to life? What if I reconstructed the Taung Child like the models I had seen in museums that got me interested in human evolution in the first place?” With that question still fresh in his mind, Ryan found the Instagram page of the recent Bachelor of Fine Arts graduate, Gabriel Vinas. It was clear their interests were aligned as Gabriel had just mounted his thesis exhibition, which incorporated themes of human evolution. This showcased a mutual fascination with primates between the two would-be scientists and cemented a partnership that would last for years to come. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1622768115302-2B15E1W3HD55XUYUFP62/taung1.jpeg About Us https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1622740723673-S34Q83HTUDN1W79PQ6V8/taung2.jpeg About Us https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1622744564485-5VEYORZ22HU8UJCR6P50/IMG_1567.JPG About Us https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1622744615860-VS9A7UUI427LSLDDQR43/IMG_1563.JPG About Us https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1622746142316-8XL1YAE6WD9MEP9IZZEJ/IMG_0173.jpg About Us - Now a product sculptor at Ford Motor Company following his graduation, Gabriel and Ryan met via video chat very regularly to reconstruct the Taung Child. However, it was not long until their first reconstruction was ready to be redone because of what they had learned. Maciej took note of the collaboration beginning to form between the two young biological anthroplogists, and decided to contribute as an expert consultant on the project. At this point, even if they didn’t know it, the foundations were being laid for a future research effort that would ultimately become Pithecus. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1622493518874-5TC99P04LD7STN8JWCN4/Press_Release_GV6.jpg About Us - In the years that followed, their work matured into applying existing methods onto ancient hominid skulls and skeletons. This exposed the limitations of current methods and in most cases their outright unsuitability. These first two years of collaborative research, while taking up their new higher educational roles, culminated in a review article published in Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. This publication served as the springboard for the Pithecus philosophy: To develop methods for, and improving upon, the practice of hominid reconstructions for the betterment of the public’s understanding of science and to contribute to our growing understanding of what it means to be human. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1622746455021-RTB38495EL0C83Q1TVH4/IMG_5889.JPG About Us - This new Taung (pictured right), and the differences between it and the previous one, made it clear to both Gabriel and Ryan that this was an area in science worth exploring. As such, in 2018 Gabriel resigned from his position at Ford Motor Company and enrolled at Arizona State University to pursue research full-time. Similarly, Ryan had enrolled as a PhD Candidate at The University of Adelaide under the supervision of Professor Maciej Henneberg. With their minds made up, they began to formally work towards restoring the appearance of Plio-Pleistocene hominids. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1622757340140-JU4ZT558QFS0A0HN56EO/IMG_6530.JPG About Us - A few months later, the team published their first research article in PLOS one. The manuscript was published on June the 4th, 2021, and marks the first of many future publications by the team and their associated colleagues. At Pithecus, we strive to continue testing existing methods, developing novel ones, and contributing to the scientific literature as well as sharing our reconstructions and discoveries with you. We hope that you will enjoy our work, and return to us regularly as we grow our platform with more reconstructions, publications, and scientific information in the coming months. It is our sincere hope that you find this resource valuable and join us on the long journey ahead towards facilitating scientific education. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1622744686007-JR1LI54FKDZXYEEW7YOG/IMG_0177.JPG About Us https://www.pithecus.org/support daily 0.75 2022-06-03 https://www.pithecus.org/contact-us daily 0.75 2021-06-05 https://www.pithecus.org/reconstructions daily 0.75 2021-11-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/62887fe9-ff44-46e3-917f-3e076a4cbe06/Humanoid1_Coming+Soon.jpg Reconstructions Hatüey – Homo sapiens https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1622867469158-A730X11RFDJ4K3BVZJ5N/Ape1_coming%2BSoon.jpg Reconstructions Sadie – Australopithecus sediba https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/611377be-9f45-4287-ae8c-4809e94f7a07/Humanoid2_Coming+Soon.jpg Reconstructions Rhodes – Homo rhodesiensis https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/373ca7cd-7988-49e4-a17e-09efe0e2a44c/para1_Comingsoon.jpg Reconstructions Atlas – Paranthropus boisei https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/af58e8f2-045b-45fd-b9e5-d541fe4098f2/Ape2_coming+Soon.jpg Reconstructions Neo – Homo naledi https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1ef5e715-097b-4d64-a250-c8294c91b40c/proto_comingsoon.jpg Reconstructions Promes – Homo habilis https://www.pithecus.org/reconstructions/amud monthly 0.5 2021-11-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1622863093234-RCN11DQRWPCIFXY8T43G/06+figure+5_v3.jpg Reconstructions - Amud – Neandertals https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1622863175786-CDJZPSAYSAD28UDX3I4F/Amud_BW.jpg Reconstructions - Amud – Neandertals - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1636505503096-A71V3DOXGJ5Z5QFU4L2N/GV1.jpg Reconstructions - Amud – Neandertals - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/b53d4986-7307-4c1b-a24f-2a42b9631422/Amud2.jpg Reconstructions - Amud – Neandertals https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/a511220d-7a42-4a8f-9b8c-10a005151ecf/Amud3.jpg Reconstructions - Amud – Neandertals https://www.pithecus.org/reconstructions/taung monthly 0.5 2021-11-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1636505178163-9ZRIE3HQLFFGS1X32FGI/GV8.jpg Reconstructions - Taung – Australopithecus africanus - Taung, as featured in GV’s 2021 Photographic thesis https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/fabd7ef5-8589-476e-a818-c0f72fffe697/Taung3.jpg Reconstructions - Taung – Australopithecus africanus https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/838ce841-03f4-41e8-976e-92da3967814a/Taung1.jpg Reconstructions - Taung – Australopithecus africanus https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/19d2f694-656f-4a7e-a84e-6babf18cef45/Taung4.jpg Reconstructions - Taung – Australopithecus africanus https://www.pithecus.org/reconstructions/ples monthly 0.5 2021-11-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1300cea0-7df5-4129-811c-a2fde4debeb1/ples2.jpg Reconstructions - Ples – Australopithecus africanus https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/efefc612-4015-4208-be33-f464ea236462/ples1.jpg Reconstructions - Ples – Australopithecus africanus Features Added. (Work in Progress) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/3ba5c2cf-b5d8-44d4-a11a-85bdaee6abfc/Ples_Silhouette.jpg Reconstructions - Ples – Australopithecus africanus Silhouette produced for PLOS one Publication https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/e5d29d98-941d-4eca-9828-26d405095d29/ples5.jpg Reconstructions - Ples – Australopithecus africanus https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/d51eca13-6334-428b-a9d2-fcd1f143eec6/ples3.jpg Reconstructions - Ples – Australopithecus africanus https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/370f3244-e43d-411f-bb00-6e4cea1c7082/ples4.jpg Reconstructions - Ples – Australopithecus africanus https://www.pithecus.org/reconstructions/project-two-83dw4 monthly 0.5 2021-06-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1622849208862-AL8J38SJZE4S4B9QDT7G/Joseph2.jpg Reconstructions - Joseph – Pan paniscus Joseph enjoying his reanimation post-publication on the path to becoming a fully realized reconstruction. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1622849145075-V76AVZJMR0LQETK79R1G/Jospeh.jpg Reconstructions - Joseph – Pan paniscus Joseph as featured in our PLOS One study, then named subject 29655 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/4d1e3a11-9a19-4870-95a0-dc44c40e734f/Joseph1.jpg Reconstructions - Joseph – Pan paniscus https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/738ce6b6-d7c9-4171-9c39-9051417bf6cd/Joseph2.jpg Reconstructions - Joseph – Pan paniscus https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/3a72a193-390d-439f-a4f8-47b039deb9b6/Joseph4.jpg Reconstructions - Joseph – Pan paniscus https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1622849647565-MYV820VN4EHJ78G38VD8/Joseph5.jpg Reconstructions - Joseph – Pan paniscus https://www.pithecus.org/reconstructions/cleo monthly 0.5 2021-11-10 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/4f3408f4-0082-403b-aea9-6967657f8497/IMG_6530+copy.JPG Reconstructions - Cleo – Pan troglodytes https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/91e8e77a-dc69-4587-a60d-4c27a75beeaa/IMG_6611.JPG Reconstructions - Cleo – Pan troglodytes https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/0ae4c512-44c4-411d-82c6-44348a9476c5/IMG_6533.JPG Reconstructions - Cleo – Pan troglodytes https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/96835a74-320c-46db-898f-6c87d258f351/IMG_6610.JPG Reconstructions - Cleo – Pan troglodytes https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/4d89476f-673f-4083-8125-14c86e5de465/IMG_6528.JPG Reconstructions - Cleo – Pan troglodytes https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/9b684966-f0e3-4a52-a27b-2df217b3a3b3/IMG_6608.JPG Reconstructions - Cleo – Pan troglodytes https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/fce66ac2-3c31-4aab-832f-71bacb9928ed/IMG_6522.JPG Reconstructions - Cleo – Pan troglodytes https://www.pithecus.org/reconstructions/preplosone monthly 0.5 2021-06-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/60b424983fc94d2e77a78b32/1622872469037-NMQRDETBQ7SZPWOUWXOS/Press_Release_GV6.jpg Reconstructions - Reconstructions Prior to PLOS One Publication