Lauren Schroeder: University of Toronto Mississauga

Our genus is characterized by a significant amount of morphological diversity, a phenomenon at the heart of the longstanding debate surrounding the origin and evolution of Homo. Recent fossil discoveries from Dmanisi, Georgia, Ledi-Geraru, Ethiopia, and the Cradle of Humankind in South Africa have expanded the range of morphological variation observed within our genus, leading to new questions surrounding the mosaic nature of morphological evolution. This presentation explores skull diversity within Homo, focusing on the possible evolutionary processes that may have driven such a degree of diversification and innovation.