South African paleontologist breaks barriers in fossil research

Lazarus Kgasi spends his days in a laboratory in Pretoria, carefully preparing fossils that are millions of years old. As a junior curator and laboratory manager at Ditsong National Museum of Natural History, he works in the Plio-Pleistocene Paleontology section, a field that studies ancient human relatives and the world they inhabited. His presence in this role represents something larger than individual achievement—it signals a changing landscape in a scientific discipline that has historically been closed to people who look like him.

Paleontology in South Africa has long been a field dominated by white researchers and curators. The work of finding, excavating, and studying fossils has typically fallen to white academics, while Black South Africans often worked as technical staff and laborers, their contributions frequently overlooked or uncredited. Kgasi's rise to a curatorial position challenges this pattern, though questions remain about how much has truly changed in the broader field.

Background

South Africa sits atop some of the world's richest paleontological sites. The Cradle of Humankind, a UNESCO World Heritage Site northwest of Johannesburg, contains cave systems and fossil deposits that have yielded remains of our ancient ancestors and their relatives. For over a century, researchers have extracted invaluable information from these sites, learning how early humans lived, what they ate, and how they evolved.

Yet the story of paleontology in South Africa is also a story of inequality. During the apartheid era and for decades after, the field reflected the racial divisions of the broader society. White researchers received education, funding, and recognition. Black South Africans who possessed deep knowledge of fossils and excavation techniques—people who could spot a fossil in rock before trained scientists could—were classified as technical workers. Their names rarely appeared in academic papers. Their expertise was taken for granted.

This pattern extended beyond South Africa. Globally, paleontology remains one of the least diverse scientific fields. Women are underrepresented, and people of color are even more so. The field has built its reputation on the work of many hands, but credit has historically flowed upward to those with formal credentials and institutional backing.

Key Details

Kgasi's work centers on understanding ancient primate species and human evolution. He curates fossils from sites like Bolts Farm, a cave system in the Cradle of Humankind where excavations have uncovered remains of primates that lived millions of years ago. He also chemically prepares and conserves these fossils—meticulous work that requires both technical skill and scientific knowledge.

Beyond his museum position, Kgasi holds a co-permit for fossil sites at Bolts Farm and works as a research associate at the Palaeo Research Institute at the University of Johannesburg. He serves as a sub-committee member of the International Union of Geological Sciences and advises Worth Wild Africa, a nonprofit organization focused on conservation.

Recognition in the field

In 2016, Kgasi received recognition at the Unsung Heroes of Palaeontology awards ceremony, hosted by the National Museums of Kenya. The award acknowledged his contributions to paleontological research and his role in uncovering pieces of human history. Yet the fact that such awards exist—and that they are necessary—speaks to how long these contributions went unrecognized.

"These individuals are not only technical staff, but they are also highly trained, highly specialised individuals with a vast amount of knowledge that I personally think most researchers take for granted." – A colleague reflecting on the contributions of paleontological workers in South Africa

The recognition Kgasi received was meaningful but also highlighted a broader problem. One award ceremony, observers noted, cannot undo decades of exploitation and erasure. Technical workers in paleontology—fossil finders, preparators, and excavators—often come from disadvantaged backgrounds with limited educational opportunities. They have been underpaid, undervalued, and excluded from the academic authorship that brings professional advancement.

What This Means

Kgasi's career trajectory matters because it shows that change is possible, but also because it raises questions about how deep that change runs. His appointment as a curator represents progress. Yet his path required individual talent and determination in a system not designed to support people like him.

The broader challenge facing paleontology is structural. The field must invest in training and certification for technical workers. It must include these workers as co-authors on research papers when their contributions warrant it. It must pay them fairly and create pathways for advancement. Universities and museums must actively recruit and support researchers from underrepresented backgrounds, not just wait for exceptional individuals to break through on their own.

Kgasi's work contributes directly to our understanding of human evolution. Recent research involving his preparation of two-million-year-old tooth enamel has provided new insights into the diet and behavior of ancient human relatives. This work matters for science, and it matters for how people in South Africa—and around the world—understand their own origins and place in human history.

The story of paleontology in South Africa is slowly being rewritten. Kgasi is part of that rewriting, but the work of transforming the field into one that reflects the diversity of humanity remains incomplete.