Potts, Richard
Curator of Biological Anthropology, Peter Buck Chair of Human Origins Director
Potts, Richard
Curator of Biological Anthropology, Peter Buck Chair of Human Origins Director
Paleoanthropologist Dr. Rick Potts founded and directs the Human Origins Program at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC. In partnership with the National Museums of Kenya, Rick leads ongoing excavations in the Rift Valley of southern Kenya and the Homa Peninsula, Kenya. After receiving his PhD in biological anthropology at Harvard University in 1982, he taught at Yale before joining the Smithsonian in 1985. Rick’s research investigates Earth’s environmental dynamics and the processes that have led to human evolutionary adaptations. His ideas about the significant effect of environmental instability on human evolution have stimulated new studies in Earth sciences, paleontology, and biology. He is also curator of the Smithsonian’s Hall of Human Origins.
Positions
- The Peter Buck Chair in Human Origins, National Museum of Natural History 2009 -
Geographic Focus
Background And Education
Education And Training
- B.A., Temple University
- Ph.D., Harvard University
Research And Grants
Investigator On
Publications
Selected Publications
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Abstract
- Chirchir, Habiba, Ruff, Christopher B., Helgen, Kristofer M., and Potts, Richard. 2016. "Trabecular bone mass and daily travel distance in mammals." The FASEB Journal, 30 (S1): 779.15. https://doi.org/10.1096/fasebj.30.1_supplement.779.15. 2016
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Article
- Owen, R. B., Rabideaux, Nathan, Bright, Jordon, Rosca, Carolina, Renaut, Robin W., Potts, Richard, Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Deino, Alan L., Cohen, Andrew S., Muiruri, Veronica, and Dommain, René. 2024. "Controls on Quaternary geochemical and mineralogical variability in the Koora Basin and South Kenya Rift." Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 637. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2023.111986. 2024
- Finestone, Emma M., Plummer, Thomas W., Vincent, Thomas H., Blumenthal, Scott A., Ditchfield, Peter W., Bishop, Laura C., Oliver, James S., Herries, Andy I. R., Palfery, Christopher Vere, Lane, Timothy P., McGuire, Elizabeth, Reeves, Jonathan S., Rodés, Angel, Whitfield, Elizabeth, Braun, David R., Bartilol, Simion K., Rotich, Nelson Kiprono, Parkinson, Jennifer A., Lemorini, Cristina, Caricola, Isabella, Kinyanjui, Rahab N., and Potts, Richard. 2024. "New Oldowan locality Sare-Abururu (ca. 1.7 Ma) provides evidence of diverse hominin behaviors on the Homa Peninsula, Kenya." Journal of human evolution, 190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2024.103498. 2024
- Plummer, Thomas W., Oliver, James S., Finestone, Emma M., Ditchfield, Peter W., Bishop, Laura C., Blumenthal, Scott A., Lemorini, Cristina, Caricola, Isabella, Bailey, Shara E., Herries, Andy I. R., Parkinson, Jennifer A., Whitfield, Elizabeth, Hertel, Fritz, Kinyanjui, Rahab N., Vincent, Thomas H., Li, Youjuan, Louys, Julien, Frost, Stephen R., Braun, David R., Reeves, Jonathan S., Early, Emily D. G., Onyango, Blasto, Lamela-Lopez, Raquel, Forrest, Frances L., He, Huaiyu et al. 2023. "Expanded geographic distribution and dietary strategies of the earliest Oldowan hominins and Paranthropus." Science, 379, (6632) 561–566. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abo7452. 2023
- Chirchir, Habiba, Ruff, Christopher, Helgen, Kristofer M., and Potts, Richard. 2022. "Effects of reduced mobility on trabecular bone density in captive big cats." Royal Society Open Science, 9, (3). https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.211345. 2022
- Dommain, René, Riedl, Simon, Olaka, Lydia A., deMenocal, Peter, Deino, Alan L., Owen, R. B., Muiruri, Veronica, Müller, Johannes, Potts, Richard, and Strecker, Manfred R. 2022. "Holocene bidirectional river system along the Kenya Rift and its influence on East African faunal exchange and diversity gradients." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 119, (28). https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2121388119. 2022
- Fraser, Danielle, Villaseñor, Amelia, Tóth, Anikó B., Balk, Meghan A., Eronen, Jussi T., Barr, W. Andrew, Behrensmeyer, A. K., Davis, Matt, Du, Andrew, Tyler Faith, J., Graves, Gary R., Gotelli, Nicholas J., Jukar, Advait M., Looy, Cindy V., McGill, Brian J., Miller, Joshua H., Pineda-Munoz, Silvia, Potts, Richard, Shupinski, Alex B., Soul, Laura C., and Lyons, S. Kathleen. 2022. "Late quaternary biotic homogenization of North American mammalian faunas." Nature Communications, 13, (1) 3940. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-31595-8. 2022
- Cohen, Andrew S., Campisano, Christopher J., Arrowsmith, J. R., Asrat, Asfawossen, Beck, Catherine C., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Deino, Alan L., Feibel, Craig S., Foerster, Verena, Kingston, John D., Lamb, Henry F., Lowenstein, Tim K., Lupien, Rachel L., Muiruri, Veronica, Olago, Daniel O., Owen, R. B., Potts, Richard, Russell, James M., Schaebitz, Frank, Stone, Jeffery R., Trauth, Martin H., and Yost, Chad L. 2022. "Reconstructing the Environmental Context of Human Origins in Eastern Africa Through Scientific Drilling." Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences, 50, (1) 451–476. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-earth-031920-081947. 2022
- Lupien, Rachel L., Russell, James M., Subramanian, Avinash, Kinyanjui, Rahab, Beverly, Emily J., Uno, Kevin T., de Menocal, Peter, Dommain, Rene, and Potts, Richard. 2021. "Eastern African environmental variation and its role in the evolution and cultural change of Homo over the last 1 million years." Journal of human evolution, 157. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2021.103028. 2021
- Li, Youjuan, He, Huaiyu, Plummer, Thomas W., Ditchfield, Peter W., Deng, Chenglong, Guo, Zhengtang, and Potts, Richard. 2021. "Exploration of apatite (U-Th)/He geochronological analysis of volcanic units in fossil-bearing strata of the Homa Peninsula, southwestern Kenya." Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology, 579. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2021.110599. 2021
- Fraser, Danielle, Soul, Laura C., Toth, Aniko B., Balk, Meghan A., Eronen, Jussi T., Pineda-Munoz, Silvia, Shupinski, Alexandria B., Villasenor, Amelia, Barr, W. Andrew, Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Du, Andrew, Faith, J. Tyler, Gotelli, Nicholas J., Graves, Gary R., Jukar, Advait M., Looy, Cindy V., Miller, Joshua H., Potts, Richard, and Lyons, S. Kathleen. 2021. "Investigating Biotic Interactions in Deep Time." Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 36, (1) 61–75. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2020.09.001. 2021
- Muiruri, Veronica, Owen, R. B., Potts, Richard, Deino, Alan L., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Riedl, Simon, Rabideaux, Nathan, Beverly, Emily J., Renaut, Robin W., Moerman, Jessica W., Deocampo, Daniel, Faith, J. T., Noren, Anders, Cohen, Andrew S., Shannon, Kristina Brady, and Dommain, René. 2021. "Quaternary diatoms and palaeoenvironments of the Koora Plain, southern Kenya rift." Quaternary Science Reviews, 267. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2021.107106. 2021
- Potts, Richard, Dommain, René, Moerman, Jessica W., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Deino, Alan L., Riedl, Simon, Beverly, Emily J., Brown, Erik T., Deocampo, Daniel, Kinyanjui, Rahab, Lupien, Rachel, Owen, R. B., Rabideaux, Nathan, Russell, James M., Stockhecke, Mona, deMenocal, Peter, Faith, J. T., Garcin, Yannick, Noren, Anders, Scott, Jennifer J., Western, David, Bright, Jordon, Clark, Jennifer B., Cohen, Andrew S., Keller, C. B. et al. 2020. "Increased ecological resource variability during a critical transition in hominin evolution." Science Advances, 6, (43). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abc8975. 2020
- Potts, Richard. 2020. "Microevolution in our megadont relative." Nature Ecology & Evolution, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-020-01339-2. 2020
- Dommain, René, Andama, Morgan, McDonough, Molly M., Prado, Natalia A., Goldhammer, Tobias, Potts, Richard, Maldonado, Jesús E., Nkurunungi, John Bosco, and Campana, Michael G. 2020. "The Challenges of Reconstructing Tropical Biodiversity With Sedimentary Ancient DNA: A 2200-Year-Long Metagenomic Record From Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda." Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 8 Article 218. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2020.00218. 2020
- Deino, A. L., Dommain, R., Keller, C. B., Potts, Richard, Behrensmeyer, A. K., Beverly, E. J., King, J., Heil, C. W., Stockhecke, M., Brown, E. T., Moerman, J., deMenocal, P., Deocampo, D., Garcin, Y., Levin, N. E., Lupien, R., Owen, R. B., Rabideaux, N., Russell, J. M., Scott, J., Riedl, S., Brady, K., Bright, J., Clark, J. B., Cohen, A. et al. 2019. "Chronostratigraphic model of a high-resolution drill core record of the past million years from the Koora Basin, south Kenya Rift: Overcoming the difficulties of variable sedimentation rate and hiatuses." Quaternary Science Reviews, 215 213–231. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2019.05.009. 2019
- Bernor, Raymond L., Cirilli, Omar, Jukar, Advait M., Potts, Richard, Buskianidze, Maia, and Rook, Lorenzo. 2019. "Evolution of Early Equus in Italy, Georgia, the Indian Subcontinent, East Africa, and the Origins of African Zebras." Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 7 166–166. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2019.00166. 2019
- Narasimhan, Vagheesh M., Patterson, Nick, Moorjani, Priya, Rohland, Nadin, Bernardos, Rebecca, Mallick, Swapan, Lazaridis, Losif, Nakatsuka, Nathan, Olalde, Iffigo, Lipson, Mark, Kim, Alexander M., Olivieri, Luca M., Coppa, Alfredo, Vidale, Massimo, Mallory, James, Moiseyev, Vyacheslav, Kitov, Egor, Monge, Janet, Adamski, Nicole, Alexi, Neel, Broomandkhoshbacht, Nasreen, Candilio, Francesca, Callan, Kimberly, Cheronet, Olivia, Culleton, Brendan J. et al. 2019. "The formation of human populations in South and Central Asia." Science, 365, (6457) 999– . https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aat7487. 2019
- Deino, Alan L., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Brooks, Alison S., Yellen, John E., Sharp, Warren D., and Potts, Richard. 2018. "Chronology of the Acheulean to Middle Stone Age transition in eastern Africa." Science, 360, (6384) 95–98. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aao2216. 2018
- Potts, Richard, Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Faith, J. Tyler, Tryon, Christian A., Brooks, Alison S., Yellen, John E., Deino, Man L., Kinyanjui, Rahab, Clark, Jennifer B., Haradon, Catherine M., Levin, Naomi E., Meijer, Hanneke J. M., Veatch, E. Grace, Owen, R. Bernhart, and Renaut, Robin W. 2018. "Environmental dynamics during the onset of the Middle Stone Age in eastern Africa." Science, 360, (6384) 86–90. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aao2200. 2018
- Brooks, Alison S., Yellen, John E., Potts, Richard, Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Deino, Alan L., Leslie, David E., Ambrose, Stanley H., Ferguson, Jeffrey R., d'Errico, Francesco, Zipkin, Andrew M., Whittaker, Scott, Post, Jeffrey, Veatch, E. Grace, Foecke, Kimberly, and Clark, Jennifer B. 2018. "Long-distance stone transport and pigment use in the earliest Middle Stone Age." Science, 360, (6384) 90–94. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aao2646. 2018
- Potts, Richard. 2018. "New Developments in Sediment Coring and Implications for Understanding Human Evolution." Theoretical Biology Forum, 111, (1-2) 99–104. https://doi.org/10.19272/201811402011. 2018
- Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Potts, Richard, and Deino, Alan. 2018. "The Oltulelei Formation of the southern Kenyan Rift Valley: A chronicle of rapid landscape transformation over the last 500 k.y." GSA Bulletin, 130, (9/10) 1474–1492. https://doi.org/10.1130/B31853.1. 2018
- Douka, Katerina, Slon, Viviane, Stringer, Chris, Potts, Richard, Hübner, Alexander, Meyer, Matthias, Spoor, Fred, Pääbo, Svante, and Higham, Tom. 2017. "Direct radiocarbon dating and DNA analysis of the Darra-i-Kur (Afghanistan) human temporal bone." Journal of human evolution, 107 86–93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2017.03.003. 2017
- Chirchir, Habiba, Ruff, Christopher B., Junno, Juho-Antti, and Potts, Richard. 2017. "Low trabecular bone density in recent sedentary modern humans." American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 162, (3) 550–560. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.23138. 2017
- Campisano, Christopher J., Cohen, Andrew S., Arrowsmith, J. Ramon, Asrat, Asfawossen, Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Brown, Erik T., Deino, Alan L., Deocampo, Daniel M., Feibel, Craig S., Kingston, John D., Lamb, Henry F., Lowenstein, Tim K., Noren, Anders, Olago, Daniel O., Owen, R. Bernhart, Pelletier, Jon D., Potts, Richard, Reed, Kaye E., Renaut, Robin W., Russell, James M., Russell, Joellen L., Schabitz, Frank, Stone, Jeffrey R., Trauth, Martin H., and Wynn, Jonathan G. 2017. "The Hominin Sites and Paleolakes Drilling Project: High-Resolution Paleoclimate Records from the East African Rift System and Their Implications for Understanding the Environmental Context of Hominin Evolution." PaleoAnthropology, 1–43. https://doi.org/10.1130/abs/2017am-295426. 2017
- Kinyanjui, R. N., Potts, Richard, Behrensmeyer, Anna K., and Bamford, M. 2016. "Comparing the Quaternary palaeoenvironments of two major Hominin sites: the Olorgesailie and Koobi Fora Basins, Kenya." Quaternary International, 404 207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2015.08.196. 2016
- Lyons, S. Kathleen, Amatangelo, Kathryn L., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Bercovici, Antoine, Blois, Jessica L., Davis, Matt, DiMichele, William A., Du, Andrew, Eronen, Jussi T., Faith, J. Tyler, Graves, Gary R., Jud, Nathan, Labandeira, Conrad C., Looy, Cindy V., McGill, Brian, Miller, Joshua H., Patterson, David, Pineda-Munoz, Silvia, Potts, Richard, Riddle, Brett, Terry, Rebecca, Tóth, Anikó, Ulrich, Werner, Villaseñor, Amelia, Wing, Scott L. et al. 2016. "Holocene shifts in the assembly of plant and animal communities implicate human impacts." Nature, (529) 80–83. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature16447. 2016
- Lyons, S. Kathleen, Miller, Joshua H., Amatange, Kathryn L., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Bercovici, Antoine, Blois, Jessica L., Davis, Matt, DiMichele, William A., Du, Andrew, Eronen, Jussi T., Faith, J. T., Graves, Gary R., Jud, Nathan, Labandeira, Conrad C., Looy, Cindy V., McGill, Brian, Patterson, David, Pineda-Munoz, Silvia, Potts, Richard, Riddle, Brett, Terry, Rebecca, Tóth, Anikó, Ulrich, Werner, Villaseñor, Amelia, Wing, Scott L. et al. 2016. "Lyons et al. reply." Nature, 538, (7626) E3–E4. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature20097. 2016
- Lyons, S. Kathleen, Miller, Joshua H., Tóth, Anikó, Amatangelo, Kathryn L., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Bercovici, Antoine, Blois, Jessica L., Davis, Matt, DiMichele, William A., Du, Andrew, Eronen, Jussi T., Faith, J. T., Graves, Gary R., Jud, Nathan, Labandeira, Conrad C., Looy, Cindy V., McGill, Brian, Patterson, David, Pineda-Munoz, Silvia, Potts, Richard, Riddle, Brett, Terry, Rebecca, Ulrich, Werner, Villaseñor, Amelia, Wing, Scott L. et al. 2016. "Questioning Holocene community shifts Reply." Nature, 537, (7618) E5–E6. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature19111. 2016
- Cohen, A., Campisano, C., Arrowsmith, R., Asrat, A., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Deino, A., Feibel, C., Hill, A., Johnson, R., Kingston, J., Lamb, H., Lowenstein, T., Noren, A., Olago, D., Owen, R. B., Potts, Richard, Reed, K., Renaut, R., Schäbitz, F., Tiercelin, J. -J, Trauth, M. H., Wynn, J., Ivory, S., Brady, K., O'Grady, R. et al. 2016. "The Hominin Sites and Paleolakes Drilling Project: inferring the environmental context of human evolution from eastern African rift lake deposits." Scientific Drilling, 21 1–16. https://doi.org/10.5194/sd-21-1-2016. 2016
- Potts, Richard and Faith, J. T. 2015. "Alternating high and low climate variability: The context of natural selection and speciation in Plio-Pleistocene hominin evolution." Journal of human evolution, 87 5–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2015.06.014. 2015
- Blois, Jessica L., Gotelli, Nicholas J., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Faith, J. T., Lyons, Sara K., Williams, John W., Amatangelo, Kathryn L., Bercovici, Antoine, Du, Andrew, Eronen, Jussi T., Graves, Gary R., Jud, Nathan, Labandeira, Conrad C., Looy, Cindy V., McGill, Brian, Patterson, David, Potts, Richard, Riddle, Brett, Terry, Rebecca, Tóth, Anikó, Villaseñor, Amelia, and Wing, Scott L. 2014. "A framework for evaluating the influence of climate, dispersal limitation, and biotic interactions using fossil pollen associations across the late Quaternary." Ecography, 37, (11) 1095–1108. https://doi.org/10.1111/ecog.00779. 2014
- Antón, Susan C., Potts, Richard, and Aiello, Leslie C. 2014. "Evolution of early Homo: An integrated biological perspective." Science, 345, (6192). https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1236828. 2014
- Lemorini, Cristina, Plummer, Thomas W., Braun, David R., Crittenden, Alyssa N., Ditchfield, Peter W., Bishop, Laura C., Hertel, Fritz, Oliver, James S., Marlowe, Frank W., Schoeninger, Margaret J., and Potts, Richard. 2014. "Old stones' song: Use-wear experiments and analysis of the Oldowan quartz and quartzite assemblage from Kanjera South (Kenya)." Journal of human evolution, 72 10–25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2014.03.002. 2014
- Owen, R. Bernhart, Renaut, Robin W., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., and Potts, Richard. 2014. "Quaternary geochemical stratigraphy of the Kedong-Olorgesailie section of the southern Kenya Rift valley." Palaeogeography palaeoclimatology palaeoecology, 396 194–212. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2014.01.011. 2014
- Ferraro, Joseph V., Plummer, Thomas W., Pobiner, Briana L., Oliver, James S., Bishop, Laura C., Braun, David R., Ditchfield, Peter W., Seaman, John W., III, Binetti, Katie M., Seaman, John W., Jr., Hertel, Fritz, and Potts, Richard. 2013. "Earliest Archaeological Evidence of Persistent Hominin Carnivory." Plos One, 8, (4) e62174. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0062174. 2013
- Lee, Ray K. L., Owen, R. B., Renaut, Robin W., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Potts, Richard, and Sharp, Warren D. 2013. "Facies, geochemistry and diatoms of late Pleistocene Olorgesailie tufas, southern Kenya Rift." Palaeogeography palaeoclimatology palaeoecology, 374 197–217. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2013.01.019. 2013
- Potts, Richard. 2013. "Hominin evolution in settings of strong environmental variability." Quaternary Science Reviews, 73 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2013.04.003. 2013
- Potts, Richard. 2012. "Environmental and Behavioral Evidence Pertaining to the Evolution of Early Homo." Current Anthropology, 53 S299–S317. https://doi.org/10.1086/667704. 2012
- Faith, J. T., Potts, Richard, Plummer, Thomas W., Bishop, Laura C., Marean, Curtis W., and Tryon, Christian A. 2012. "New perspectives on middle Pleistocene change in the large mammal faunas of East Africa: Damaliscus hypsodon sp. nov. (Mammalia, Artiodactyla) from Lainyamok, Kenya." Palaeogeography palaeoclimatology palaeoecology, 361-362 84–93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2012.08.005. 2012
- Tryon, Christian A. and Potts, Richard. 2011. "Approaches for Understanding Flake Production in the African Acheulean." PaleoAnthropology, 2011 376–389. 2011
- Potts, Richard. 2011. "Evolution: Big brains explained." Nature, 480, (7375) 43–44. https://doi.org/10.1038/480043a. 2011
- Owen, R. B., Renaut, R. W., Potts, Richard, and Behrensmeyer, Anna K. 2011. "Geochemical trends through time and lateral variability of diatom floras in the Pleistocene Olorgesailie Formation, southern Kenya Rift Valley." Quaternary Research, 76, (1) 167–179. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yqres.2011.05.002. 2011
- Potts, Richard. 2011. "Homo sapiens is a 10? Comment on “Homo sapiens is as Homo sapiens was” by John J. Shea." Current Anthropology, 52, (1) 21–22. 2011
- Potts, Richard. 2010. "Presenting Human Evolution to the Public: The Smithsonian’s Hall of Human Origins." AnthroNotes, 31, (1) 11–15. https://doi.org/10.5479/10088/22447. 2010
- Deocampo, Daniel M., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., and Potts, Richard. 2010. "Ultrafine Clay Minerals of the Pleistocene Olorgesailie Formation, Southern Kenya Rift: Diagenesis and Paleoenvironments of Early Hominins." Clays and Clay Minerals, 58, (3) 294–310. https://doi.org/10.1346/CCMN.2010.0580301. 2010
- Bennington, J. Bret, DiMichele, William A., Badgley, Catherine, Bambach, Richard K., Barrett, Paul M., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Bobe, Rene, Burnham, Robyn J., Daeschler, Edward B., Van Dam, Jan, Eronen, Jussi T., Erwin, Douglas H., Finnegan, Seth, Holland, Steven M., Hunt, Gene, Jablonski, David, Jackson, Stephen T., Jacobs, Bonnie E., Kidwell, Susan M., Koch, Paul L., Kowalewski, Michal J., Labandeira, Conrad C., Looy, Cindy V., Lyons, Sara K., Novack-Gottshall, Philip M. et al. 2009. "Critical Issues of Scale in Paleoecology." Palaios, 24, (1-2) 1–4. https://doi.org/10.2110/palo.2009.S01. 2009
- Plummer, Thomas W., Ditchfield, Peter W., Bishop, Laura C., Kingston, John D., Ferraro, Joseph V., Braun, David R., Hertel, Fritz, and Potts, Richard. 2009. "Oldest Evidence of Toolmaking Hominins in a Grassland-Dominated Ecosystem." PLoS ONE, 4, (9) e7199. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0007199. 2009
- Owen, R. Bernhart, Potts, Richard, and Behrensmeyer, Anna K. 2009. "Reply to the comment on "Diatomaceous sediments and environmental change in the Pleistocene Olorgesailie Formation, southern Kenya Rift Valley" by R.B. Owen, R. Potts, A.K. Behrensmeyer and P. Ditchfield [Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 269 (2008) 17-37]." Palaeogeography palaeoclimatology palaeoecology, 282, (1-4) 147–148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2008.06.021. 2009
- Cohen, A., Arrowsmith, R., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Campisano, C., Feibel, C., Shimeles Fisseha, N. J., Johnson, R., Bedaso, Z. K., Lockwood, C., Olago, D., and Potts, Richard. 2009. "Scientific Drilling for Human Origins: Exploring the Application of Drill Core Records to Understanding Hominin Evolution. Workshop Report for EOS Supplementary On-line materials." Eos, 90, (14) 122. https://doi.org/10.1029/2009EO140010. 2009
- Owen, R. Bernhart, Renaut, Robin W., Scott, Jennifer J., Potts, Richard, and Behrensmeyer, Anna K. 2009. "Wetland sedimentation and associated diatoms in the Pleistocene Olorgesailie Basin, southern Kenya Rift Valley." Sedimentary Geology, 222, (1-2) 124–137. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sedgeo.2009.03.013. 2009
- Owen, R. B., Potts, Richard, Behrensmeyer, Anna K., and Ditchfield, P. 2008. "Diatomaceous sediments and environmental change in the Pleistocene Olorgesailie Formation, southern Kenya Rift Valley." Palaeogeography palaeoclimatology palaeoecology, 269 17–37. 2008
- Zhu, R. X., Potts, Richard, Pan, Y. X., Yao, H. T., Lu, L. Q., Zhao, X., Gao, X., Chen, L. W., Gao, F., and Deng, C. L. 2008. "Early evidence of the genus Homo in East Asia." Journal of Human Evolution, 55, (6) 1075–1085. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2008.08.005. 2008
- Olejniczak, A. J., Smith, T. M., Wang, W., Potts, Richard, Ciochon, R., Kullmer, O., Schrenk, F., and Hublin, J. J. 2008. "Molar enamel thickness and dentine horn height in Gigantopithecus blacki." American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 135, (1) 85–91. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.20711. 2008
- Braun, David R., Plummer, Thomas, Ditchfield, Peter, Ferraro, Joseph V., Maina, David, Bishop, Laura C., and Potts, Richard. 2008. "Oldowan behavior and raw material transport: perspectives from the Kanjera Formation." Journal of Archaeological Science, 35, (8) 2329–2345. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2008.03.004. 2008
- Zhu, R. X., Potts, Richard, Pan, Y. X., Lu, L. Q., Yao, H. T., Deng, C. L., and Qin, H. F. 2008. "Paleomagnetism of the Yuanmou Basin near the southeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau and its constraints on late Neogene sedimentation and tectonic rotation." Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 272, (1-2) 97–104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2008.04.016. 2008
- Hublin, Jean-Jacques, Paeaebo, Svante, Derevianko, Anatoly P., Doronichev, Vladimir B., Golovanova, Liubov V., Friess, Martin, Froment, Alain, Hoffmann, Almut, Jillani Kachache, Ngalla Edward, Kullmer, Ottmar, Lordkipanidze, David, Moncel, Marie-Hlne, Potts, Richard, Radovcic, Jakov, Rak, Yoel Zvi, Richards, Michael, Mndez, Jess Rodrguez, Rosas, Antonio, Schmaude, Michael, Schmit, Ralf W., Semal, Patrick, Smith, Tanya, Tafuri, Mary Anne, Tattersall, Ian, Tournepiche, Jean-Franois et al. 2008. "Suggested guidelines for invasive sampling of hominid remains." Journal of Human Evolution, 55, (4) 756–757. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2008.04.010. 2008
- Phelan, J., Weiner, M. J., Ricci, J. L., Plummer, T., Gauld, S., Potts, Richard, and Bromage, T. G. 2007. "Diagnosis of the pathology of the Kanam mandible." Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, Oral Radiology, and Endodontology, 103, (4). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tripleo.2006.12.041. 2007
- Potts, Richard. 2007. "Paleoclimate and human evolution." Evolutionary Anthropology: Issues, News, and Reviews, 16 1–3. 2007
- Wang, Wei, Potts, Richard, Baoyin, Yuan, Huang, Weiwen, Cheng, Hai, Edwards, R. Lawrence, and Ditchfield, Peter. 2007. "Sequence of mammalian fossils, including hominoid teeth, from the Bubing Basin caves, South China." Journal of Human Evolution, 52, (4) 370–379. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2006.10.003. 2007
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Book
- Potts, Richard. 2010. Understanding Climate's Influence on Human Evolution,, National Research Council of the National Academies of Science and Committee on the Earth System Context for Hominin Evolution, editors. Washington DC: National Academies Press. 2010
- Potts, Richard and Sloan, Christopher. 2010. What Does It Mean To Be Human? Official Companion Book to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History's David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins. Washington, DC: National Geographic. 2010
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Chapter
- Potts, Richard. 2023. "Adaptability and the Continuation of Human Origins." In Human Success: Evolutionary Origins and Ethical Implications. 1st ed. Desmond, Hugh and Ramsey, Grant, editors. 248–C11P92. New York: Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190096168.003.0011. 2023
- Kinyanjui, Rahab N., Meadows, Michael, Gillson, Lindsey, Bamford, Marion K., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., and Potts, Richard. 2021. "Reconstructing vegetation history of the Olorgesailie Basin during the Middle to Late Pleistocene using phytolith data." In Quaternary Vegetation Dynamics – The African Pollen Database. 1 ed. Runge, Jürgen, Gosling, William D., Lézine, Anne-Marie, and Scott, Louis, editors. 85–106. London: CRC Press. 2021
- Potts, Richard. 2017. "Human uniqueness, human evolution, and the origins of symbolism and culture." In Human Origins and the Image of God. Lilley, C. and Pedersen, D. J., editors. 95–110. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing. 2017
- Potts, Richard. 2017. "What will it mean to be human?" In Living in the Anthropocene: Humanity in the Age of Humans. Kress, W. John and Stine, J. K., editors. 27–31. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press. 2017
- Potts, Richard and US Global Change Research Program Strategic Planning Committee. 2011. "Goal 1: Advance Science." In U.S. Global Change Research Program Strategic Plan 2012-2021. 16–44. Washington, DC: U.S. Government. 2011
- Potts, Richard. 2011. "Olorgesailie – Retrospective and Synthesis." In Casting the Net Wide: Papers in Honor of Glynn Isaac and His Approach to Human Origins Research.. Sept, J. and Pilbeam, D., editors. 1–20. Cambridge, MA: American School of Prehistoric Research. 2011
- Potts, Richard and Teague, Robin. 2010. "Behavioral and Environmental Background to ‘Out-of-Africa I’ and the Arrival of Homo erectus in East Asia." In Out of Africa I : the first Hominim colonization of Eurasia. Leakey, Richard E., editor. 67–85. Netherlands: Springer. In Vertebrate Paleobiology and Paleoanthropology. 2010
- Potts, Richard. 2007. "Environmental context of Pliocene human evolution in Africa." In Hominin Environments in the East African Pliocene: An Assessment of the Faunal Evidence. Bobe, R., Alemseged, Z., and Behrensmeyer, Anna K., editors. 25–48. New York: Springer. 2007
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Dataset
- Dommain, René, Andama, Morgan, McDonough, Molly M., Prado-Oviedo, Natalia A., Goldhammer, Tobias, Potts, Richard, Maldonado, Jesús E., Nkurunungi, John Bosco, and Campana, Michael. 2020. [Dataset] Supporting data for "The challenges of reconstructing tropical biodiversity with sedimentary ancient DNA: a 2200-year-long metagenomic record from Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda". Distributed by The Smithsonian Institution. https://doi.org/10.25573/DATA.10072625.V2. 2020
Activities
Responsible Collections Areas
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Hominin and primate fossil cast collection. Shanidar 3 Neanderthal skeleton.
Biological anthropology skeletal remains (Africa).
Fossil and archeological collections from Olorgesailie, Nyokie, and Homa Peninsula site (National Museums of Kenya).
Outreach Overview
- Exploring Human Origins: A U.S. national conversation on human evolution (traveling exhibition)
Affiliation
Head Of
- Human Origins Program (Smithsonian) Director 1985 -
Member Of
Contact
Location
- National Museum of Natural History Academic Department
