Few things related to science capture the imagination of people around the world more than the magic of worlds gone by. This includes the origins of life, the world of dinosaurs, mass extinctions, meteorite impacts and the evolution of our own species. Understanding the evolution of life is central to the way we view ourselves and the way we view others around us.
To develop the study of life’s evolution is, therefore, of the utmost importance.
On 9 September 2024, the Karoo Origins Fossil Centre, that is currently being established in Graaff-Reinet, hosted 141 local and international palaeontological experts who have gathered in the historic town for the 22nd Palaeontological Society of Southern Africa (PSSA) Conference.
“The Fossil Centre has been a hive of activity in recent weeks and at this point 860 fossils have been moved on site in preparation for the hosting of the PSSA delegates’ function and ultimately the centre that will open in early 2025” comments Professor Bruce Rubidge, Director of Karoo Origins.
The first fossil discovered by local Karoo farmer, Sidney Rubidge, 90 years ago in 1934 sparked the search for more and during the 1930s and 1940s resulted in the impressive Rubidge Karoo fossil collection that has facilitated understanding of Permian and Triassic animals of southern Africa.
“The Rubidge Fossil Collection contains a wide diversity of fossil ‘reptile’ species that lived about 260 – 250 million years ago and at that time, the most abundant land-living vertebrates were therapsid mammal-like reptiles, the most distant ancestors of mammals,” adds Rubidge.
The Rubidge Collection has a wide variety of these fossil species of which 120 are type specimens.
The rocks of the Karoo Supergroup, deposited from 300 to 120 million years ago, are internationally renowned for their wealth of ancient fossil reptiles that lived during the existence of the supercontinent of Gondwana. This giant continent included the present-day Africa, South America, Madagascar, India, Antarctica and Australia. Karoo fossils are found on all these continents as there was free faunal interchange and the Rubidge Collection is thus of international importance.
“As the Karoo holds the best record on land of two global masses extinction events (end Permian and end Triassic extinctions), the Karoo Origins Fossil Centre will provide an ideal venue to educate the public, and particularly the youth, about past extinctions and the calamitous outcome of the current 6th extinction if humans do not curb over-exploitation of Earth’s natural resources,” emphasises Rubidge.
Karoo Origins will be academically linked to the University of the Witwatersrand and serve as a field base for local and international scientists who will be actively involved in training of students at all academic levels.
“What is being created here is an exciting journey into the distant past and we are looking forward to welcoming anyone and everyone with an interest in palaeontology, whether it be amateurs with a general interest in the geological history and fossils of the Karoo to local and international scientists, as well as undergraduate and postgraduate students,” concludes Rubidge.
About Karoo Origins – The Fossil Centre
Karoo Origins – The Fossil Centre is being established as a self-sustaining Karoo Palaeontological and Earth Science educational and research Centre to develop and explore the palaeontological and geological superlatives of the Karoo through interdisciplinary research and exhibition, in collaboration with national and international scholars. The storyline of a world class palaeontological exhibition, coupled with palaeo-tourism and education activities, will be fuelled by research. By utilising the kudos of the internationally renowned Rubidge Fossil collection, this world-class palaeontological centre seeks to enhance and promote Karoo palaeontology through research, a comprehensive exhibition, as well as tourism and educational outreach to enrich the life experience of tourists and the people of the Karoo.
For further information contact:
Professor Bruce Rubidge: br***********@*****ac.za
Marina Rubidge: ma****@*************co.za
We visited on morning of 29th April
The Museum is world class and certainly depicts evolution as it took place in tge Greater Karoo
A must outing for schools in RSA