The Skull in the Rock: How a Scientist, a Boy, and Google Earth Opened a New Window on Human Origins

When 9-year-old Matthew Berger found a fossil, he “opened a door two million years back in time.”

“Dad, I’ve found a fossil.” His father, noted paleoanthropologist Lee Berger, figured it was just the remains of ancient antelopes. But when he got closer, he knew this “was a gift from the past so precious almost nothing like it had ever been found,” part of a nearly complete skeleton of a new species, Australopithecus sediba, that has led to a new way of viewing human evolution. Aronson weaves the story of sediba’s discovery around a brief biography of Lee Berger, plaiting in enough background about paleoanthropology to provide context. He writes the story with vigor, but he’s not just writing about science, he’s urging young readers to learn from Dr. Berger: “to train your eyes, to walk the land, to learn to see the anomaly—to make the next key discovery.” Aronson emphasizes that the science is ever evolving and that more than the specific discovery, it’s the vision and the debate that are so important and fascinating. Matthew’s discovery was important in itself, but it also opened the door for new discoveries, and it’s the spirit of scientific inquiry that Aronson imparts here.

Gr 5-8--In this slim, readable volume, Berger and Aronson braid a history of past researches and discoveries into an exposition of the long saga of human evolution. Berger's decision to use Google Earth to search long-explored ground for previously unrecognized fossil sites is a brilliant revelation, as is his use of other cutting-edge methods. Fine color photos record his methods and results, with perhaps the most poignant picture being that of the tiny fossil bones of Australopithecus sediba's hand nestled in the seemingly giant paw of a modern Homo sapiens. This enthusiastic narrative opens with Berger's son Matthew's now-famous words, "Dad, I've found a fossil," spoken when he was nine years old. It ends with assurances that readers will be able to follow further field discoveries and lab research by logging on to a special website to participate in forensic anthropology in real time. For earnest fans, some stellar books will reinforce their interest. For some, Catherine Thimmesh's Lucy Long Ago: Uncovering the Mystery of Where We Come From (Houghton, 2009) and/or Katherine Kirkpatrick's Mysterious Bones: The Story of Kennewick Man (Holiday House, 2011) will fill the bill. Older readers wanting a deeper look into the evolution of research should consult Sally M. Walker's Their Skeletons Speak (Carolrhoda, 2012) or Jill Rubacalba's Every Bone Tells a Story (Charlesbridge, 2010). All in all, this slender work, with the gold-toned skull of Australopithecus sediba staring blindly out of the gray rock matrix, is a fine pairing of an impassioned personality and scientific achievement.Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY