World Science Scholars

1.1 Cradle of Humankind

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    • At the turn of the 21st century, it seemed like all major discoveries in South Africa had been made already. Resources and attention to this region began to dry up. Remaining persistent, Lee Berger made an incredible find in 2008, in an area that had already been extensively explored. How do you remain motivated on a lengthy task? What keeps you going, when others have already given up?

    • You remain motivated with your passion and love for your field of work.

    • Other teams who gave up have published their data and combining this data to “my data” and recycling this new mass of data perhaps provides new opportunities. The most valuable pieces of data are those dead ends found earlier.

    • Conviction is a belief that continued work will lead to greater understanding. Achievement gives purpose to life.

    • What kept Lee Berger going? I think his perseverance and thinking out of the box, for example using the GPS and imagining the topography of the region within the time window of interest.

    • When everyone says ”you’re crazy” or “who are you to challenge that”, I know I am on the right path. Going against the grain and paradigm has always proven to be the case in every major breakthrough and paradigm shift. The majority of people do not like change and will not embrace it at first, second or even third glance. The bold and brazen will continually be the forward way of nuance thinking that will always perpetuate the evolution of our species, whatever species that may be.

    • Great perspective on the importance of persistent hard work and the geology of scientific discovery. This glacious process of moving toward eureka moment. It is hard to even comprehend the scope of it, all the different branches of science slowly grinding forward.
      Inspirational.

    • The motivation comes from the curiosity to understand or answer a question, combined with the passion in a subject. Any long drawn tasks, without these ingredients is unlikely to continue the efforts in long run.

    • Self determination and little bit of pattern emergence are enough to go on bus still one needs to continuously strive hard for it as Lee Berger did.

    • What keeps me motivated is knowing that you have to make the impossible possible, and that you can never give up.

    • Probably character and a theory and the future innovation option

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    • There always seem to be new things to discover.

    • Why would the ice sheets stop it from being possible to evolve there? Couldn’t it be said that they just would’ve evolved differently then “we” have? Couldn’t this be associated with the idea of the yeti or Bigfoot? Obviously stories are created and manipulated, but couldn’t the ice sheets just forced a different form of evolution to occur?

    • Enjoyment seems to be a part of what kept him going.

    • What do you hope to accomplish, by your discoveries of humans in the fossil record? Are you hoping that any intelligent contribution will lead eventually to our race becoming advanced? & are the same technologies applied to other fields such as geology?

    • Hello Ladies and Gentlemen,

      How do you remain motivated on an intenesly long task?

      What keeps a person going when others have given up?

      Some say long suffering is well rewarded, but I am unsure of that.

      When we see evolutions of hominids and the mysteries of fossils, some simply are on a quest to add all the pieces together. When we are denied our past, we are intensely interested in it.

      Cradles of Mankind may be a good name for an Institute as geography and resources determine where humanity or those who came before us can survive. Usually this means a double river system of large volume- SW United States, Pakistan, between the Yellow and Yangtze rivers of China, or the Tigris- Euphrates.

      One Prof. from Bathsheba University in Jerusalem claims there were 24 types of humans on the earth only 70,000 years ago. Geography often separates older tribes. The stubborness they too needed to endure climate and seasons is often marvelled at, but South Africa is something of a garden of Eden. Motivations in Eden include snakes and apples.

      I think when we look at the historical eras the review of history has shown in the first part of the 1900 s we see at first a world blossoming. Then the wars slowed it all down, then there is emergence from war environments. Motivations in the dawn of mech warfare include a hope of humanity surviving metal forms.

      The collapse of the Osmanli empire allowed for greater travel as a motivational factor. This was an old fight to undermine Napoleonic control of the Euros.

      Tracing recent history has books and research tools- documented information.

      To research beyond recorded history is quite daring. The latest Astronomical research on starlight provides hope this can occur, as all Astronomy is said to be unearthing the past, also.

      So we see as in the USA protectionism that motivations can be to end curiosity- this happens between many regimes. How do we endure? It is day by day, often hour by hour… pure survival being a motivator. My friends and family are American, so the heart gets torn by conflicts dictated from elsewhere.

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    • love

    • I have always wanted to know the origin of human beings. This course is really good.

    • 这是一件很cooool的事情,因为他的领域

    • There’s always hope.

    • Passion and Personal Interest: Having a deep, personal interest in the subject matter or goal can fuel motivation. This passion often enables individuals to endure setbacks and continue searching for solutions when others might give up.
      Setting Clear, Achievable Goals: Breaking down a large, daunting task into smaller, more manageable goals can make the process seem less overwhelming. Achieving these smaller goals can provide a sense of progress and accomplishment, which fuels further motivation.
      Learning from Failures: Viewing setbacks not as failures but as learning opportunities can be incredibly motivating. This mindset allows individuals to adapt and refine their approaches based on previous experiences.
      Innovative Thinking: Sometimes, a fresh perspective or a novel approach can make all the difference. Thinking outside the box and challenging the status quo can lead to breakthroughs in areas where others might have given up.
      Persistence and Resilience: The ability to persevere, even in the face of repeated setbacks, is crucial. This resilience often comes from a strong belief in the value of the task and confidence in one’s ability to ultimately succeed.
      Support and Collaboration: Having a supportive network of colleagues, mentors, or peers can provide encouragement and fresh perspectives. Collaboration can also lead to new ideas and approaches that an individual might not have considered.
      Reflecting on Progress and Adjusting Strategies: Regularly reflecting on what has been accomplished and what could be improved helps maintain focus and adaptability. This reflection can also reignite enthusiasm and commitment to the task.
      Staying Informed and Curious: Continuously learning about new developments, techniques, and theories in the field can provide fresh insights and reignite interest in the task.

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