Michaela Ecker
@isotopesrule.bsky.social
Past Environments & Human Evolution. Emmy Noether Research Group Leader of "Kgalagadi Human Origins" Project (@khoproject.bsky.social) at @uni-kiel.de. She/her. Views my own.
Pinned
Michaela Ecker
@isotopesrule.bsky.social
· Nov 15
Hello new followers! I am a researcher based at Kiel University, Germany, interested in stable isotopes, palaeoecology, Palaeolithic archaeology & arid environments. PI of @khoproject.bsky.social (follow us!), leading fieldwork in the Kalahari. Very excited to see so many making the move from X 😃
Reposted by Michaela Ecker
2025 was a year with many milestones for us, from the first PhD submitted to our international workshop. We look forward to 2026! Expect more papers, new surveys and student projects, and our special issue! We wish everyone in the Kalahari and beyond happy holidays🎄(Picture of Rappels Pan 2024).
December 17, 2025 at 1:32 PM
2025 was a year with many milestones for us, from the first PhD submitted to our international workshop. We look forward to 2026! Expect more papers, new surveys and student projects, and our special issue! We wish everyone in the Kalahari and beyond happy holidays🎄(Picture of Rappels Pan 2024).
Reposted by Michaela Ecker
"Earliest evidence of making fire" - full-text view-only version of the Nature paper, using the link below.
rdcu.be/eT4WI
rdcu.be/eT4WI
Earliest evidence of making fire
Nature - Baked sediment, heat-shattered artefacts and introduced pyrite in a 400,000-year-old Palaeolithic occupation site in Suffolk, UK provide evidence of intentional fire-making, marking a...
rdcu.be
December 11, 2025 at 2:28 PM
"Earliest evidence of making fire" - full-text view-only version of the Nature paper, using the link below.
rdcu.be/eT4WI
rdcu.be/eT4WI
Reposted by Michaela Ecker
Hey 🏺colleagues working in SW Asia: I am searching for contacts to museums with prehistory on display in the region, and struggle to find some online.
Who could help me with contacts to the Iraq National Museum, Lebanon National Museum, and/or National Museums in Syria?
Who could help me with contacts to the Iraq National Museum, Lebanon National Museum, and/or National Museums in Syria?
December 13, 2025 at 8:54 AM
Hey 🏺colleagues working in SW Asia: I am searching for contacts to museums with prehistory on display in the region, and struggle to find some online.
Who could help me with contacts to the Iraq National Museum, Lebanon National Museum, and/or National Museums in Syria?
Who could help me with contacts to the Iraq National Museum, Lebanon National Museum, and/or National Museums in Syria?
Reposted by Michaela Ecker
I'll be on sabbatical starting January 1, 2026, and if anyone is looking for a guest speaker for department seminars, I'm happy to discuss possible dates. Reskeet widely! 🧪⚒️
August 1, 2025 at 7:22 PM
I'll be on sabbatical starting January 1, 2026, and if anyone is looking for a guest speaker for department seminars, I'm happy to discuss possible dates. Reskeet widely! 🧪⚒️
Winter time is lab time 👩🔬 new plant wax biomarker samples for @people-erc-stg.bsky.social project are currently running on the GC - we try to characterise the past environment at donga sites in 🇿🇦
December 4, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Winter time is lab time 👩🔬 new plant wax biomarker samples for @people-erc-stg.bsky.social project are currently running on the GC - we try to characterise the past environment at donga sites in 🇿🇦
Reposted by Michaela Ecker
Interested in applying for this funded PhD with me
at UCL Institute of Archaeology? Get in touch to discuss this project or to develop your own idea!
Human or Animal? Biomolecular Analysis of Upper Palaeolithic Bone Artefacts to Explore Raw Material Selection.
www.trees-dla.ac.uk/projects/hum...
at UCL Institute of Archaeology? Get in touch to discuss this project or to develop your own idea!
Human or Animal? Biomolecular Analysis of Upper Palaeolithic Bone Artefacts to Explore Raw Material Selection.
www.trees-dla.ac.uk/projects/hum...
December 3, 2025 at 12:17 PM
Interested in applying for this funded PhD with me
at UCL Institute of Archaeology? Get in touch to discuss this project or to develop your own idea!
Human or Animal? Biomolecular Analysis of Upper Palaeolithic Bone Artefacts to Explore Raw Material Selection.
www.trees-dla.ac.uk/projects/hum...
at UCL Institute of Archaeology? Get in touch to discuss this project or to develop your own idea!
Human or Animal? Biomolecular Analysis of Upper Palaeolithic Bone Artefacts to Explore Raw Material Selection.
www.trees-dla.ac.uk/projects/hum...
Reposted by Michaela Ecker
Our new ancient DNA paper has just been published!
We present 28 new genomes from southern Africa - several of them high-coverage whole genomes.
Exciting to be moving towards population-level representation of ancient southern African genetic diversity!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
We present 28 new genomes from southern Africa - several of them high-coverage whole genomes.
Exciting to be moving towards population-level representation of ancient southern African genetic diversity!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Homo sapiens-specific evolution unveiled by ancient southern African genomes - Nature
The genomes of 28 ancient southern African individuals dated to between 10,200 and 150 years before present offer insights into the evolution of Homo sapiens.
www.nature.com
December 3, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Our new ancient DNA paper has just been published!
We present 28 new genomes from southern Africa - several of them high-coverage whole genomes.
Exciting to be moving towards population-level representation of ancient southern African genetic diversity!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
We present 28 new genomes from southern Africa - several of them high-coverage whole genomes.
Exciting to be moving towards population-level representation of ancient southern African genetic diversity!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Michaela Ecker
Nun online: Die erste #Podcast-Folge mit Fiona Walker-Friedrichs, Doktorandin im @clusterroots.bsky.social. Die Folge gibt einen Einblick in die interdisziplinäre Welt von Archäologie und Biologie – und in die Leidenschaft von Fiona, die kleinste Getreidekörner zum Sprechen bringt.🎙️
@uni-kiel.de
@uni-kiel.de
December 2, 2025 at 9:55 AM
Nun online: Die erste #Podcast-Folge mit Fiona Walker-Friedrichs, Doktorandin im @clusterroots.bsky.social. Die Folge gibt einen Einblick in die interdisziplinäre Welt von Archäologie und Biologie – und in die Leidenschaft von Fiona, die kleinste Getreidekörner zum Sprechen bringt.🎙️
@uni-kiel.de
@uni-kiel.de
Reposted by Michaela Ecker
PhD studentship in geoarchaeology at University of Reading, focusing on agro pastoralist systems during the Middle Ages: www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPP800/p...
PhD Studentship in Archaeology at University of Reading
jobs.ac.uk now advertising a PhD Studentship in Archaeology Visit jobs.ac.uk to apply and to browse more PhD opportunities.
www.jobs.ac.uk
December 2, 2025 at 9:21 AM
PhD studentship in geoarchaeology at University of Reading, focusing on agro pastoralist systems during the Middle Ages: www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPP800/p...
Reposted by Michaela Ecker
OUT NOW!
Bernstein in der Bronzezeit.
Netzwerke und Interaktion in Europa
by Benjamin Serbe
#ROOTS
📚 Read online for free or purchase your own volume at www.sidestone.com/books/bernst...
#amber #prehistory
Bernstein in der Bronzezeit.
Netzwerke und Interaktion in Europa
by Benjamin Serbe
#ROOTS
📚 Read online for free or purchase your own volume at www.sidestone.com/books/bernst...
#amber #prehistory
November 27, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Reposted by Michaela Ecker
A fascinating article by @andrewcurry.com @science.org!
🔬....we hope to find out soon whether 'killings/massacres' actually happened in Vráble or whether ritual practices took place here–skull removal and decapitation are different procedures... 💀👀 stay tuned!
@uni-kiel.de @clusterroots.bsky.social
🔬....we hope to find out soon whether 'killings/massacres' actually happened in Vráble or whether ritual practices took place here–skull removal and decapitation are different procedures... 💀👀 stay tuned!
@uni-kiel.de @clusterroots.bsky.social
November 26, 2025 at 12:29 PM
A fascinating article by @andrewcurry.com @science.org!
🔬....we hope to find out soon whether 'killings/massacres' actually happened in Vráble or whether ritual practices took place here–skull removal and decapitation are different procedures... 💀👀 stay tuned!
@uni-kiel.de @clusterroots.bsky.social
🔬....we hope to find out soon whether 'killings/massacres' actually happened in Vráble or whether ritual practices took place here–skull removal and decapitation are different procedures... 💀👀 stay tuned!
@uni-kiel.de @clusterroots.bsky.social
Reposted by Michaela Ecker
New publication alert!‼️ Wrapping up 2025 with my fifth paper of the year in the SAJS!
The paper reviews how stone tools reveal social connections, noting similar patterns can also arise independently and suggesting ways to better distinguish the two. 💫
🔗 doi.org/10.17159/saj...
The paper reviews how stone tools reveal social connections, noting similar patterns can also arise independently and suggesting ways to better distinguish the two. 💫
🔗 doi.org/10.17159/saj...
November 26, 2025 at 12:32 PM
New publication alert!‼️ Wrapping up 2025 with my fifth paper of the year in the SAJS!
The paper reviews how stone tools reveal social connections, noting similar patterns can also arise independently and suggesting ways to better distinguish the two. 💫
🔗 doi.org/10.17159/saj...
The paper reviews how stone tools reveal social connections, noting similar patterns can also arise independently and suggesting ways to better distinguish the two. 💫
🔗 doi.org/10.17159/saj...
Reposted by Michaela Ecker
If you have time for a long read this weekend, make it this excellent article. It considers the nature of the internet, i.e. dominance of white, Western commercial content, which underpins GenAI output production & the impact of excluding local & Indigenous language & knowledge from this.
November 21, 2025 at 1:05 PM
If you have time for a long read this weekend, make it this excellent article. It considers the nature of the internet, i.e. dominance of white, Western commercial content, which underpins GenAI output production & the impact of excluding local & Indigenous language & knowledge from this.
Reposted by Michaela Ecker
On Monday, Lucy Kubiak-Martens (Zandaam, NL) will be guest at the #ArchäologischesKolloquium @uni-kiel.de She will speak on "Culinary Practices in 3rd Millennium BC Hunte 1, Lower Saxony (and Beyond): through Integrated Organic Residue Analysis". All information can be found at the link below
🏺
🏺
Vorträge Kolloquien
Vorträge Kolloquien
www.ufg.uni-kiel.de
November 21, 2025 at 10:47 AM
On Monday, Lucy Kubiak-Martens (Zandaam, NL) will be guest at the #ArchäologischesKolloquium @uni-kiel.de She will speak on "Culinary Practices in 3rd Millennium BC Hunte 1, Lower Saxony (and Beyond): through Integrated Organic Residue Analysis". All information can be found at the link below
🏺
🏺
Reposted by Michaela Ecker
This is a important read on the challenges many African ECRs continue to face when doing archaeology or paleontology at home. Note that the authors are from Ethiopia, Sudan, Zimbabwe, and South Africa.
🏺🧪
🏺🧪
View of Against All Odds: An Archaeologist's Journey in Africa
archaeopresspublishing.com
November 18, 2025 at 12:57 PM
This is a important read on the challenges many African ECRs continue to face when doing archaeology or paleontology at home. Note that the authors are from Ethiopia, Sudan, Zimbabwe, and South Africa.
🏺🧪
🏺🧪
Reposted by Michaela Ecker
If you're in York this Saturday, there's a "Women in #Geology" day of lectures at Tempest Anderson Hall, Yorkshire Museum @yorkshire-geol-soc.bsky.social @ypsyork.bsky.social. Will be fascinating - starts 10.45, keynote by @toriherridge.bsky.social, free tickets www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/women-in-g...
Women in Geology
The stereotypical geologist is a man with beard - this indoor meeting seeks to change this image by celebrating the many women in geoscience
www.eventbrite.co.uk
November 14, 2025 at 10:08 AM
If you're in York this Saturday, there's a "Women in #Geology" day of lectures at Tempest Anderson Hall, Yorkshire Museum @yorkshire-geol-soc.bsky.social @ypsyork.bsky.social. Will be fascinating - starts 10.45, keynote by @toriherridge.bsky.social, free tickets www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/women-in-g...
A new job for #StableIsotope & #massspectrometer enthusiasts for 6 years in the @clusterroots.bsky.social at @uni-kiel.de: Responsibility for running the machines & for measurements. Science people, do not be put off by the word "Engineer". Deadline 31.12.25. Link: www.uni-kiel.de/personal/de/...
Aktuelle Ausschreibungen
Aktuelle Ausschreibungen
www.uni-kiel.de
November 13, 2025 at 11:52 AM
A new job for #StableIsotope & #massspectrometer enthusiasts for 6 years in the @clusterroots.bsky.social at @uni-kiel.de: Responsibility for running the machines & for measurements. Science people, do not be put off by the word "Engineer". Deadline 31.12.25. Link: www.uni-kiel.de/personal/de/...
Reposted by Michaela Ecker
Anwen Cooper & Tina Roushannafas @ox.ac.uk have just published a beautiful piece in Archaeological Dialogues @universitypress.cambridge.org on how archaeological work can realign to meet the needs of pressing environmental agendas and be part of #nature #recovery projects. doi.org/10.1017/S138...
People and time in nature: Positioning archaeology in an ecoclimate crisis | Archaeological Dialogues | Cambridge Core
People and time in nature: Positioning archaeology in an ecoclimate crisis
doi.org
November 12, 2025 at 5:52 AM
Anwen Cooper & Tina Roushannafas @ox.ac.uk have just published a beautiful piece in Archaeological Dialogues @universitypress.cambridge.org on how archaeological work can realign to meet the needs of pressing environmental agendas and be part of #nature #recovery projects. doi.org/10.1017/S138...
Reposted by Michaela Ecker
We are recruiting! (x2)
There are two permanent positions available in our climate dynamics and prediction group, so if either sounds interesting to you do apply, or share with your colleagues:
www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
There are two permanent positions available in our climate dynamics and prediction group, so if either sounds interesting to you do apply, or share with your colleagues:
www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
Permanent position as researcher in Climate Prediction (289560) | Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center
Job title: Permanent position as researcher in Climate Prediction (289560), Employer: Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center, Deadline: Sunday, December 7, 2025
www.jobbnorge.no
November 10, 2025 at 7:45 AM
We are recruiting! (x2)
There are two permanent positions available in our climate dynamics and prediction group, so if either sounds interesting to you do apply, or share with your colleagues:
www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
There are two permanent positions available in our climate dynamics and prediction group, so if either sounds interesting to you do apply, or share with your colleagues:
www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
Reposted by Michaela Ecker
Don't forget the @quaternaryra.bsky.social ADM 2026 abstract deadline is today! sites.google.com/view/qraadmb...
QRA ADM Brighton 2026
Welcome to Brighton!
The Quaternary: Past Human and Environment Dynamics
5th-8th January 2026
sites.google.com
November 10, 2025 at 9:57 AM
Don't forget the @quaternaryra.bsky.social ADM 2026 abstract deadline is today! sites.google.com/view/qraadmb...
Reposted by Michaela Ecker
Passenderweise sehe ich gerade, dass mein Beitrag über "Arier, Aliens & Atlantis: Archäologische #Wissenschaftskommunikation zwischen Popkultur & #Ideologie" inzwischen auch bei @lisa.gerda-henkel-stiftung.de online nachgeschaut & -gehört werden kann:
lisa.gerda-henkel-stiftung.de/antike_im_ze...
lisa.gerda-henkel-stiftung.de/antike_im_ze...
Arier, Aliens und Atlantis: Archäologische Wissenschaftskommunikation zwischen Popkultur und Ideologie | L.I.S.A. WISSENSCHAFTSPORTAL GERDA HENKEL STIFTUNG
Wie oft denken Sie an das Römische Reich? Warum hat Mark Zuckerberg eine Skulptur seiner Ehefrau im Garten aufgestellt? Was war das für ein vermeintlich „römischer Gruß“, mit dem Elon Musk für Aufregu...
lisa.gerda-henkel-stiftung.de
November 9, 2025 at 8:39 PM
Passenderweise sehe ich gerade, dass mein Beitrag über "Arier, Aliens & Atlantis: Archäologische #Wissenschaftskommunikation zwischen Popkultur & #Ideologie" inzwischen auch bei @lisa.gerda-henkel-stiftung.de online nachgeschaut & -gehört werden kann:
lisa.gerda-henkel-stiftung.de/antike_im_ze...
lisa.gerda-henkel-stiftung.de/antike_im_ze...
Reposted by Michaela Ecker
‼️New PhD project in Edinburgh: "Animals, traits, and oxygen in the Ediacaran Nama Group, Namibia". Supervised by Rachel Wood (Amelia Penny and I co-supervising) — big UK+Namibian team — help us understand early animal evolution! Apply by Dec 14th #paleontology
e5-dtp.ed.ac.uk/project?item...
e5-dtp.ed.ac.uk/project?item...
November 9, 2025 at 8:16 PM
‼️New PhD project in Edinburgh: "Animals, traits, and oxygen in the Ediacaran Nama Group, Namibia". Supervised by Rachel Wood (Amelia Penny and I co-supervising) — big UK+Namibian team — help us understand early animal evolution! Apply by Dec 14th #paleontology
e5-dtp.ed.ac.uk/project?item...
e5-dtp.ed.ac.uk/project?item...
Reposted by Michaela Ecker
[new paper alert!!]. Taking another look at the traditional Out of Africa I model… 😎😎
@courtneymanthey.bsky.social
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
@courtneymanthey.bsky.social
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
November 8, 2025 at 8:28 PM
[new paper alert!!]. Taking another look at the traditional Out of Africa I model… 😎😎
@courtneymanthey.bsky.social
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
@courtneymanthey.bsky.social
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Looking forward to welcoming @jmcascalheira.bsky.social & @godefroyy.bsky.social from @icarehb.bsky.social in Kiel @uni-kiel.de this week for some in-depth planning and discussion with @clusterroots.bsky.social & other partners on exciting plans for the future - and the 🌧️ has finally stopped too.
November 4, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Looking forward to welcoming @jmcascalheira.bsky.social & @godefroyy.bsky.social from @icarehb.bsky.social in Kiel @uni-kiel.de this week for some in-depth planning and discussion with @clusterroots.bsky.social & other partners on exciting plans for the future - and the 🌧️ has finally stopped too.
Reposted by Michaela Ecker
Our distance learning (on line) Graduate Certificate in Hunter-Gatherer Archaeology and Anthropology is now open for applications for Sept 2026 start. Full details below or contact me to discuss. Please share!
@ucdarchaeology.bsky.social @eaapam.bsky.social
www.ucd.ie/archaeology/...
@ucdarchaeology.bsky.social @eaapam.bsky.social
www.ucd.ie/archaeology/...
October 30, 2025 at 9:28 AM
Our distance learning (on line) Graduate Certificate in Hunter-Gatherer Archaeology and Anthropology is now open for applications for Sept 2026 start. Full details below or contact me to discuss. Please share!
@ucdarchaeology.bsky.social @eaapam.bsky.social
www.ucd.ie/archaeology/...
@ucdarchaeology.bsky.social @eaapam.bsky.social
www.ucd.ie/archaeology/...