We Went to South Africa to Hunt For Fossils - Here’s What Happened to Us
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 ส.ค. 2024
- During the summer of 2021, Ben and Doug embarked on an epic journey to the semi-deserts of South Africa to hunt for fossils alongside palaeontologists from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. Despite facing all sorts of dangers (and getting lost a few times) they managed to discover some incredible fossils on their journey and learned so much along the way. Join them in this series as they travel across the country exploring the hominid-filled caves in the Cradle of Humankind, surviving terrifying lightning storms, and attempting to stay sane - these are Ben and Doug's South African Adventures.
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#BenAndDougExploreSA
I am South African and I am in awe of your journey. I would love to know the names of the sites and museums that you visited, so I could see them myself. I wish paleotourism was better marketed here
Indeed
Same here
Hi. The went to the University of the Witwatersrand (Origins Center), the Cradle of Humankind, and Graaf Reinet (Kitching Center)
@@StopScience thank you
There is also a fossilised mud flat near Fraserberg and a fossil park near Langebaan that's worth seeing. As far as I know, most of the in situ Karoo fossils are on private farms so they are difficult to access. You need to contact the farm owners to ask for access.
Participation in world-class field work is a life changing experience. I'll never lose the skills and friends I made on my DSDP leg in 1982. Best wishes to you two and high hopes for future studies!
Archaeology Field Work: Poisonous snakes, thunderstorms, poison ivy, unexploded ordinance, and two stone tools. You did well, and I'm glad you both returned healthy and ready for another go. Will there be a future Thrinax dig?
Unless you are talking about the Tiger Keelback, they weren't poisonous but venomous. Which, the Keelback is both!
@@amandastakeonit7402 I was describing my archaeology Field work in Central Louisiana and contrasting it to their Paleontology Permian digs in the Karoo Basin.
@@Kitsaplorax were the snakes you met tiger keelbacks?
This👆🏼 is true. Add poisonous insects, hypothermia, heat exhaustion, dehydration, sudden flash floods & snow squalls, truck failure 70 miles from the nearest human contact, no showers for 7-10 days, or phones/rlectricity. Welcome to the romance of archaeology!
I think I speak for all when I say that we are very much looking forward to watching Doug's descent into madness.
It's pretty much what I keep coming back for. That, and the occasional bits about science.
The first episode is finally here! This has made my day!
Doug casually bringing the first pringles in humanity's birth place cave
I live a few kilometres from where the Taung child was found. It is a privilege to live in a country so rich in natural history. I'm so happy you enjoyed your trip❤
I'm so pleased and proud that all the young paleontologists got this opportunity!! I could see how thrilled you were, even with the mask! And I hope Doug is recovering. :)
Man this makes me fall in love with paleontology even more...!
I hope this is the start of illustrious careers for both of you!
I was invited on the dig that discovered Naledi. The email asked specifically for "small archaeologists", which made me laugh. Unfortunately, I was recovering from a stroke at the time and couldn't go. It's exactly as Ben said; it's a once in a lifetime experience. If you get the chance for something like this, don't pass it up.
I'm so excited for the rest of the series! I'm definitely awaiting Doug's descend onto madness overway 😂
“…Doug’s alarming decent into madness”
I’m getting the popcorn ready
Cant wait to see the rest of the series!
Incredible. So jealous 🥲
I am absolutely beyond jealous that you guys got to do this and I'm really looking forward to seeing the other videos. Also, you're just gonna drop the new outro like it's nothing?? Very cool.
New ident graphic thing is VERY cool. Congrats guys - seems like it was an awesome trip!
I am Happy to have helped, being stuck in Isolation it was nice to help someone have an adventure!
Animals from South Africa are the most badass things that ever lived and even prehistoric ones
Be safe from wild animals, Ben
excited to hear all about your trip! love the new logo outro!
I seriously dont know why people call this field childish, when its just so fascinating, i wish i was there with you
That intro with zebra elements and gravity sounded like the start of a top gear episode
Maaaaannn I'm so happy 4 u!!! Truly an amazing expirience
I'm so glad one of my favorite channels got to visit where I grew up, watching the footage has made my day by reminding me of the beauty of the landscape and the history of my home❤🇿🇦
Thanks Ben and Doug for sharing this wonderful adventure with us via TH-cam
So cool! Glad you got to experience such a great thing! Looking forward to the next videos, as well as Doug's descent into madness.
Inspiring story. Yall deserve every bit of it. Keep the experience videos coming.
That's so cool :D
I stay in the Cradle of Humankind area. The caves are 4km from our home. Glad you enjoyed our country. 🇿🇦
im soo happy you enjoyed the stay in my country.
I wondered when or if these would come out. It's been over a year of basic silence on your trip, so it's great to finally hear what happened!! Happy for you guys, and looking forward to more adventure stories.
I just love how he's so happy the whole time.
Poor Doug, he looks sad
I’m so happy to hear there will be several more videos from THRINAX2021!!!
Great to see you in action in the field, lads.
I'm so glad Doug went with you. He ALWAYS brings the humor and personality that's so necessary.
Dude, please make more noise for funding sick trips like this!🙌 You really make science so easily accessible and genuine. Would gladly pitch in to give more trips.
Also, the new logo looks absolutely amazing, can't wait to see what's next
It’s so awesome seeing you in my country, love your channel 🙏🏻
I LOVE hearing it all
love the fx logo at the end, nice touch
Epic new closing graphics
This epsiode truly my day and it's just so good
Hope you have a great day
It made me smile to see my username amount the donators. I'm so proud I was able to contribute to this.
It looks like you had a great experience and fantastic time. I am not an expert but your videos make me very interested and curious about Paleontology. Thanks for all the interesting and educational videos you are making.
I love that smile, what an amazing experience. I just had a very similar experience in Jordan, but for archaeology. It was my first dig. I love the hominid vault, btw!
My freshman year in uni, I volunteered in the Archaeololgy Lab brushing off pottery sherds with a toothbrush. I admit that my 18-year-old self did not have the patience for such work. Twenty-five years later, I wish had the opportunity to discover artifacts. Enjoy this time, gentlemen. And thank you for letting us live vicariously through you.
Nice Spielberg dolly zoom at 0:45
Worth every penny. Looking forward to see more!
Great!
Doug is a superstar; Ben must be so jealous of Doug’s accomplishments. Go, Doug!!!
I’d love to see more of the fossils you got to see! Especially from Witwatersrand and the Permian specimens near one of the dig sites!
I couldn't have asked for anything more exciting on my birthday. Just seeing the hominid vault gave me goosebumps.
I visited SA in 2015 and it was the best trip of my life. I didn't go on any fossil digs though. The closest I got to that was the Iziko South African Museum in Cape Town which has a paleontology collection.
I always wished to be in a expedition someday
invited to my backyard by my alma mater! Glad you guys had great adventure!
Those skulls at 6.45 are fabulous
Cant wait for more! What an awesome experience
Fascinating. Thanks
Wow! Hominid vault!
It’s pretty cool to see how excited you were! And Doug’s journey to madness is not unexpected.
Shared mutual suffering is honestly the most organic way to build chemistry with others lol. You might be strangers but you sure can relate to how you aren't finding anything, ain't catching any damn fish, your backs are sore and the weather has been a damn chore to put up with. Am I right 👍🏻 Aww, that's Life 🌎⚛️♾️☮️☯️🌍
That is so god damn cool. I am so jealous 😩
Thank you Ben and Doug for sharing your adventure. Looking forward to seeing the new videos.
Awesome!
Wow! I'm so glad you had this experience and glad I could help you get there. I've been intrigued with the Karoo since reading Peter Ward's "Gorgon." I'm looking forward to the future videos. Again, Thanks.
There are cave/cliff paintings at Mapungubwe nature reserve about an hour from the town Musina. My father knows where they are. I haven’t seen them as they aren’t open to the public.
Are there pictures online?
@@hobosorcerer maybe, doubt. My father saw them before the park was established. I could ask him.
Super excited to see the videos in this series! What an awesome opportunity.
Duuuude that’s awesome
Omg that's so freaking cool!!! I can't wait till I can go do this stuff myself. I love gorgonopsids
So glad you guys enjoyed your journey to my beautiful country! Looking forward to your vids about your trip!
Can't wait to see more.
So happy for you.
im excited for what comes next!
Congrats to both of you & that's what I would call the fossil hunting trip of a lifetime! Looking forward to the follow up videos! Cheers........ 👍👍🦖🦖
Great to know there will be more videos of this fantastic trip
Wow! 2nd day surpassed your awesome first?
And it indeed looks like it did very nice.
I bet you will treasure those tees. 👍🏻
Awesome! Looking forward to more!
I have been waiting for this ever since you first announced you were going to SA
As a South African myself, I hope you enjoy the lack of electricity 😉
I hope you ate plenty of biltong, it's so good and everywhere over there. I have some family that live in in Jburg and I'd visit them just to my hands on some lol.
Glad for you guys that you were able to experience that :)
Thank you so much for sharing this experience!!!
I have been there on a botanical excursion. What an unforgettable landscape and ecology
What an extraordinary experience. Looking forward to the follow-up videos.
I went on a similar trip to the Karoo about 10 years ago. It was a wonderful experience and I highly recommend doing something like this if you have the opportunity.
Very exciting.
I am South African and i stay in the Karoo
Firstly... Worm week are y'all gonna do it this year????
Secondly... That's so exciting! I can't wait to watch the rest of the videos on your trip! I'm very jelly yall went into that hominoid room
...
So happy to know you guys enjoyed your time here. SA is beautiful. I'm from jozi, I've also been to Clarence and the cradle of human kind. Both are beautiful. If you guys ever comeback you should check out the Eastern Cape. There are some really well preserved plant fossils.
Very, very cool stuff, guys. I'm happy for you!
Therapsid fossils, very interesting. I would like to see those fossils someday, if I can.
Ah yes the ultimate sigma move
The true and real peak sigmas ! :)
Be aware of the lions and ostritches thought !
@The Philosoraptor insert gigachad soundtrack theme
Ain’t no lions in the Karoo
@@cassidyallengar so no hyenas or wild dogs either than
@@thedoruk6324 only in the largest Game reserves. You can find leopards in VERY rural areas with lots of Rocky Mountains but it’s rare.
Fieldwork in paleontology is like a right of passage. A painful, sweaty, dirty, right of passage.
Very cool, and so awesome you guys got to do this.
Even being subscribed to Pr. Benoit's TH-cam channel, I was not aware of your expedition lmao
Very nice that you could nail it, I hope that someday I can follow your steps!
Im so happy for you guys!
Always wanted to visit the flaming cliffs in the USA
Glad all of you had a great time!! What's up with the Africa on the table?
Great video! 👍
I love this vid, so glad you got this experience