Lee Berger: Covid-19 had positives for young researchers

Pandemic gave early career palaeontologists “first crack” at fossil finds

Paleoanthropologist Lee Berger, one of South Africa’s most cited scientists, has said that the Covid-19 pandemic has had positive effects on the careers of young local researchers in his field.

During a webinar hosted by the Academy of Science of South Africa on 14 September, Berger (pictured) said that the pandemic and lockdown travel restrictions led to emerging South African researchers “having the first crack” at newly discovered fossils.