Join Smithsonian Associates and geologist Kirt Kempter online on April 11 at 7 pm for a fascinating survey of the African continent that covers a distinctive geologic history that extends from billions of years ago to today.
Enhanced by numerous maps, photos, diagrams, and Google Earth imagery, Kempter explores the big-picture geology of the continent of Africa before looking more closely at the Great Rift Valley, which traverses Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania. The rift is actively tearing the continent apart, fostering grand volcanic landforms such as Kilimanjaro and the Ngorongoro caldera. In addition to rift-related volcanic activity, he examines sedimentary deposits within the rift, such as those at Olduvai gorge, that have preserved countless vertebrate fossils, including a variety of important hominin fossil discoveries over the past five decades. $25 for Smithsonian Associates members, $30 for nonmembers. Register at www.smithsonianassociates.org
