Associate Professor, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences
Research Associate, The Stone Age Institute
Adjunct Professor, Anthropology
Affiliate Faculty, African Studies Program, Indiana University
My research seeks to understand the relationship between paleoenvironments and hominin evolution. Drawing on a diverse array of paleoanthropological methods, my work integrates zooarchaeology, vertebrate taphonomy, paleontology, geology, and ecologically grounded actualistic studies of predator-prey dynamics, all through the lens of archaeological perspectives. Over the past fifteen years, I have concentrated on understanding the role of crocodylian predation in hominin evolution, with a particular focus on the renowned Olduvai Gorge, which is perhaps the most famous of all archaeological sites in the world that continues to shape our understanding of human evolutionary history. Currently, I am co-directing a scientific drilling project aimed at analyzing the continental core records from the Olduvai ancient lakebeds to gain high-resolution insights into the paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental conditions that influenced hominin evolution.
Over the years I have established and collaborate in interdisciplinary research projects focusing on human evolution in Tanzania. They include;
Paul Farrugia (Ph.D., 2024)
Title: Crocodylian craniodental ecomorphology and ecological niche modeling: A new approach for reconstructing hominin paleoecology in the East African Rift. System.
Danielle Peltier-Thompson (Ph.D., cand.)
Title: Tectonic and paleoecological influence on the onset of Plio-Pleistocene hominin migration at Olduvai Basin, Tanzania.
Thomas W. LaBarge ((Ph.D., cand.)
Title: Nitrogen and Zinc isotopic model of dietary niche and taphonomy of African Pleistocene megafauna.
Bristol Brabson (Ph.D., cand.)
Title: Modeling Traces of Hominin Activities along Fault Compartments Using an Artificial Neural Network Approach.
Matthew Koelbel (M.Sc., 2024)
Title: A morphological study on the evolution of the hominin dental arcade shape, tooth dimensions, and early Homo phylogeny.
Sam Anderson (M.Sc., 2023)
Title: Mapping Stratigraphy and Erosive Surfaces using UAV and Photogrammetry at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania.
Thomas LaBarge (M.Sc., 2022)
Title: Taphonomy and Ichnology of Nile Crocodile Feeding Behavior.
Baraka Mbise (M.A, 2021)
Title: Covid-19 pandemic to Tanzania tourism industry and the country’s response to socioeconomic crisis.
Silvia Ascari (M.Sc., 2016)
Title: Isotopic analyses of fossil bones and teeth of herbivores and crocodiles from Bed I and Bed II of the Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania.
Torre, I.D.L., Doyon, L., Benito-Calvo, A., Mora, R., Mwakyoma, I., Njau, J.K., Peters, R.F., Theodoropoulou, A., d´Errico, F. (2025) Earliest evidence for systematic bone tool production at 1.5 million years ago. Nature, DOI
Smedley, R., Fenn, K., Stanistreet, I.G., Stollhofen, H., Njau, J.K., Schick, K., Toth, N. (2024) Age-depth model for uppermost Ndutu Beds constrains Middle Stone Age technology and climate-induced paleoenvironmental changes at Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania). Journal of Human Evolution 186, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2023.103465
Kodikara, G.R.L., McHenry, L.J., Stanistreet, I.G., Stollhofen, H., Njau, J.K., Toth, N., Schick, K. (2024) Wide & Deep Learning for predicting relative mineral compositions of sediment cores solely based on XRF scans, a case study from Pleistocene Paleolake Olduvai, Tanzania. Artificial Intelligence in Geosciences 5, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aiig.2024.100088.
Kodikara, G.R.L., McHenry, L.J., Hynek, B.M., Njau, J.K. (2024) Mapping paleolacustrine deposits with a UAV-borne multispectral camera: Implications for future drone mapping on Mars. The Planetary Science Journal 5, 265. https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/ad8b29
Taylor, C.E., Masao, F., Njau, J.K., Songita, A.V., Hlusko, L.J. (2024) OH 89: A newly described ~1.8-million-year-old hominid clavicle from Olduvai Gorge. Peer Community Journal, 4, https://doi.org/10.24072/pcjournal.372
*LaBarge, T.W. and Njau, J.K. Taxonomic Reappraisal of Nihilichnus from Taphonomic Perspectives of Crocodile Feeding Behavior. Ichnos. 31, 40-55. https://doi.org/10.1080/10420940.2024.2353199
McHenry, L.J., Stanistreet, I.G., Njau, J.K., Mwankunda, J. (2023) The Geoheritage of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania: providing geological answers to human origins questions. Geological Society, London. 543, https://doi.org/10.1144/sp543-2022-269
Drumheller, S., D’Amore, D., Njau, J.K. (2023) Taphonomic Approaches to Bite Mark Analyses in the Fossil Record and Applications to Crocodyliform and Broader Archosaurian Paleobiology. In: Ruling Reptiles: Crocodylian Biology and Archosaur Paleobiology. (Eds. Holly N. Woodward & James O. Farlow), Indiana University Press. Bloomington, IN. Pg. 161-185
Fujioka, F., Benito-Calvo, A., Mora, R., McHenry, L.J., Njau, J.K., Torre, I.d.L (2022) Direct cosmogenic nuclide isochron burial dating of early Acheulian stone tools at the T69 Complex (FLK West, Olduvai Bed II, Tanzania). Journal of Human Evolution. 165, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2022.103155
Brassell, S.C., Colcord, D.E., Shilling, A.M., Stanistreet, I.G., Stollhofen, H., Toth, N., Schick, K.D., Njau, J.K., Freeman, K.H. (2022) Alkenones in Pleistocene Upper Bed I (1.803-1.900 Ma) sediments from Paleolake Olduvai, Tanzania. Organic Geochemistry 170, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orggeochem.2022.104437
*Farrugia, P. & Njau, J.K. (2022) Paleoecology and Vertebrate Taphonomy of the DK Site, Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, In S. Reynolds & R. Bobe (eds.). African Paleoecology and Human Evolution. Cambridge University Press. Pg. 394-412, https://doi.org/10.1017/9781139696470.032
Njau JK, Toth P, Schick K, Stanistreet I, McHenry LJ and Stollhofen H. (2021) The Olduvai Gorge Coring Project: Drilling high resolution palaeoclimatic and palaeoenvironmental archives to constrain hominin evolution. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 561. DOI.
Ferland TM, *Colcord DE, *Shilling AM, Brassell SC, Stanistreet IG, Stollhofen, H, Njau JK, Schick KD, Toth N and Freeman KH (2021) Biased preservation of Pleistocene climate variability proxies at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 562. DOI
Torre LDS, Benito-Calvo A, Martín-Ramos C, McHenry LJ, Mora R, Njau JK, Pante M, Stanistreet IG and Stollhofen H (2021). New excavations in the MNK Skull site, and the last appearance of the Oldowan and Homo habilis at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology 61. DOI
Stollhofen H, Stanistreet IG, Toth N, Schick KD, Rodríguez-Cintas A, Albert RM, *Farrugia P, Njau JK, Pante MC, Herrmann E, Ruck L, Bamford MK, Blumenschine RJ and Masao FT (2021) Olduvai's Oldest Oldowan. Journal of Human Evolution 150. DOI
Njau JK, Herrmann EW, Ruck L, Pante M, *Farrugia P, Toth N, Schick K, Stollhofen H and Stanistreet IG (2020) Core stratigraphy constrains Bed IV archaeological record at HEB site, Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 552. DOI
Parisi L, Stanistreet IG, Njau JK, Schick K, Toth, N and Martin Mai P (2020) Seismological investigations in the Olduvai basin and Ngorongoro Volcanic Highlands (western flank of the North Tanzanian Divergence). Seismological Research Letters 91(6):3286–3303. DOI
McHenry LJ, Stanistreet IG, Stollhofen H, Njau JK, Toth N and Schick K (2020) Tuff fingerprinting and correlations between OGCP cores and outcrops for Pre-Bed I and Bed I/II at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 548. DOI
McHenry LJ, Kodikara GRL, Stanistreet IG, Stollhofen H, Njau JK, Schick K and Toth N (2020) Lake conditions and detrital sources of Paleolake Olduvai, Tanzania, reconstructed using X-ray Diffraction analysis of cores. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 556. DOI
Deino AL, Heil C, King J, McHenry LJ, Stanistreet IG, Stollhofen H, Njau JK, Mwankunda J, Schick KD and Toth N (2020) Chronostratigraphy and Age Modeling of Pleistocene Drill Cores from the Olduvai Basin, Tanzania (Olduvai Gorge Coring Project). Palaeogeog, Palaeoclim, Palaeoecol. DOI
Pante M, Torre LDL, d’Errico F, Njau JK and Blumenschine RJ (2020) Bone tools from Beds II-IV, Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, and implications for the origins and evolution of bone technology. Journal of Human Evolution 148. DOI
Rodriguez-Cintas A, Albert RM, Bamford MK, Stanistreet IG, Stollhofen H, Stone, JR, Rivera-Rondon C, Pronzaro R, Njau JK, Schick K and Toth N (2020) Palaeovegetation changes recorded in Palaeolake Olduvai OGCP Core 2A (2.09–2.12 Ma) Naibor Soit Formation Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 557. DOI
*Shilling AS, *Colcord DE, Karty J, Hansen A, Freeman KH, Njau JK, Stanistreet IG, Stollhofen H, Schick KD, Toth N and Brassell SC (2020) Biogeochemical evidence from OGCP Core 2A sediments for environmental changes preceding deposition of Tuff IB and climate transitions in Upper Bed I of the Olduvai Basin. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology. 555 DOI
Stanistreet IG, Boyle JF, Stollhofen H, Deocampo D, Deino A, McHenry LJ, Toth N, Schick K and Njau JK (2020) Palaeosalinity and palaeoclimatic geochemical proxies (elements Ti, Mg, Al) vary with Milankovitch cyclicity (1.3 to 2.0 Ma), OGCP cores, Palaeolake Olduvai, Tanzania. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 546. DOI
Stanistreet IG, Stollhofen H, Deino A, McHenry L, Toth N, Schick K and Njau JK (2020) New Olduvai Basin stratigraphy and stratigraphic concepts revealed by OGCP cores into the Palaeolake Olduvai depocentre, Tanzania. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 554. DOI
Stanistreet IG, Doyle C, Hughes T, Rushworth ER, Stollhofen H, Toth N, Schick K, and Njau JK (2020) Changing depocentre environments of Palaeolake Olduvai and carbonates as marker horizons for hiatuses and lake-level extremes. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 560. DOI
*Shilling AM, *Colcord DE, Karty J, Hansen A, Freeman KH, Njau JK, Stanistreet IG, Stollhofen H, Schick KD, Toth N and Brassell SC (2019) Biogeochemical evidence for environmental changes of Pleistocene Lake Olduvai during the transitional sequence of OGCP Core 2A that encompasses Tuff 1B (~1.848 Ma). Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 532. DOI
*Colcord DE, *Shilling A, Freeman KH, Njau JK, Stanistreet IG, Stollhofen H, Schick K, Toth N and Brassell S (2019) Aquatic biomarkers record Pleistocene environmental changes at Paleolake Olduvai, Tanzania. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 524:250-261. DOI
Merritt SR, Pante MC, Keevil TL, Njau JK and Blumenschine RJ (2019) Don’t cry over spilled ink: missing context prevents replication and creates the Rorschach effect in bone surface modification studies. Journal of Archaeological Science 102:71-79. DOI
Lu K, Hanafy S, Stanistreet IG, Njau JK, Schick K, Toth N, Stollhofen H, and Schuster G (2019) Seismic imaging of the Olduvai Basin, Tanzania. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 533 DOI
Alemseged Z, Njau JK, Pobiner B and Ndiema E (2019) Connecting palaeoscientists in eastern Africa and the wider world. Nature Ecology and Evolution. DOI
*Ascari S, Njau JK, Polly, PD, Sauer P and Peng Y (2018) Fossil herbivores and crocodiles as paleoclimatic indicators of environmental shifts from Bed I and Bed II times of the Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 511:550-557. DOI
Stanistreet IG, Stollhofen H, Njau JK, *Farrugia P, Masao FT, Albert RM, Bamford MK and Pante M (2018) Lahar inundated, modified and preserved 1.88 Ma early hominin (OH24 and OH56) Olduvai DK site. Journal of Human Evolution 116:27-42. DOI
*Colcord DE, *Shilling AM, Sauer P, Freeman KH, Njau JK, Stanistreet IG, Stollhofen H, Schick KD, Toth N and Brassell SC (2018) Sub-Milankovitch palaeoclimatic and paleoenvironmental variability in East Africa recorded by Pleistocene lacustrine sediments from Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 495:284-291. DOI
de la Torre I, McHenry LJ, and Njau JK (2018) From the Oldowan to the Acheulean at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Journal Human Evolution (Special Issue) 120:1-421. DOI
Pante MC, Njau JK, Hensley-Marschand B, Keevil TL, Martín-Ramos C, Peters RF, and Torre I (2018) The carnivorous feeding behavior of early Homo at HWK EE, Bed II, Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Journal of Human Evolution 120:215-235. DOI
Prassack K, Pante MC, Njau JK and de la Torre I (2018) The Paleoecology of Fossil Birds from Middle Bed II, at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Journal of Human Evolution 120:32-47. DOI
Rivals F, Uno K, Bibi F, Pante M, Njau JK and de la Torre I (2018) Dietary traits of the ungulates from the HWK EE site at Olduvai Gorge,Tanzania: Diachronic changes and seasonality. Journal of Human Evolution 120:203-214. DOI
Bibi F, Pante M, Souron A, Stewart K, Varela S, Werdelin L, Boisserie JR, Fortelius M, Hlusko L, Njau JK and de la Torre I (2018) Large mammals and fish from the Oldowan-Acheulean transition at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, and the paleoecology of the Serengeti. 120:48-75. DOI
de la Torre I, Albert RM, Arroyo A, Macphail R, McHenry LJ, Mora R, Njau JK, Pante MC, Rivera-Rondon CA, Rodríguez-Cintas A, Stanistreet IG, Stollhofen H and Wehr K (2018) New excavations at the HWK EE site: archaeology, paleoenvironment and site formation processes during late Oldowan times at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Journal of Human Evolution 120:140-202. DOI
Uno K, Rivals F, Bibi F, Pante M, Njau JK and de la Torre I (2018) Large mammal diets and paleoecology across the Oldowan-Acheulean transition at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania from stable isotope and tooth wear analyses. Journal of Human Evolution 120:76-91. DOI
Albert RM, Bamford MK, Stanistreet IG, Stollhofen H, Rivera-Rondon CA, Njau JK and Blumenschine RJ (2018) River-fed wetland palaeovegetation and palaeoecology at the HWK W site, Bed I, Olduvai Gorge. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology 259:223-241. DOI
Pante MC, Muttart MV, Keevil TL, Blumenschine RJ, Njau JK, and Merritt S (2017) A new high-resolution 3-D quantitative method for identifying bone surface modifications with implications for Early Stone Age archaeological record. Journal of Human Evolution 102:1-11. DOI
Njau JK and Gilbert WH (2016) Standardizing terms for crocodile-induced bite marks on bone surfaces in light of the frequent bone modification equifinality found to result from crocodile feeding behavior, stone tool modification, and trampling. FOROST (Forensic Osteology) 3:1-13.
Johnson CC, Njau JK, Van Damme D, Schick K and Toth N (2016) Paleoecologic significance of freshwater bivalves, Bed III, Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Palaios 31:319-326. DOI
McHenry LJ, Njau JK, de la Torre I and Pante MC (2016) Geochemical “fingerprints” for Olduvai Gorge Bed II tuffs and implications for the Oldowan–Acheulean transition. Quaternary Research 85:147-158. DOI
Jorayev G, Wehr K, Benito-Calvo A, Njau JK and Torre I (2016) Imaging and photogrammetry models of Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania) by unmanned aerial vehicles: a high-resolution digital database for research and conservation of Early Stone Age sites. Journal of Archaeological Science 75:40-56. DOI
Habermann J, Stanistreet IG, Stollhofen H, Albert RM, Bamford MK, Pante M, Njau JK and Masao FT (2016) In situ ~2.0 Ma trees discovered as fossil rooted stumps, lowermost Bed I, Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, Journal of Human Evolution 90:74-87. DOI
Cherin M, Iurino DA, Njau JK and Masao FT (2016) New material of hyaenids (Mammalia, Carnivora) from Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania (Early Pleistocene). Bollettino della Società Paleontologica Italiana 55(1):1-9
Hlusko LJ, Reiner WR and Njau JK (2015) A one-million-year-old hominid distal ulna from Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. American Journal of Physical Anthropology 158:36-42. DOI
Njau JK (2013) Olduvai Gorge Archaeological Site. C. Smith (ed.), Encyclopedia of Global Archaeology.
Masao FT, Anton S and Njau JK (2013) Results of recent investigations of the Oldowan and associated hominid remains at the DK site, Olduvai Gorge. In: Africa, cradle of humanity: Recent discoveries. Travaux du Centre National de Recherches Préhistoriques, Anthropologiques et Historiques. Nouvelle série 18, Pp.147-187.
BOOK Crocodile Predation and Hominin Evolution: Landscape Paleoanthropology at Olduvai Gorge. Saarbruken: Lambert Academic Publishing (2012) pp. 323. Amazon
Njau JK (2012) Reading Pliocene Bones. Science 336, 46-47. DOI
Njau JK and Blumenschine RJ (2012) Crocodylian and Mammalian Carnivore Feeding Traces on Hominin Fossils from FLK 22 and FLK NN 3, Late Pliocene, Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Journal of Human Evolution 63:408-417.
Blumenschine RJ, Stanistreet IG, Njau JK, Bamford MK, Masao FT, Albert RM, Stollhofen H, Andrews P, Prassak KA, McHenry LJ, Fernandez-Jalvo Y, Camilli EL and Ebert J (2012) Environments and Hominin Activities across FLK Peninsula During Zinjanthropus Times (1.84 Ma), Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Journal of Human Evolution 63:364-383.
Ungar PS, Krueger KL, Blumenschine RJ, Njau JK and Scott RS (2012) Dental microwear texture analysis of hominins recovered by the Olduvai Landscape Paleoanthropology Project, 1995-2007. J. Human Evolution 63:429-437.
Renne PR, Mulcahy SR, Cassata WS, Morgan LE, Kelley SP, Hlusko LJ, and Njau JK (2012) Retention of inherited Ar by alkali feldspar xenocrysts in a magma: Kinetic constraints from Ba zoning profiles. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 93:129–142. DOI
Blumenschine RJ, Masao FT, Stollhofen H, Stanistreet IG, Bamford MK, Albert RM, Njau JK and Prassack KA (2012) Landscape distribution of Oldowan stone artifact assemblages across the fault compartments of the eastern Olduvai Lake Basin during early lowermost Bed II times. Journal of Human Evolution 63:384-394.
Westaway M, Thompson J, Wood W and Njau JK (2011) Crocodile ecology and the taphonomy of early Australasian sites. Environmental Archaeology 16:124-136. DOI
Njau JK and Hlusko LJ (2010) Fine-Tuning Paleoanthropological Reconnaissance using High-Resolution Satellite Imagery: The Discovery of 28 New Sites in Tanzania. Journal of Human Evolution 59:680-684.
Brochu CA, Njau JK, Blumenschine RJ and Densmore LD (2010) A New Horned Crocodile From Plio-Pleistocene Hominid Sites at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. PLoS One 5(2), e9333.
Louchart A, Wesselman H, Blumenschine RJ, Hlusko LJ, Njau JK, Black MT, Asnake M and White TD (2009) Taphonomic, Avian, and Small Vertebrate Indicators of Ardipithecus ramidus Habitat. Science 326:66.
Njau JK, Alemseged Z, Mbua E, and Pobiner B (2009) Fifty Years After Discovery of Zinjanthropus Conference. Evolutionary Anthropology 18:235-236.
Blumenschine RJ, Peters CR, Capaldo SD, Andrews P, Njau JK, and Pobiner BL (2007) Vertebrate taphonomic perspectives on Oldowan hominin land use in the Plio-Pleistocene Olduvai Basin, Tanzania. In: Breathing Life into Fossils: Taphonomic Studies in Honor of C.K. Brain (T. Pickering, K. Schick, N. Toth eds.). Gosport, IN: Stone Age Institute Press. Pp. 161-179.
Njau JK and Blumenschine RJ (2006) A Diagnosis of Crocodile Damage to Large Vertebrate Bones, With Fossil Examples From Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Journal of Human Evolution 50:142-162.
Blumenschine RJ, Peters CR, Masao FT, Clarke RJ, Deino AL, Hay RL, Swisher C, Ashley GM, McHenry LJ, Sikes NE, van der Merwe NJ, Tactikos JC, Cushing AE, Deocampo DM, Njau JK and Ebert JI (2003) Late Pliocene Homo and Hominid Land Use from Western Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. Science 299:1217-1221.
The College of Arts