Broom, Robert (1866-1951), was a Scottish anatomist and paleontologist. In 1936 in South Africa, he discovered the fossil remains of an ancient humanlike creature called Plesianthropus, now known as Australopithecus africanus. He wrote about these fossils and discussed their significance in human evolution.
Broom was born on Nov. 30, 1866, in Paisley, Scotland. He received his medical degree from Glasgow University in 1889. In 1897, he moved to South Africa. Broom practiced medicine until 1928. He was also a professor of zoology and geology at Victoria College (now the University of Stellenbosch) from 1903 to 1934. Broom’s works on paleontology include Mammal-Like Reptiles of South Africa (1932) and The South African Fossil Apeman (1946). Broom died on April 6, 1951.
