In 1925, Raymond Dart discovered some hominid remains in Africa. This was eventually categorised as belonging to the species Australopithecus africanus, and dated to be 2.5 million years old. Not only was his discovery instrumental in placing human pre-history in Africa, but he also suggested that the injuries sustained by the skull were caused by other humans, therefore introducing the killer ape theory. This was finally disputed in 2006, when Lee Berger proposed that the injuries were actually inflicted by an avian predator.^[https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/cross-check/lee-berger-the-death-of-taung-child-and-my-run-in-with-a-raptor/] The killer ape theory was culturally influential. The famouse scene from 2001: A Space Odyssey, in which one ape kills another with a bone and flings it into the air, was inspired by Raymond Dart's thesis. The killer ape theory is also known as the "deep roots of war" theory, and proposes that the human instinct for war is deep-rooted in our evolutionary past. In modern times, it often draws on the observed violence of chimpanzee behavior. One of the main proponents of this theory is primatologist Richard Wrangham. Skeptics include Brian Ferguson and Robert Sussman. They are proponents of the "human impacts" theory, which says that chimpanzee violence is a response to human influence. John Horgan wrote a good blog on this: - https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/cross-check/chimp-violence-fails-to-support-deep-roots-theory-of-war/ This Radiolab page has a 3D printed copy of the skull. You can even make your own: - https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab/articles/taung-child