Calpe 2018 Conference marks 170th anniversary of Neanderthal find

The 2018 Calpe Conference will commemorate the 170th Anniversary of the discovery of the Gibraltar 1 Neanderthal skull from Forbes’ Quarry.

The conference starts tomorrow, Thursday, and is the 22nd in the series.

The event will see top international scientists gather in Gibraltar to discuss the state-of-the-art, in a field which has been particularly productive in recent years as a result of the development and advancement of new technologies.

This has been particularly noteworthy in the field of genetics which will be well-represented at the conference, which will include a presentation by Professor Svante Paabo of the Max Planck Institute in Leipzig.

Professor Paabo is regarded as the pioneer in the field of ancient DNA studies.

The conference, organized by the Gibraltar National Museum, runs from Thursday 13th to Saturday 15th at the University of Gibraltar. It is free for local residents who are asked to register in advance.

The conference will be inaugurated on Thursday at 9am by Professor John Cortes who is expected to make a significant announcement during his speech.