Forget about Ernie Els, Simon Hobday and the rugby Springboks. South Africa’s real international superstar is a man who is never happier than when looking at old bones. Wits University’s Professor Philip V Tobias has confirmed his ranking in international circles by being elected, unanimously, president of the International Association of Human Biologists.
Previous presidents of the 7 000-member organisation include Nobel prize winner Sir Macfarlane Burnett of Australia and the outgoing boss, Professor N Fujiki of Japan. Tobias was a founder-member in 1969. In May this year, he was confirmed as the most highly honoured scientist in this country’s history when he received an honorary doctorate of science from the University of Pennsylvania _ his tenth honorary degree.