Yves Coppens facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Yves Coppens
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Coppens in 2008
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| Born | 9 August 1934 Vannes, France
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| Died | 22 June 2022 (aged 87) Paris, France
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| Alma mater | University of Rennes University of Paris |
| Known for | Co-discovery of "Lucy" |
| Awards | Grand Officer of the National Order of the Legion of Honour Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit of France Kalinga Prize (1984) |
Yves Coppens (born August 9, 1934 – died June 22, 2022) was a famous French scientist. He was an anthropologist, which means he studied humans and their ancestors. He is well-known for helping to discover "Lucy", a very old human ancestor.
Yves Coppens went to the University of Rennes and the Sorbonne. He spent his life studying ancient hominids, which are early human-like creatures. He wrote many books and even helped make a film about his work. In 2014, Pope Francis chose him to be a member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences.
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Discovering Our Past
Yves Coppens was a professor at the Collège de France. This is a very important research place in France. He was a key figure in understanding how early humans lived.
The Story of Lucy
Yves Coppens was part of the team that found "Lucy". Lucy is a famous fossil of an Australopithecus afarensis. This discovery helped scientists learn a lot about our early ancestors. While Donald Johanson found Lucy, Coppens was the director of the expedition in Hadar, where Lucy was found.
East Side Story
Coppens also helped develop an idea called the "East Side Story". This idea suggested that early human ancestors mostly lived on the eastern side of Africa's Rift Valley. However, later discoveries of other ancient human fossils in places like Chad, far to the west, showed that early human ancestors lived in other areas too.
An Asteroid Named After Him
A small space rock, an asteroid, was named after him! It's called 172850 Coppens. This shows how important his work was to science.
Film Work
Yves Coppens also shared his knowledge through movies. He advised on the French film Une Femme ou Deux (which means One Woman or Two), released in 1985.
Important Roles and Honors
Yves Coppens was a member of many important scientific groups around the world. These included the French Academy of Sciences and the Pontifical Academy of Sciences in Vatican. Being part of these groups showed how respected he was in the scientific community.
He received many high honors and awards for his work. These included:
- The Grand Officer of the National Order of the Legion of Honour
- The Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit of France
- The Kalinga Prize in 1984, which is an award for making science popular.
Protecting Our Planet
Yves Coppens also cared about the environment. He led the group that wrote the French Charter for the Environment in 2004. This important document is now part of the French Constitution. It helps protect nature and the planet.
His Final Years
Yves Coppens passed away in Paris on June 22, 2022. He was 87 years old. His work greatly helped us understand the history of humanity.
See also
In Spanish: Yves Coppens para niños
- A Species Odyssey
