Russell H. Tuttle’s New Book, "Footprints from Fossils to Gallows," is a Captivating Memoir Detailing the Author's Groundbreaking Work in the Field of Paleoanthropology

Chicago, IL, August 24, 2023 --(PR.com)-- Fulton Books author Russell H. Tuttle, an active professor of anthropology, evolutionary biology, history of biology and medicine, and the College at the University of Chicago, has completed his most recent book, “Footprints from Fossils to Gallows”: a fascinating overview of the author’s fieldwork that led to the questioning of new footprint analysis that had been used as forensic evidence in trials, and how such scientific methods can be better used in court cases to achieve justice.

For fifty-five years, author Russell H. Tuttle has mentored countless graduate, undergraduate, and medical students, many of whom are leaders in their respective professions. Tuttle has conducted pioneering functional morphological work on apes via electromyography (EMG) and meticulous dissections, leading to the conclusion (recently supported by fossils) that chimpanzees poorly represent the locomotive system that underpinned the evolution of human terrestrial bipedalism. The author has received several national and campus teaching awards, and his other honors include the Charles R. Darwin Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Association of Physical Anthropologists, Distinguished Primatologist Award from the Midwest Primate Interest Group, Medallion of the Collège de France, Medal of the Foundation Singer-Polignac, 50-year Membership and Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Tuttle and his wife of fifty-five years have a daughter and a son, both of whom are also educators.

“Paleoanthropologists are often limited to writing scientifically informed stories because behavior and habitats are transitory and leave no or only tantalizing traces,” writes Tuttle. “The scenarios that we imagine can easily slip from being scientifically informed into another popular genre: science fiction (Tuttle 2014, p. 4). From the outset of their discovery, the Laetoli Pliocene footprints sparked creative impulses; and persons thus inspired have not always clarified the boundary between fact and fiction.”

Tuttle continues, “I was privileged to study one of the most dramatic and provocative fossil discoveries of the twentieth century: 3.66-million-year-old (MA) bipedal footprint trails at Laetoli, Northern Tanzania. Concurrently, this adventure led to an invitation to join a team of barristers and solicitors in defense of two men accused of involvement in a murder in Winnipeg, Canada. The Queen’s Counsel for the prosecution had engaged a forensic anthropologist, Louise M. Robbins (1928–1987), who had worked on Laetoli prints before me. Her claim to have developed a new science of human footprint analysis for forensic use and wild speculations about the makers of some Laetoli prints prompted me to question her scientific ability and method of footprint analysis (Tuttle 1986) and the judgment of fellow forensic scientists who supported her testimonials.

“I pray this book might lead to a better understanding of how science can serve our courts by using novel and well-established results of scientific research less as adversaries with a view to achieve justice for all parties affected by crimes. Particularly, claims of new forensic methods should be tested thoroughly by peer review outside the courtroom before employment to decide matters of long incarceration, quality of life, and death.”

Published by Fulton Books, Russell H. Tuttle’s book will help to open the eyes of readers to the incredible science of paleoanthropology, as they discover the mysteries it can help to unlock in understanding evolution through the physical evidence that fossils leave behind.

Readers who wish to experience this enlightening work can purchase “Footprints from Fossils to Gallows” at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.

Please direct all media inquiries to Author Support via email at support@fultonbooks.com or via telephone at 877-210-0816.