Here we show that the presence of these lakes is associated with low levels of
dust deposition in both West African and
Mediterranean records, but is not associated with long - term global cooling and aridification of East Africa.
Subsequently, the underlying trend towards increasing brain size in Homo is most strongly correlated with both decreases in lake presence and high levels of
dust deposition in the
Mediterranean ODP967 record (Table 3), indicating drier conditions in East Africa [43].