Eudald Carbonell awarded the 2025 “Sàpiens” Honorary Prize
Eudald Carbonell, founder of IPHES-CERCA, Emeritus Professor at the Rovira i Virgili University and Vice-President of the Atapuerca Foundation, has been honoured with the 2025 Sàpiens History Honorary Prize, the most prestigious distinction of the 4th Sàpiens Awards. The prize recognises Carbonell’s exceptional career in research and communication of prehistoric and human evolution science at an international level.
The jury highlighted his “decisive contribution to the understanding of human origins, his dedication to scientific outreach, and his commitment to a humanistic and critical view of science and society.” The award ceremony took place on 28 October at 7 p.m. in the Petit Palau of the Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona, where a video reviewing the milestones of his career was shown. The event gathered colleagues, family members, and friends of the honouree, along with leading figures from the worlds of culture and science.
In his speech, Carbonell reflected on his long-standing relationship with Sàpiens magazine, the most widely read history publication in Catalan, founded in 2002. He recalled his participation since its early days and his many contributions over two decades, especially related to discoveries from the Atapuerca sites. He also praised Sàpiens for its role in promoting history and science communication in Catalan, reaffirming his lifelong commitment to knowledge and culture.
The ceremony, organised by Sàpiens magazine and published by Abacus, also recognised several outstanding researchers and projects: Neus Moran for L’Espoli General (Best Research Award); Malcom Otero and Santi Giménez for Il·lustres execrables (Best National Historical Outreach Initiative); Nathan Thrall for A Day in the Life of Abed Salama (International Award); Antoni Veciana for Dolça a la Torre de Fang (Best Historical Fiction Work); and the documentary series “Quanta guerra!” from 3Cat, which received the Special Sàpiens Award.
Eudald Carbonell’s Career
Born in Ribes de Freser (Ripollès) in 1953, Carbonell holds a degree in Philosophy and Arts from the Autonomous University of Barcelona (1976), a PhD in Quaternary Geology from the Pierre and Marie Curie University (1986), and a PhD in Geography and History from the University of Barcelona (1988). He has been a professor at the Rovira i Virgili University (Tarragona), where he was appointed Chair of Prehistory in 1999, and since September 2023 he has been Professor Emeritus.
Founder of the Catalan Institute of Human Paleoecology and Social Evolution (IPHES-CERCA), he directed the institute until 2015 and currently heads the Emiliano Aguirre Research Centre of the Atapuerca Foundation.
His career has focused on major excavations in Europe and Africa, particularly in Atapuerca (Burgos) —which he co-directed from 1991 to 2024— and in Abric Romaní (Barcelona), which he directed from 1983 to 2024. Among his scientific publications, the article published in Science (1997) stands out for presenting Homo antecessor, a discovery that revolutionised the understanding of human evolution.
He has received numerous awards, including the Prince of Asturias Award for Scientific and Technical Research (1997, as part of a team), the Narcís Monturiol Medal (2000), the National Culture Award (2009), and the Creu de Sant Jordi (2024). He is also the author of numerous essays and popular science books, through which he has made a decisive contribution to bringing science and human evolution closer to society.