That press conference in 2006 turned Alemseged, who was just 31 when he'd discovered Selam, into a hero in the world of science.

CNN: How Ethiopian scientist unearthed 'world's oldest child'

"When I got involved in this type of research I decided to not only read what has already been discovered but also to make my own discoveries and I can proudly say that I have achieved that with the discovery of Selam and many other fossils, " he says.

CNN: How Ethiopian scientist unearthed 'world's oldest child'