Berhane Asfaw [bɨɾɨhanə ʔəsɨfawɨ] (Amharic: ብርሃነ አስፋው; born 22 August 1954) is an Ethiopian paleontologist of Rift Valley Research Service, who co-discovered human skeletal remains at Herto Bouri, Ethiopia later classified as Homo sapiens idaltu, proposed as an early subspecies of anatomically modern humans.

A history teacher who read to the class about the discoveries of Zinjantohrpus (Australopithecus boisei) and Homo habilis by the Leakeys, published by the National Geographic Society.

This exposure to fieldwork redefined his interest and he changed the focus of his field of study from African Prehistory to Physical Anthropology.

Before attending Berkeley for graduate school, Asfaw had a one-month archaeological field experience with French archaeologist, Jean Chavaillon, at Melaka Konture in 1979.

Berhane spearheaded major archeological expeditions into Afar region that led to the ground breaking discoveries in human evolution.

[4] He credits this major discovery in part to the EPRDF bringing stability to Ethiopia thus allowing the research group to work in remote areas.

[5][6] Over the years his excavations continued to find Australopithecus anamensis[7] and Homo erectus as well as discovering five new species making Ethiopia the richest site of early human ancestry.