The Institute of Evolution in Africa (IDEA) focuses on the investigation of the origin of humans in the African continent. The institute is academically a branch of the University of Alcalá de Henares (Madrid, Spain) and participates as part of a consortium constituted by the Regional Archaeological Museum of the Community of Madrid and the University of Alcalá de Henares.

IDEA is the headquarters of the TOPPP research team (The Olduvai Paleoanthropology and Paleoecology Project), which develops its work in the prestigious Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania), in the most important archaeological sites of the origin of humankind.

In addition to paleoanthropological research in Africa, the IDEA aims to be a center for archaeological, paleoecological, taphonomic and anthropological training. Its taphonomic research team stands out in particular. Taphonomy is a paleobiological discipline responsible for unraveling how archaeological and paleontological sites are formed. IDEA contains the most important neotaphonomic macromammal experimental collection in the world, which makes it a reference center at an international level.