Alan Gordon Thorne (1 March 1939 – 21 May 2012) was an Australian born academic who was extensively involved with various anthropological events and is considered an authority on interpretations of Aboriginal Australian origins and the human genome. Thorne first became interested in matters pertaining to archaeology and human evolution as a lecturer in human anatomy at the University of Sydney and eventually joined the Australian National University (ANU) as a professor, where he taught biology and human anatomy. Over time, through many excavations such as Lake Mungo and Kow Swamp, Thorne posited significant arguments that have contradicted traditionally accepted theories explaining the early dispersion of human beings.