USolwazi Phillip Vallentine Tobias wazalelwa eThekwini ngo-1925. Waya e-St Andrew School futhi kamuva wathuthela e-Durban High School ngo-1939 lapho enza khona umatikuletsheni ngo-1942. Lapho eneminyaka engu-15 ngisho nangaphambi kokuba aqede ukufunda, wanquma ukufundela ubudokotela ngemuva udadewabo, u-Val, owayeneminyaka engu-21, wabulawa yisifo sikashukela.
U-Tobias wabhalisa e-University of the Witwatersrand’s Medical School ngo-1944, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi wagxila kwezofuzo. U-Tobias wayebuye asebenze kwezepolitiki elwa nobandlululo, futhi engusihlalo we-National Union of South African Students (NUSAS).
U-Tobias waqokwa njengombonisi ku-Histology and Instructor in Physiology e-University of Witwatersrand, ngo-1945. Wathola iziqu zakhe ze-Bachelor of Science in Histology and Physiology ngo-1946-1947, wenza iziqu ze-Medicine (MB. Ch.B.) ngo-1950. Ngo-1951, waqokwa ukuba afundise ngokugcwele eMnyangweni Wezitho Zomzimba e-Wits Medical School. Uthole i-PhD yakhe ngo-1953 ngomqondo wakhe owaziwayo osihloko sithi ‘Chromosomes, Sex-Cells and Evolution in the Gerbil’.
Usungule i-Institute for the Study of Man in Africa (ISMA) ngo-1956 ukuqhubekisela phambili ucwaningo lokhokho kanye nokuziphendukela kwemvelo kwabantu, ifa nokwakheka kofuzo nokwakheka komzimba e-Afrika. Ngo-1959, walandela u-Raymond Dart, uprofesa ophumayo ukuba abe nguSolwazi kanye neNhloko yoMnyango Wezitho Zomzimba, umuntu wokuqala owazalelwa eNingizimu Afrika kuSihlalo wanoma yimuphi umkhakha wezokwelapha ezweni, isikhundla asiphatha kwaze kwaba ngu-1993.
Wayengudokotela wesayensi yezimbali waseNingizimu Afrika kanye noSolwazi Emeritus eNyuvesi yase-Witwatersrand, eGoli. Wayedume kakhulu ngomsebenzi wakhe wokuphayona ezindaweni ezazidume kakhulu zezinsalela zaseNingizimu Afrika, futhi wayengomunye weziphathimandla ezihola phambili emhlabeni ekuguqukeni kwesintu.
Wanikezwa i-Rockerfellow Traveling Fellowship ukuvakashela i-United States of America. Wabuye wenza izifundo eziqhubekayo eCambridge University e-England, okugcine ngokuthi amnikeze i-Honorary Doctorate. Ngo-1967, wanikezwa i-DSC ngomsebenzi wakhe oshicilelwe wokuziphendukela kwemvelo kwabantu.
U-Tobias waqokwa njengoProfesa oHloniphekile we-Palaeo-anthropology eBernard Price Institute for Paleontological Research ngo-1977 kanye noProfesa oHloniphekile e-Zoology ngo-1981.
Ngesikhathi ethatha umhlalaphansi, wanikezwa isicoco sikaSolwazi Emeritus, futhi waba yinhloko yomnyango wezocwaningo e-Sterkfontein Caves. Wayehlala njalo ehhovisi lakhe e-Wits Medical School waze wagula ekuqaleni kuka-2012.
U-Tobias wayembile emigedeni yaseSterkfontein futhi wasebenza cishe kuzo zonke ezinye izindawo ezinkulu eSeningizimu ne-Afrika kusukela ngo-1945. Wabuye wavula izindawo ezingu-25 zokuvubukula e-Botswana ngenkathi ese-France Panhard-Capricorn Expedition enza ucwaningo lwezinto eziphilayo lwe-Tonga People of Zimbabwe. Ubengomunye wodokotela besayensi ababambe iqhaza ekukhipheni inkohliso ye-Piltdown. Udlule emhlabeni ngoJuni 2012.