Human Origins
What We Learned About Our Human Origins in 2018
From an upper jaw to red ocher paintings, two Smithsonian scholars note the significant discoveries in human evolution this trip around the sun
Neanderthal Genes Influence Contemporary Humans’ Skull Shape, Brain Size
Individuals carrying these ancient ancestors' DNA are more likely to have slightly elongated, rather than rounded, brains
Why Did Humans Lose Their Fur?
We are the naked apes of the world, having shed most of our body hair long ago
Thousand-Year-Old Rock Art Likely Served as a Gathering Point for Llama Caravans Crossing the Andes
Trade caravans, whether supported by mules, camels or llamas, have helped archaeologists piece together the past in many corners of the world
No, Wait, This Is the Real Ava, a Bronze Age Woman From the Scottish Highlands
New DNA evidence drastically changes the image of the young woman buried in Caithness 4,250 years ago
Evidence Suggests Humans Reached "Roof of the World" 40,000 Years Ago
Over 3,000 stone tools show human presence in Tibetan plateau 20,000 years before previously thought
Stone Tools at Arabian “Crossroads” Present Mysteries of Ancient Human Migration
Hominins made stone tools in central Arabia 190,000 years ago, and the hand axe technology raises questions about just who they were
A Fresh Look at These Stone Tools Reveals a New Chapter of Ancient Chinese History
Archaeologists thought these ancient tools, 80,000 years old at least, were brought to China by migrants—but now it appears they were invented locally
This Week Has Offered a Slew of Insights on the Western Hemisphere’s First Humans
Studies reveal rapid yet uneven movement south in at least three migratory waves, complicating story of the Americas' settlement
Ancient Ape Was Just the Size of a House Cat
12.5 million-year-old teeth found in Kenya belonged to a species that ate leaves, but was likely outcompeted by an explosion of monkeys
World’s Oldest Known Figurative Paintings Discovered in Borneo Cave
Dated to at least 40,000 years old, the depiction of a cattle-like animal has striking similarities to ancient rock art found in other parts of the world
Did Rampant Inbreeding Contribute to Early Humans’ High Rate of Skeletal Deformities?
Researcher identified 75 skeletal or dental defects in sample of just 66 sets of ancient remains
Ritual Cemeteries—For Cows and Then Humans—Plot Pastoralist Expansion Across Africa
As early herders spread across northern and then eastern Africa, the communities erected monumental graves which may have served as social gathering points
Europe's First Dogs Disappeared After Neolithic Farmers Arrived With Their Own Pups
Genetic analysis shows ancient canines from the Near East slowly replaced indigenous dog populations of that period
You Thought Modern Life Was Bad. This Neanderthal Child Was Eaten By a Giant Bird
It's not known if the bird killed the child or scavenged its remains, but finger bones found in Poland show they went through a bird's digestive tract
Ancient Teeth With Neanderthal Features Reveal New Chapters of Human Evolution
The 450,000-year-old teeth, discovered on the Italian Peninsula, are helping anthropologists piece together the hominid family tree
People Braved Australia's Western Desert Roughly 45,000 Years Ago
Newly dated artifacts from a rock shelter show humans were in the inhospitable Little Sandy Desert at least 10,000 years earlier than previously thought
Neanderthals Used Their Hands for Precision, Not Just Power
Researchers suggest that the early human ancestors’ hand usage places them in line with tailors, painters rather than brute-force laborers
Climate Change Likely Iced Neanderthals Out Of Existence
Climate records gathered from stalagmites in Romanian caves show two extremely cold dry periods correspond with the disappearance of Neanderthals
Meet Denisova 11: First Known Hybrid Hominin
The 13-year-old girl’s mother was a Neanderthal while her father was a Denisovan
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