Mammals
A Holiday Gift Guide for the Whole Human Family
An offering of books, bumper stickers, artwork and other knickknacks for the hominid enthusiast on your gift list
December 03, 2012 |
By Erin Wayman
Primate Origins Tied to Rise of Flowering Plants
Scientists argue that grasping hands and feet, good vision and other primate adaptations emerged because the mammals plucked fruits from the ends of tree branches
November 28, 2012 |
By Erin Wayman
Homo antecessor: Common Ancestor of Humans and Neanderthals?
A hominid that lived in Europe more than a million years ago might have given rise to Neanderthals and Homo sapiens, some anthropologists say
November 26, 2012 |
By Erin Wayman
Scientists Say Chimps and Orangutans Have Mid-Life Crises
A new study indicates that, like humans, these great apes go through a nadir of happiness in middle age
November 19, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
The Top Seven Human Evolution Discoveries From Tanzania
Fossil finds from Tanzania in the mid-20th century kicked off East African hominid hunting
November 19, 2012 |
By Erin Wayman
Early Hominids Had a Taste for Grass
Unlike earlier hominids, the 3.5-million-year-old Australopithecus bahrelghazali ate grassland foods
November 14, 2012 |
By Erin Wayman
Early Bow and Arrows Offer Insight Into Origins of Human Intellect
Tiny blades discovered in South Africa suggest early humans had advanced intelligence and modern culture 71,000 years ago
November 07, 2012 |
By Erin Wayman
The World’s Rarest Whale Species Spotted in New Zealand
A pair of spade-toothed whales washed ashore on a beach, the first time the complete body of a member of this species has ever been seen
November 05, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Did Lucy Walk Too Slow for Her Taller Group Mates?
Huge variability in Australopithecus afarensis height may have made it difficult for group members to walk together at the same speed
November 05, 2012 |
By Erin Wayman
Video: This Elephant Learned to Speak Korean
Koshik, an Asian elephant at a South Korean zoo, learned to uncannily mimic five Korean words by stuffing his trunk in his mouth
November 01, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Rare and Intimate Photos of a Gorilla Family in the Wild
Two photographers ventured deep into the forests of central Africa to capture touching photos of a 33-year-old wild silverback and his clan
November 2012 |
By Abigail Tucker
Alan Dudley’s Wondrous Array of Animal Skulls
A new book delivers fascinating photographs of over 300 skulls from the British taxidermist's personal collection—the largest in the world
October 31, 2012 |
By Megan Gambino
Five Early Primates You Should Know
Scientists have identified dozens of early primates, based mainly on teeth, but still have a hard time assessing how these mammals relate to modern primates
October 31, 2012 |
By Erin Wayman
Nikon Announces the Winners of its “Small World” Competition
See a selection of beautiful images captured by scientists gazing through light microscopes
October 29, 2012 |
By Megan Gambino
Judging a Cat (Wrongly) by the Color of its Coat
Black cats aren't evil, and torties aren't always aloof. But people often think coat color and behavior are linked
October 29, 2012 |
By Sarah Zielinski
Why Are Humans Primates?
People may seem very different from lemurs, monkeys and apes, but all primates share a few key physical and behavioral characteristics
October 29, 2012 |
By Erin Wayman
Scientific Illustrations: Your Go-To Guides for Halloween Costumes
The details are what separate a good outfit from an amazing one. The images in the Biodiversity Heritage Library can help you make the leap
October 26, 2012 |
By Megan Gambino
Fossilized Shoulder Reveals Early Hominids Climbed Trees
The shoulder blades of a 3.3-million-year-old Australopithecus afarensis child suggest the species spent at least some time in the treetops
October 25, 2012 |
By Erin Wayman
The Mystery of Human Blood Types
The ABO blood group evolved at least 20 million years ago, but scientists still don't understand the purpose of blood types
October 22, 2012 |
By Erin Wayman
Whatever Happened to Kenyanthropus platyops?
Scientists disagree over whether a 3.5-million-year-old skull is a flat-faced species of hominid or just a distorted example of Australopithecus afarensis
October 17, 2012 |
By Erin Wayman
