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
The Brain’s “Bravery Cells” Encourage Risky Behavior
Cells in the hippocampus help determine whether to be apprehensive in stressful situations, and they could be stimulated to treat anxiety
How the Remnants of Human Poop Could Help Archaeologists Study Ancient Populations
Undigested molecules persist in soil for hundreds or even thousands of years, acting as biomarkers that show the ebbs and flows of bygone civilizations
The Maya Captured, Traded and Sacrificed Jaguars and Other Large Mammals
New archeological findings suggest the Maya city state Copan dealt in a robust jaguar trade
Stone Age Markings May Be the Oldest Drawing Ever Discovered
The crosshatch symbol was made with a red ochre utensil more than 70,000 years ago
How Scientists Can Learn About Human Behavior From Closed-Circuit TV
While researchers used to rely on interviews and experiments, raw video reveals subtle, previously hidden reactions
For Men, Gains in the Gym May Come at a Cost to Sperm
There might be a tradeoff between how strong men look and sperm count
Will China’s Growing Appetite for Meat Undermine Its Efforts to Fight Climate Change?
The country consumes 28 percent of the world’s meat—twice as much as the United States. And that figure is only set to increase.
50 Years Ago, the Whole Earth Catalog Launched and Reinvented the Environmental Movement
The publication gave rise to a new community of environmental thinkers, where hippies and technophiles found common ground
Both Mice and Men Struggle to Abandon Their Best-Laid Plans
Rodents suffer from the same sunk cost fallacy that makes it so hard for humans to call it quits
How Feasting Rituals Help Shape Human Civilization
These transformative practices—and the cooperation they require—are a cornerstone of societies the world over
How Ancient Teeth Reveal the Roots of Humankind
From diet to evolution, prehistoric chompers tell archaeologists a surprising amount about our ancestors
Neanderthals Hunted in Groups, One More Strike Against the Dumb Brute Myth
The skeletons of deer killed 120,000 years ago offer more evidence of cooperative behavior and risk-taking among our hominin relatives
The Original ‘Space Invaders’ Is a Meditation on 1970s America’s Deepest Fears
One of the first digital shooting games reflected a fear of, well, invaders—a fear that still resonates today
Some Animals Take Turns While Talking, Just Like Humans. Why?
Understanding their courteous exchanges—from frog croaks to elephant rumbles—could shed light on the origins of human conversation
How Computer Scientists Model the Role of Religion in Society
Virtual simulations attempt to show how faith influences human behavior in the face of terror
Sacred Sites Can Also Be Hotspots of Conservation
Protecting burial grounds, temples and churchyards can bolster wildlife and forests
Where the Doomed, Beloved Polar Bear Is Still a Dangerous Predator
A grassroots guard in Alaska works to keep people safe from bears, while also keeping bears safe from people
Stephen Hawking’s Stark Warning for Humans to Leave Earth
In one of his final on-camera appearances, iconic physicist Stephen Hawking issued a warning to humanity about the existential threats we face
What Can Chimpanzee Calls Tell Us About the Origins of Human Language?
Scientists follow and record chimps in the wild to find out if they talk to each other—and to fill in details about how and why language evolved in humans
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