Human Origins
Remains of Nine Neanderthals Butchered by Hyenas Found in Italian Cave
The fossilized bones appear to belong to one woman, seven men and a young boy
100,000-Year-Old Fossilized Footprints Track Neanderthals' Trip to Spanish Coast
Some of the imprints appear to have been left by a child "jumping irregularly as though dancing," researchers say
Some of Europe's Oldest-Known Modern Humans Are Distantly Related to Native Americans
Genome sequencing shows some individuals share family ties with surprising populations, and all boast plenty of Neanderthal relatives
This Wooden Sculpture Is Twice as Old as Stonehenge and the Pyramids
New findings about the 12,500-year-old Shigir Idol have major implications for the study of prehistory
Why This Pandemic Won't Be the Last
Smithsonian biological anthropologist Sabrina Sholts says Covid-19 illustrates that what makes us human also makes us more vulnerable to global contagions
Ten New Things We Learned About Human Origins in 2020
Smithsonian’s archaeologist Ella Beaudoin and paleoanthropologist Briana Pobiner reveal some of the year’s best findings in human origins studies
Study Rewrites History of Ancient Land Bridge Between Britain and Europe
New research suggests that climate change, not a tsunami, doomed the now-submerged territory of Doggerland
To Adapt to a Changing Environment 400,000 Years Ago, Early Humans Developed New Tools and Behaviors
When the East African Rift Valley transformed dramatically, new weapons arose and trade expanded
How Human Y Chromosomes Replaced Those of Neanderthals in a Quiet Genetic Takeover
When the two early human species mated, their genomes changed forever
Human Footprints Found in Saudi Arabia May Be 120,000 Years Old
If confirmed, the footfalls would represent the oldest evidence of Homo sapiens' presence on the Arabian Peninsula
Engraved Stones Found to Be the Earliest Known Human Art in the British Isles
Ten flat tablets discovered on the island of Jersey contain markings from hunter-gatherers who lived up to 23,000 years ago
200,000-Year-Old Bedding Found in South Africa May Be World's Oldest
New study suggests ancient humans slept on layers of grass and ash, which was used to ward off insects
Europe's Oldest Bone Tools Hint at Early Hominin Sophistication
480,000 years ago, Homo heidelbergensis used hammers to fashion flint tools in what is now southern England
Monkeys’ Attraction to Burned Grasslands May Offer Clues to Human Ancestors’ Mastery of Fire
A new study finds monkeys enter charred savannahs to avoid predators, lending support to a controversial theory about what drew hominins to blazes
Neanderthals May Have Been More Sensitive to Pain Than Most Humans
Modern humans with this Neanderthal-inherited gene report 7 percent more pain than other people
14,000-Year-Old Fossilized Poop Among Oldest Traces of Humans in North America
Researchers recently confirmed that the ancient dung was indeed produced by humans, and not by animals
Discovery in Mexican Cave May Drastically Change the Known Timeline of Humans' Arrival to the Americas
In a controversial new study, scientists cite artifacts dating the event to more than 26,000 years ago
Do These 10,000-Year-Old Flint Artifacts Depict Human Figures?
Archaeologists say the objects' grooves evoke the hips and the narrowing of the neck around the shoulders
1.4-Million-Year-Old Ax Made of Hippo Bone Found in Ethiopia
Thought to have been made by Homo erectus, the implement adds range and sophistication to the bipedal hominin's toolkit
New Research Suggests Humans Invented String at Least 120,000 Years Ago
Marks found on ancient shells indicate that they were laced together to create necklaces
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