Life-Hack: Research Shows Rituals Spell Anxiety Relief
With graduation ceremonies, weddings, funeral, annual parades, and many other gatherings called off in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is apparent that our…
Anthropology
DNA Increases Our Understanding of Stone Age Cultures and Battle Axe Cultural Influences
What kind of interactions did the various Stone Age cultures have with one another? In a new interdisciplinary study, researchers have combined archaeological and genetic…
Large-Scale Experiment Shows People Want to Help Each Other, Even When It Costs Them Something
People are more generous than not and try to do right by each other, no matter the motivation. People want to help each other, even…
Garden of Eden for Ancient Humans and Animals Revealed by Migration Patterns
Pinnacle Point, a series of archaeological sites that overlook a now submerged section of South Africa’s coastline and one of the world’s most important localities…
Hidden Murray River Rockshelter Reveals Aboriginal Art, Frontier Conflict and a Swastika
A hidden Murray River rockshelter speaks volumes about local Aboriginal and European settlement in the Riverland, with symbols of conflict — including a swastika symbol…
Archaeologists Uncover a Lost World and Extinct Ecosystem
Archaeological sites on the far southern shores of South Africa hold the world’s richest records for the behavioral and cultural origins of our species. At…
DNA of Bones Found in Cave Reveals Major Cultural Transition in Europe Took Place Earlier Than Thought
The Oldest Upper Paleolithic Homo Sapiens in Europe Two studies report new Homo sapiens fossils from the site of Bacho Kiro Cave in Bulgaria. “The Bacho Kiro…
Deformed Skulls Discovered in an Ancient Cemetery Reveal a Remarkably Diverse Community
The ancient cemetery of Mözs-Icsei dűlő in present-day Hungary holds clues to a unique community formation during the beginnings of Europe’s Migration Period, according to…
Every Tooth Tells a Different Story: Revealing Genetic Relationships in Humans
University of Tübingen researchers uncover dental traits revealing genetic relationships in humans, serving as proxy for DNA. Researchers at the University of Tübingen have shown…
“Remarkable and Puzzling” – A New Explanation for the Origins of Human Fatherhood
Dads emerged to reap the benefits of partnerships with females and other males, team of anthropologists and economists argue. Humans differ from other primates in…
Evolutionary Secrets of Fossil Brains Revealed: “Lucy” Had Ape-Like Brain, but Longer Childhood Like Humans
Australopithecus afarensis (‘Lucy’) had ape-like brain organization, but prolonged brain growth like humans Scientists have long been able to measure and analyze the fossil skulls…
Colonial Weaponry Boosted by Mesoamerican Copper Smelting Technology
Spanish conquerors depended on indigenous expertise to keep up their munitions supplies, archaeologists have found. When Spanish invaders arrived in the Americas, they were generally…
Study Finds Western Gorillas Are Territorial and Their Behavior Is Very Similar to Our Own
New research provides important clues for the evolution of human behavior. Scientists have discovered that gorillas really are territorial — and their behavior is very…
Neandertals Dove Underwater to Collect Clam Shells to Use as Tools
Neandertals collected clam shells and pumice from coastal waters to use as tools. Neandertals collected clam shells and volcanic rock from the beach and coastal…
Migrations Reconstructed Through Ancient DNA: Each Mediterranean Island Has Its Own Genetic Pattern
The Mediterranean Sea has been a major route for maritime migrations as well as frequent trade and invasions during prehistory, yet the genetic history of…
Developing Complex Culture in the Stone Age: Hunter-Gatherer Networks Accelerated Human Evolution
Humans began developing a complex culture as early as the Stone Age. This development was brought about by social interactions between various groups of hunters…
Earliest Interbreeding Between Ancient Human Populations Discovered – Evolutionary Puzzle Solved
Neanderthal-Denisovan ancestors interbred with a distantly related hominin 700,000 years ago. For three years, anthropologist Alan Rogers has attempted to solve an evolutionary puzzle. His…
Scientists Were Wrong About Human Pattern of Brain Asymmetry Being Unique
Brain imprints on cranial bones from great apes and humans refute the long-held notion that the human pattern of brain asymmetry is unique. The left…