When we think about the origins of humankind, our minds often travel to the iconic sites of East and South Africa. Places like the Great Rift Valley, Olduvai Gorge, and Sterkfontein have given us the majority of our understanding of early hominins—those distant ancestors who walked the Earth millions of years ago. But what ifContinue reading “Exploring the Untapped Potential of West African Paleoanthropology”
Category Archives: humans
What is the Paleo Diet?
Written by Emily M The paleo diet is a term which has been thrown around for years as a way to eat cleaner and achieve better health. Its core principles are to only eat food items which would also be available during the palaeolithic, that period in time where we were anatomically modern humans, butContinue reading “What is the Paleo Diet?”
Snake Detection Theory: Did Snakes Play a Role in Primate Evolution?
Just like primates, snakes are one of the most unique vertebrates on the planet. They have evolved to adapt for various environmental conditions, occupying various niches across ecosystems, across the entire world. Ophidiophobia, the psychological fear of snakes, is one of the most common fears that humans seem to innately develop, often without ever encounteringContinue reading “Snake Detection Theory: Did Snakes Play a Role in Primate Evolution?”
Hominin Homes
Did other species of humans, in addition to Homo sapiens, have shelters or some other form of artificial structure to make life more comfortable? If so, what can this tell us about different human species’ adaptability and suitability to cold climates? One possible way to recognize campsites is through the presence of fire. A newContinue reading “Hominin Homes”
New Discovery in South Africa Unearths a New Chapter in Human Evolution
Update: As per eLife’s publishing policy, here are the peer reviews, I implore you to read, and digest all of this info! Co-Authored with Genevieve von Petzinger As I sit here watching the Press Release on the new naledi findings, I can’t help but feel captivated, excited, and at the edge of my seat aboutContinue reading “New Discovery in South Africa Unearths a New Chapter in Human Evolution”
Prehistoric Art and Human Cognition
Does prehistoric art show insights into the cognition of early humans? There are many things we do not know about how our advanced thought processes came about, is our ancient art a window into that?
Who Was Our Last Common Ancestor With Neanderthals?
Who was the #LastCommonAncestor of #ModernHumans and #Neanderthals? We may not a great deal, but there are so many missing puzzle pieces. Learn about what we do know, and see how we are filling in the gaps today!
Bridging Biomes: Exploring The First Beringian Migrations
Changes in climate and the environment have been one of the major reasons for human migrations throughout history, even more dynamically so in hunting communities as prey animals can only adapt to these through movement. One such set of journeys occurred along the Bering coast, perhaps commencing as early as 37.5 thousand years ago, resulting in the colonisation of the Americas.
Thoughts on Human Hibernation
Hibernation is a word many of us will be familiar with, as it is a strategy that some animals living today in Northern latitudes employ to cope with the harsh winter months. However, does there exist potential for humans to hibernate too? And beyond that, did any of our ancient hominin relatives do so inContinue reading “Thoughts on Human Hibernation”
Ghost DNA and Human Evolution
Coauthored with the New Bing What is a ghost lineage in terms of human evolution? How is ancient DNA obtained, and how do we know who is missing? What evidence do we have to support whom we think the species is? Has the species been identified? How long ago did this introgression of DNA occur?Continue reading “Ghost DNA and Human Evolution”
World of Paleoanthropology 