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: Paleoanthropology
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 Episode of the Paleo Post Podcast!
The Paleo Post Gets Crafty: A Look at Prehistoric Art & What it Means for Us On this episode, George and I are joined by our first guest Co-Host! Listen to the three of us have a wonderful discussion on what art is, what it means for humans, and its origins within the human timeline!Continue reading “New Episode of the Paleo Post Podcast!”
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!
Homo naledi on its way to Copenhagen?
Homo naledi is a mysterious human relative that lived in South Africa about 300,000 years ago. It had a mix of primitive and modern features, such as a small brain, a human-like foot, and complex social behavior. It also had a unique way of disposing of its dead: it deliberately carried them into a deep,Continue reading “Homo naledi on its way to Copenhagen?”
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”
The First Homo?
What was the first Homo species? Was it K. platypus, the Lomekwian toolmakers, or the 1470 fossil ancestor? How do we know? Read my blog post to find out! #paleoanthropology #humanorigins #Homo
World of Paleoanthropology 