Five Breakthrough Signs of Early Peoples in the Americas
More and more archaeological finds reveal a complex picture of how and when people first arrived in North America.
Five Human Species You May Not Know About
Homo sapiens is currently the only member of the genus Homo alive. There’s only one species of human—but it wasn’t always so.
Five Ways Humans Evolved to be Athletes
An archaeologist explores human athletic paleobiology to explain how our prowess in sport has deep roots in evolution.
Five Solstice Sites That Aren’t Stonehenge
Across time and around the world, many ancient monuments were built as calendars to track the sun’s journey.
Did a Magnetic Field Reversal Doom Neanderthals?
A Neanderthal expert weighs in on a new theory that proposes a swap in the planet’s poles triggered a climate catastrophe that killed off our evolutionary cousins.
Mapping Human and Neanderthal Genomes
The Human Genome Project first published the modern human genome 20 years ago, and the Neanderthal genome was sequenced a little more than a decade ago. What do these maps mean for our understanding of humanity?
The Evolution of Comfort Food
An archaeologist considers the history and biology of what defines a taste of home.
A Spark of Insight Into Neanderthal Behavior
Not just for trampoline jumpers and sweater wearers, static electricity is helping archaeologists illuminate the behavior of our ancient cousins.
Do I Have Microremains in My Teeth?
Tiny particles called “microremains” that get trapped in dental plaque tell a story of long ago diets and ecosystems.
Coronavirus and Coping With Death
Anthropologists often study people who have died. Can the field provide context and comfort during a pandemic?
Neanderthals: Body of Evidence
Take a tour of the Neanderthal body that pinpoints clues about ancient life gleaned from ancient bones.
The Neanderthal Ear—Prone to Irritating Infections
Skeletal remains show signs of flat ear tubes and bony growths that suggest Neanderthal ears were plagued by bacteria.
Neanderthal Legs and Feet—Suited to Sprinting
The Neanderthal leg proportions and tendons, along with their genes, made our ancient cousins designed for short bursts of speed.
Neanderthal Bones: Signs of Their Sex Lives
With whom did Neanderthals mate? In some cases, inbreeding looks likely.
The Neanderthal Diet—From Teeth to Guts
Neanderthals’ tooth enamel, torsos, and even fossilized poop reveal that they ate much more than meat.
The Neanderthal Arm—Hints About Handedness
Stone tools and skeletons suggest that Neanderthals were mostly right-handed.
The Neanderthal Throat—Did Neanderthals Speak?
The third installment of our head-to-toe tour of the Neanderthal body tackles how our close ancestors might have sounded.
The Neanderthal Brain—Clues About Cognition
This installment of our head-to-toe tour of the Neanderthal body tackles hominin smarts.
A Head-to-Toe Tour of the Neanderthal
The Neanderthal body has stories to tell about the life and times of our ancient hominin cousins.
For One Forensic Anthropologist, Resilience Is Bone Deep
From medieval villages in Transylvania to war-torn countries in South America and North Africa, evidence of human endurance and strength is everywhere—even in the midst of devastation.
How an Archaeological Experiment Revealed California’s Ancient Past
Complex toolmaking strategies were the heart of survival on San Nicolas Island.
What Clam Thermometers Tell Us About Past Climates
Scientists are taking an unusual approach to studying how Native Alaskans lived and hunted thousands of years ago—and how they may have adapted to climate change.
Secrets of a Brothel Privy
The outhouse of a 19th-century Boston brothel might not be the first place you’d think to look for revealing clues about the past—but maybe it should be.
Can Rat Bones Solve an Island Mystery?
A study of rats on Flores, once home to Homo floresiensis , reveals new ideas about the diminutive hominin species affectionately termed the “hobbit.”
Watching Ancient Hominins Giving Birth
The human birthing process is more difficult than that of any other primate. One researcher is using bones and computers to figure out why—and what to do about it.
