A Reader’s Question About Surviving the Ice Age

An anthropologist describes the multiple ice ages of the Earth’s past and how our species survived the most recent one.…

The Problems of Evolution as a “March of Progress”

The idea that evolution is a hierarchy of complexity with humans on top lurks in everything from biology classes to…

Did Neanderthals Make Art?

Experts continue to debate whether Neanderthals were painters and jewelry-makers. A paleoanthropologist explores the evidence for Neanderthal art and the…

What the Discovery of Denisovan Remains in Laos Means

The new excavation of a fossil tooth places an enigmatic group of ancient humans in Southeast Asia 164,000 years ago.

Five Turning Points in the Evolution of Wine

Anthropologists have helped uncork the fascinating history of winemaking—from drunken primates to Stone Age seed domestication to intoxicating religious rites.

The Deep Human Story of Collecting Fossils

Dinosaur eggs, trilobites, and other fossils have intrigued humans for hundreds of thousands of years, inspiring their creative pursuits and their understanding of the natural world.

What Ancient DNA Reveals About Life in Africa 20,000 Years Ago

Newly sequenced African aDNA shows dynamic ancient migratory patterns and interactions around the Later Stone Age that shaped human history.

Meet the Ancient Technologists Who Changed Everything

A series of Stone Age geniuses invented a range of technologies that shaped human evolution and laid the foundation for our world.

My Tribute to Richard Leakey

The world-famous paleoanthropologist Richard Leakey passed away in early January. A close friend and colleague remembers his contributions and legacies.

The Humans We Haven’t Met Yet

One anthropologist contends that far too many species have been lumped into one category: Our story is more complicated, he argues.