New research suggests modern humans lived in Europe 10,000 years earlier than previously thought, in Neanderthal territories

It isn’t a stretch to assume that people in the Mediterranean had access to boat technologies 54,000 years ago and used them to explore …

Neanderthals died out 40,000 years ago, but there has never been more of their DNA on Earth

Many Europeans and Asians have between 1% and 4% Neanderthal DNA while African people south of the Sahara have almost zero

‘Humans won’t go extinct; but they are at a crucial point’

Down to Earth spoke with Nathan H Lents, professor of biology at John Jay College, the City University of New York about the past, present and …

Ape-men of Flores: Gregory Forth talks about academia’s bias against testimonies of local people

Forth has concluded that a latter-day Homo floresiensis or another hominin, appears to be the best explanation for the Lio ape-man, and says he …

Ancient humans may have paused in Arabia for 30,000 years on their way out of Africa

 These humans may have slowly adapted to life in the region’s colder climate before venturing to Eurasia and beyond

Our actions, a product of probability & determinism, can effect change

Humans retain the potential to influence their fate, particularly in the near future

Anatomy of happiness

Stefan Klein explores the complex interplay between positive and negative emotions

Why we should change how we talk about nonhuman animals

We wouldn’t say “it” or “that” when referring to humans, so why would we for other sentient individuals?

What archaeology tells us about the music and sounds made by Africa’s ancestors

Research in music archaeology in southern Africa has just begun. Available evidence dates back from around 10,000 years ago, from the Later Stone …

Did a hunting technique make humans more artistic than Neanderthals?

Throwing spears from long distances to hunt big prey helped evolve hand-eye coordination in humans, which also allowed them to make art in caves, …

The Nobel for Svante Pääbo is an attempt to redefine modern man

DNA can be a bridge to true social relationships; if we have an awareness of the common sources of our origin, then a sense of unity will arise …

It’s reassuring to think humans are evolution’s ultimate destination – but research shows we may be an accident

Modern biologists agree most complex organisms have become more complex over the last 4 billion years, disagree over the process that accounts …

Large mammals shaped the evolution of humans: here’s why it happened in Africa

It was the abundance specifically of medium and large grazers in fertile savannas, concentrated near water in the dry season, that enabled the …

'For small creatures such as we' review: The importance of being ritualistic

Sasha Sagan’s book is principally the experience of a secular individual who can appreciate rituals’ beauty and importance as an …

What would happen if humans had flat feet?

The transversal arch, absent in modern-day gorillas and chimpanzees, developed in humans around 3.4 million year ago

When did humans first go to war?

Although the first modern Europeans may have been the first humans capable of organised warfare, we can’t say this behaviour was …

Livestock farming is a crucible for zoonotic disease; here is how

Artificial oceans of pigs and poultry in the hinterlands become mixing vessels for viruses from humans, livestock and wildlife, while other …

Ancient southern Kalahari was more important to human evolution than previously thought

Ga-Mohana was much wetter than today, with pools of standing water and waterfalls tumbling down the hillside

How virtual humans might help our lonely elderly

Intelligent virtual human companions could help address the social isolation felt by many older people  

Kashmir human-wildlife conflict: Children being increasingly preyed upon by black bears, leopards

Experts have blamed rapid urbanisation and deforestation for the human-wildlife conflict in the Kashmir Valley

Global strategy needed to build new roads to minimise environmental damage: study

Researchers identify areas where new roads have most potential benefit, areas where road building should be avoided

When did Homo erectus die out?

A fresh look at the demise of an ancient human species over 100,000 years ago

Major new research claims smaller-brained Homo naledi made rock art and buried the dead. But the evidence is lacking

Four archaeologists who investigate early humans in Africa explain why theyr are not convinced the new research stacks up

How COVID lockdowns triggered changes in peregrine falcon diets

Urban pest control needs rethinking; pigeons contribute to the success of apex predators like the peregrine falcon

Were Neanderthals carnivores? A tooth offers new insight into their diets

Diets a topic of debate; Researchers look into zinc isotopes in molar sample