Anthropology
Ancient DNA unveils a previously unknown line of Neandertals
DNA from a partial skeleton found in France indicates that European Neandertals consisted of at least two genetically distinct populations.
Anthropology
More Stories in Anthropology
- Anthropology
Child sacrifices at famed Maya site were all boys, many closely related
DNA analysis shows victims in one underground chamber at Chichén Itzá included twins, perhaps representing mythological figures.
- Anthropology
Fossil finds amplify Europe’s status as a hotbed of great ape evolution
A kneecap and two teeth belonged to the smallest known great ape, a study contends. If so, it’s the first to coexist with another great ape in Europe.
- Anthropology
50 years ago, evidence showed that an extinct human ancestor walked upright
Fossil finds have since pushed back the ability of hominids to walk on two legs by millions of years.
- Anthropology
Ancient primates’ unchipped teeth hint that they ate mostly fruit
Of more than 400 teeth collected, just 21 were chipped, suggesting that early primate diets were soft on their choppers.
- Anthropology
Spanish horses joined Indigenous South Americans’ societies long before Europeans came to stay
By the early 1600s, hunter-gatherers at the continent’s southern tip adopted horses left behind by colonial newcomers, new finds suggest.
- Archaeology
Ancient Maya power brokers lived in neighborhoods, not just palaces
Lidar discoveries and recent excavations are forcing archaeologists to rethink ancient Maya political structures.
- Archaeology
A mysterious ancient grave with a sword and mirror belonged to a woman
The items hint that she fought in or helped plan raids and defensive actions in what’s now southwestern England about 2,000 years ago, scientists speculate.
- Psychology
Why scientists are expanding the definition of loneliness
Feeling detached from animals, places and routines can cause loneliness, researchers are learning, which may expand the list of interventions.
- Anthropology
Surprisingly long-lived wild female chimps go through menopause
Chimpanzees in Uganda are the first known example of wild, nonhuman primates experiencing the hormonal changes, raising questions about how menopause evolved.
