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Anthropology News Stories
Current Anthropology News Events, Discoveries and Articles

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Hormone that affects finger length key to social behavior
The hormones, called androgens, are important in the development of masculine characteristics such as aggression and strength. (2009-11-05)

Inequality, 'silver spoon' effect found in ancient societies
The so-called "silver spoon" effect -- in which wealth is passed down from one generation to another -- is well established in some of the world's most ancient economies. (2009-10-30)

Poor in rural Oregon face 'double binds' when getting food
A new study by Oregon State University researchers shows that those in poverty in rural Oregon often know what kinds of foods they should be eating, but face tough choices between eating well and spending less money for meals. (2009-10-28)

Ethiopia 27 million years ago had higher rainfall, warmer soil
Thirty million years ago, before Ethiopia's mountainous highlands split and the Great Rift Valley formed, the tropical zone had warmer soil temperatures, higher rainfall and different atmospheric circulation patterns than it does today, according to new research of fossil soils found in the central African nation. (2009-10-23)

Early hominid first walked on two legs in the woods
Among the many surprises associated with the discovery of the oldest known, nearly complete skeleton of a hominid is the finding that this species took its first steps toward bipedalism not on the open, grassy savanna, as generations of scientists - going back to Charles Darwin - hypothesized, but in a wooded landscape. (2009-10-09)

High mortality rates may explain small body size
A new study suggests that high mortality rates in small-bodied people, commonly known as pygmies, may be part of the reason for their small stature. (2009-10-06)

Kent State University Professor C. Owen Lovejoy helps unveil oldest hominid skeleton
Throw out all those posters and books that depict an ape evolving into a human being, says Kent State University Professor of Anthropology Dr. C. Owen Lovejoy. (2009-10-02)

Studies examine how living conditions impact reproductive health
When costs outweigh benefits, successful pregnancies are less likely to occur. Life is all about tradeoffs and recently published research by Virginia J. Vitzthum, a senior scientist at Indiana University's Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender, and Reproduction, and professor in the IU College of Arts and Sciences' Department of Anthropology, has shown that during periods of intense labor and low food intake, rates of early pregnancy loss can more than double. (2009-09-29)

Monkey brains signal the desire to explore
Sticking with what you know often comes at the price of learning about more favorable alternatives. (2009-09-08)

Chimpanzees develop specialized tool kits to catch army ants
Chimpanzees in the Congo have developed specialized "tool kits" to forage for army ants, reveals new research published Sept. 3 in the American Journal of Primatology. (2009-09-08)