A comprehensive genetic study of Pacific Islanders has found that Polynesians and Micronesians have almost no genetic relation to Melanesians. Instead, they share a strong genetic connection with Taiwan Aborigines and East Asians, suggesting a rapid migration through Island Melanesia with minimal intermingling.
New research reveals that Pleistocene cave bears were as omnivorous as modern bears, eating both plants and animals. This challenges previous studies that suggested they were largely vegetarian.
A study of wild chimpanzees found they do not experience menopause, unlike humans and most other primates. In contrast to human females with several decades of post-reproductive life, chimpanzee reproductive declines occur in tandem with overall mortality.
A new study from Harvard University reveals that women's lower spines have evolved to be more flexible and supportive than men's, allowing for increased extension and stability during pregnancy. The research found that women lean back by up to 60% to maintain a stable center of gravity, offsetting the weight of the baby.
A new study suggests humans are evolving rapidly, with genetic differences accelerating on a continental scale. The pace of change has accelerated in the last 40,000 years, especially since the end of the Ice Age, leading to increased divergence among human populations.
Researchers found a 500,000-year-old human fossil in Turkey with evidence of Leptomeningitis tuberculosa, a form of brain tuberculosis. The discovery suggests that dark-skinned people migrating from low latitudes may be more vulnerable to the disease due to vitamin D deficiency.
A 100,000-year-old Neanderthal from Belgium showed faster tooth growth, suggesting more advanced dental development. This pattern is intermediate between early human ancestors and living people, indicating a recent condition unique to our species.
Research from University College London found that some of our closest extinct relatives had more in common with gorillas than previously thought. The study discovered that males continued to grow well into adulthood, leading to a significant size difference between males and females, similar to what is seen in gorillas.
A study published in Journal of Consumer Research found that men are more likely to enjoy melodramatic films if they know it's fictional. High-empathy individuals tend to dislike fact-based stories, while those with low empathy can appreciate fiction.
Researchers found chemical traces of caffeine and theobromine in ancient pottery shards dating back to 1100 B.C., indicating that cacao was consumed as a fermented drink before being used for chocolate. The discovery offers new insights into the earliest consumption of cacao, challenging previous assumptions about its history.
Researchers have pushed back the known use of cacao by 500 years, tracing it to fermented beverages made from sweet pulp and seeds between 1400 and 1100 B.C.E. This discovery sheds light on the early development of chocolate culture in the Americas.
A team of researchers has discovered that colugos, also known as flying lemurs, are the closest living relatives to primates. This finding has significant implications for anthropology and genomics, providing a clearer understanding of primate evolution and potential fossil record placement.
Researchers found that Tibetans have 10 times more nitric oxide in their blood than low-altitude dwellers, leading to increased blood flow and improved oxygen delivery. This adaptation allows them to thrive at high altitudes despite low oxygen levels in the air.
Scientists discovered that at least one percent of Neanderthals in Europe had red hair, a finding based on genetic analysis. This rare trait was linked to the mc1r gene mutation, causing lighter skin and more freckles.
The researchers will examine four Kansas communities and two Iowa communities to see whether claims that ethanol plants revitalize the towns hold true. They will study local ownership, attitudes towards ethanol plant workers and farmers, and community investment.
Scientists found that at least 1% of Neanderthals were likely redheads due to a point mutation in the MC1R gene. The discovery suggests that Neanderthals' pigmentation may be as varied as modern humans', with implications for understanding the evolution of human traits.
A team of researchers proposes a new hypothesis on human migration from Asia to the Americas, suggesting that ancestors remained isolated in Beringia for 15,000 years before entering the continent. The study's findings contradict previous theories and provide insights into the peopling of the New World.
Researchers highlight the limitations of genetic ancestry tests, including their inability to identify all ancestral groups or locations, false positives and negatives, and lack of connection between DNA and racial identity. The tests are often used by consumers to validate genealogical records or search for specific ethnic affiliations.
The Resilience and Adaptation Program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks has received a $3.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation to address questions of social-ecological resilience, adaptation and sustainability. The program focuses on integrating economic, cultural and ecological dimensions of sustainability.
A recent study reveals that Neandertals shared key changes with modern humans in the FOXP2 gene, which plays a crucial role in speech and language. This finding suggests that Neandertals may have possessed some prerequisites for language, challenging previous estimates of when human language emerged.
Researchers found that even aloof husbands have lower testosterone levels than unmarried men, challenging previous North American studies. Married men with multiple wives had even lower testosterone levels than monogamously married men.
Researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia argue that 'mumming,' a centuries-old ritual where villagers disguise themselves and threaten violence, is a way to communicate trust and trustworthiness. In this tradition, participants make themselves vulnerable to prove their commitment to each other.
A study of the Hadza tribe found that males with lower vocal pitch had more surviving children, suggesting a link between voice pitch and fertility. The researchers believe that women may choose mates with deeper voices because they are perceived as better providers.
A study on Bedouin villages in Lebanon found that first-cousin marriages increase infant mortality risk, but short birth intervals have a more significant impact. The research analyzed 1,399 children and found that infants born to first cousins have over double the odds of dying compared to non-first cousins.
A team of researchers has determined that human ancestors outside of Africa were more primitive than previously thought, based on analysis of 1.8 million-year-old fossils found in Dmanisi, Georgia. The species had a small stature and brain size similar to earlier African species, with some modern aspects of lower limb morphology.
Researchers at Stanford University and UCSB found that older men's fertility contributes to human longevity by postponing the date with death. This effect has a spillover impact on women due to gene passing, benefiting the population as a whole.
Researchers found humans carry more gene copies than ape relatives to produce more amylase enzyme, which digests starch. This discovery bolsters the idea that starch played a crucial role in early human diet and evolution.
Tulane University will receive $14 million to train public health workers and establish monitoring systems in Ethiopia, while also supporting programs in Haiti, Brazil, South Africa, and other high-risk countries. The grant aims to rebuild infrastructure and combat the spread of HIV/AIDS in these countries.
A study published in Science found that toddlers outperform apes in understanding nonverbal communications, imitating solutions to problems, and understanding intentions of others. The research suggests that humans have distinctive social cognitive skills that allow them to excel in cultural groups.
A new study from Harvard University and colleagues challenges previous knowledge about the origins of urbanization, proposing that smaller groups made decisions leading to city growth. The research analyzed artifacts at Tell Brak in Mesopotamia over an 800-year period, revealing patterns of population growth and settlement clusters.
Binghamton University researchers study archived human blood samples to understand how Plasmodium falciparum evolved resistance to chloroquine. The analysis aims to provide insights for current treatments and future drug development.
The CU-Boulder team discovered the first ancient manioc field in the Americas, providing insight into how the Classic Maya supported dense populations. The field, buried under volcanic ash, was found to have been recently planted with manioc stalks, indicating a high level of agricultural productivity.
The University of Alaska Fairbanks has been awarded a $9 million EPSCoR grant to enhance its research capacity in studying the changing Arctic. The project will bring together diverse disciplines to provide a holistic understanding of northern ecological and social systems.
The complete mitochondrial genome of the mastodon has been sequenced, increasing the age limit for paleogenomic analyses by almost a complete glacial cycle. The study reveals that mammoths are more closely related to Asian than African elephants, with divergence times similar to those of humans, chimpanzees, and gorillas.
Researchers found human walking is 75% less costly than chimpanzee quadrupedal and bipedal walking. This energy savings could have given early hominids an edge in foraging for food, potentially driving the evolution of bipedalism.
A new study suggests that walking on two legs, or bipedalism, evolved because it used less energy than quadrupedal knucklewalking. Researchers collected metabolic, kinematic and kinetic data from chimpanzees and humans walking on a treadmill, finding that humans only used one-quarter of the energy as chimpanzees when walking upright.
A 19-year study found that primate tourism practices can lead to adult aggression, disease transmission, and increased infant mortality. The study suggests that range restriction and provisioning for tourists contribute to the problem, making them an inappropriate management strategy.
Anthropologists have discovered the earliest-known evidence of peanut, cotton and squash farming in northern Peru, dating back 5,000 to 9,000 years. The findings suggest that agriculture played a broader role in cultural and social changes in the region than previously understood.
New study reveals chimpanzees act altruistically toward genetically unrelated conspecifics, even when no reward is expected. This finding suggests the evolutionary roots of human altruism may be deeper than previously thought, reaching back to the last common ancestor of humans and chimpanzees.
The discovery of a pygmy-sized giant panda skull in south China reveals that the modern giant panda has remained largely unchanged for millions of years. The ancient species lived on bamboo shoots and was adapted to eating bamboo early in its development, highlighting its unique dietary specialization.
A research team has discovered a fundamental adaptive mechanism linking an animal's locomotion to its sensory systems. The study found that the dimensions of the three semicircular canals in the inner ear are linked to the type of movement produced by an animal's limbs.
A new species of long-necked, gliding reptile has been identified from CT scans of fossilized bones. The Mecistrotrachelos apeoros had curved feet, suggesting it lived in trees and exhibited gliding behavior.
Researchers analyze ancient multiple graves, suggesting that Upper Paleolithic groups in Europe may have practiced ritual human sacrifice. The findings provide insight into the complexity and symbolism of these societies.
A newly excavated headless skeleton from Nasca, Peru provides important new data on ancient decapitation practices. The analysis suggests that decapitation was part of powerful rituals aimed at ensuring fertility and the continuation of life and rebirth of the community.
A team of Texas A&M researchers is recovering artifacts from a 200-year-old shipwreck in the Gulf of Mexico, making it the deepest such recovery effort ever attempted. The vessel's identity and origin remain a mystery, but analysis suggests it was likely from the late 1700s or early 1800s.
Researchers propose a comet impacted the Laurentide Ice Sheet, causing a 1,000-year-long cold spell and fragmenting human populations. The theory suggests that this event led to the extinction of numerous animal genera and ecological shifts.
A recently discovered fossil skull of Aegyptopithecus zeuxis, an ancient primate relative of humans, apes, and monkeys, contradicts previous assumptions about its brain size. The study suggests that the species' brain was smaller than expected, with a visual cortex indicating sharp vision, and may have had a large social group.
A study finds that women who migrate from Bangladesh to the UK during infancy and early childhood reach puberty earlier, are taller, and have higher progesterone levels as adults. This suggests a critical window of time between 0-8 years influences reproductive hormone levels.
Two researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia argue that talk may not reflect true knowledge, highlighting the importance of observing non-verbal behavior. By recognizing social relationships and political influences on verbal answers, scientists can uncover ecologically useful knowledge from local environmental knowledge.
Researcher Reed L. Wadley examines the historical use of swidden or shifting cultivation by the Iban population in northwestern Borneo. He argues that colonial pacification methods exacerbated unsustainable farming practices, contributing to environmental degradation.
Research found that practicing Qigong helped chronically ill people reduce stress levels and cope with stigmatization during the SARS crisis. The study showed that Qigong provided a way for them to feel more in control of their health and connect with others who shared similar experiences.
Research by Erik Trinkaus suggests that early modern Europeans exhibited Neandertal traits, reflecting both African and Neandertal ancestry. The analysis indicates a small behavioral difference between groups, suggesting they saw each other as social equals.
A 40,000-year-old human skeleton found in China suggests that modern humans may have migrated to the region via multiple routes rather than a single 'out of Africa' event. The discovery provides valuable insights into the emergence of modern humans in eastern Asia.
A new study confirms the US Census Bureau provided information on persons of Japanese ancestry to US surveillance agencies during WWII. The researchers call for the bureau to disavow its denials and set the record straight.
Researchers found that popularity lists for baby names, music, and dog breeds change at a steady rate, regardless of population size. The study suggests that innovation drives fashion change, with a small proportion of innovators influencing the majority through random copying.
A new study challenges the World Health Organization's idea that schizophrenia is relatively more benign in developing societies. The research compares biological and cultural indicators of schizophrenia in urban, Western societies with data from Palau, which has one of the highest rates of schizophrenia diagnosis in the world.
A 160,000-year-old fossil found in Morocco reveals human growth patterns that are more similar to those of living humans than previously thought. The study used X-ray images to analyze tooth growth and eruption age, suggesting a relatively long childhood existed at least 160,000 years ago.
A sociocultural anthropologist found that Indian farmers' inability to test new genetically modified crops led to a breakdown in traditional farming methods. The speed of change, number of choices in the seed market, and desire for novelty resulted in fads, not testing.
A recent study published in The Journal of Experimental Biology suggests that longer legs are more efficient due to reduced force production and lower energy cost. According to the LiMB model developed by Herman Pontzer, this is because longer limbs require less force to move, resulting in decreased energy expenditure.
Researchers found that bonobos were more tolerant and skilled in cooperative feeding than chimpanzees, exhibiting more sociosexual behavior and play. This suggests that social tendencies can hinder problem-solving under certain circumstances, highlighting the importance of emotional systems in evolutionary development.