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'Trust' provides answer to handaxe enigma

Research suggests that the fine crafting of handaxes by Homo erectus/ergaster in the Lower Palaeolithic period was driven by a desire to prove trustworthiness rather than physical fitness. The 'trustworthy handaxe theory' proposes that attention to detail is about demonstrating emotional reliability and capacity for strong relationships.

SourceUniversity of York·JournalWorld Archaeology·DateNov 21, 2012

Pythons and people take turns as predators and prey

In a study co-authored by Cornell University researcher Harry Greene, men are attacked by giant pythons but also target them for food, competing for the same local deer, wild pigs, and monkeys. The complex relationships between humans and snakes highlight broader patterns of predation and competition in the natural world.

SourceCornell University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateDec 14, 2011

Ancient cooking pots reveal gradual transition to agriculture

Researchers analyzed ancient pottery for signs of terrestrial, marine, and freshwater organisms, finding that fish and aquatic resources continued to be exploited after the advent of farming. This suggests a gradual transition from hunting to agriculture in Western Europe, challenging previous assumptions about the abrupt shift.

SourceUniversity of York·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 24, 2011

Meat for sex in wild chimpanzees

Researchers found that male chimpanzees who share their food with females can mate more often than those who don't. Sharing meat over long periods of time doubles a male's mating success, while females increase their caloric intake without incurring energetic costs.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalPLOS ONE·DateApr 8, 2009

Wild chimpanzees exchange meat for sex

Researchers found that females copulate more frequently with males who share meat with them, compared to those who never share. This suggests that sharing meat with females improves males' mating success and may be a long-term strategy for securing mates.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·DateApr 7, 2009

Girls prefer pink, or at least a redder shade of blue

Researchers discovered a clear preference for pink or reddish hues among women, shifting their color preference towards red and away from blue. The study suggests that this difference may be driven by biological factors, potentially related to evolution and the importance of ripe fruit in hunter-gatherer societies.

SourceCell Press·JournalCurrent Biology·DateAug 20, 2007

Conditions for slavery: New study sheds light on the development of early social hierarchies

A new study reveals that reliable resources like salmon, high population densities, and the defense of territories were crucial for the development of marked inequality in North America. Conversely, Australian Aboriginal societies on the tropical northern coast exhibited 'transient inequality' due to polygyny and high resource availabi...

SourceUniversity of Chicago Press Journals·JournalCurrent Anthropology·DateDec 16, 2005

An evolutionary road less traveled

Researchers found that genetic diversity of the Mlabri is significantly lower than other agriculture-based hill tribes, indicating a severe population reduction around 500-1000 years ago. This reverts previous assumptions that contemporary hunter-gatherer groups represent pre-agricultural human populations.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Biology·DateFeb 21, 2005