
Earliest Evidence of Wooden Construction Uncovered
Researchers say the discovery of the earliest known wooden construction expands their knowledge of the woodworking skills of early humans that existed before Homo sapiens
Researchers say the discovery of the earliest known wooden construction expands their knowledge of the woodworking skills of early humans that existed before Homo sapiens
A jawbone from eastern China that displays both modern and archaic features could represent a new branch of the human family tree
The decision to send hominin bones on a commercial spaceflight has raised eyebrows among paleontologists
A new technique for analyzing modern genetic data suggests that prehumans survived in a group of only 1,280 individuals
Archaeologists found evidence of spices such as turmeric and cloves from ancient Vietnam, suggesting South Asians shared their culinary traditions via an ancient maritime trade route
A fossilized hominin leg shows gashes that were probably made by stone tools
Extraordinary claims about the small-brained human relative Homo naledi challenge prevailing view of cognitive evolution
Kissing probably predates Homo sapiens as a species, but the first texts documenting the beso go back to the early Bronze Age
Millennia of a rodentlike animal’s urine preserve crucial data that could help scientists understand early humans’ leap forward
Macaques using stones to open oil palm nuts can accidentally create stone flakes that look like early human tools
Archaeologists have found a handful of human skeletons with characteristics that have been linked to horseback riding and are a millennium older than early depictions of humans riding horses...
Prehistoric pollution reveals extensive copper mining near Lake Superior
Archaeologists studying one of the birthplaces of agriculture find a complex interplay between human actions and the workings of nature and genetics.
Using modern human DNA to estimate when new generations were born over 250,000 years, scientists suggest that fathers have been having children later in life than mothers throughout human history...
Scientists have long known that ancient people living in Siberia made their way into what is now North America. Mounting DNA evidence suggests migration also happened in the opposite direction...
DNA from Denisovans, an extinct human species, that was found in the genomes of Indigenous Papuans may mold their immune system
Ancient DNA from closely related individuals offers fresh insight into Neanderthals’ lives and social structures
The human remains trade is thriving on Facebook and Instagram
Svante Pääbo’s work on sequencing the DNA of Neandertals and Denisovans, which won the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, revealed surprising interbreeding among human species...
To safeguard fragile cultural objects, some groups are replicating them with digital models
Support science journalism.
Thanks for reading Scientific American. Knowledge awaits.
Already a subscriber? Sign in.
Thanks for reading Scientific American. Create your free account or Sign in to continue.
Create Account