Anthropology

Fossils of a human ancestor from 773,000 years ago may be near the base of the Homo sapiens lineage, representing a common ancestor of modern humans, Neandertals and Denisovans

A fossil belonging to an ancient hominin that lived seven million years ago bears the hallmarks of bipedalism, according to a new study

Making fire on demand was a milestone in the lives of our early ancestors. But the question of when that skill first arose has been difficult for scientists to pin down

Humans and their ancestors have likely been kissing for a very long time

When written knowledge is more ephemeral than ever, how can we pass on what’s important?

Designing nuclear-waste repositories is part engineering, part anthropology—and part mythmaking

How can reconstructing long-lost smells of ancient artifacts help us connect with the past?

Here are three big ways that Jane Goodall transformed science

The anthropologist was famous for her pioneering research with chimpanzees and her influence on conservation

Genetic and anatomical data reveal how the human pelvis acquired its unique shape, enabling our ancestors to walk on two legs

Forty years after the first effort to extract mummy DNA, researchers have finally generated a full genome sequence from an ancient Egyptian, who lived when the earliest pyramids were built

A Denisovan skull has been identified for the first time. The find was based on proteins and calcified dental plaque