Stories by Ian Tattersall

In an excerpt from his new book Ian Tattersall lays out the story of how a scientific giant in the field of evolution put forth a spectacularly incorrect theory about the diversity of hominids

A radical new take on human evolution adds a large dose of luck to the usual story emphasizing the importance of our forebears' ability to make tools

The acquisition of language and the capacity for symbolic art may lie at the very heart of the extraordinary cognitive abilities that set us apart from the rest of creation

A dazzling record of prehistoric carvings and paintings testifies to the cognitive complexity of our species

Today we take for granted that Homo Sapiens is the only Hominid on Earth. Yet for at least four million years many Hominid species shared the planet. what makes us different?

Africa is the birthplace of humanity. But how many human species evolved there? And when did they emigrate?

The acquisition of language and the capacity for symbolic art may lie at the very heart of the extraordinary cognitive abilities that set us apart from the rest of creation

Today we take for granted that Homo sapiens is the only hominid on Earth. Yet for at least four million years many hominid species shared the planet. What makes us different?

Africa is the birthplace of humanity. But how many human species evolved there? And when did they emigrate?

These primates can tell us a great deal about our own evolutionary past. But many species are already extinct, and the habitats of those that remain are shrinking fast

Reconstructing extinct humans as they were in life poses many unfamiliar and awkward problems for paleontologists accustomed to interpreting evolution from bones and teeth alone