Why don’t humans have hair all over their bodies? A biologist explains our lack of fur

Human beings don’t have a thick coat of fur like many other mammals do. Scientists think it has to do with something else that comes out of skin: sweat.

Maria Chikina, Assistant Professor of Computational and Systems Biology, University of Pittsburgh • conversation
April 21, 2025 • ~6 min

Stone tool discovery in China shows people in East Asia were innovating during the Middle Paleolithic, like in Europe and Middle East

Discovery in China of tools called Quina scrapers suggests the people of East Asia were as inventive and flexible with technology during the Middle Paleolithic era as those in other parts of the world.

Ben Marwick, Professor of Archaeology, University of Washington • conversation
March 31, 2025 • ~9 min

Fossil face discovery highlights challenges faced by Europe’s earliest settlers

Western Europe appears to have been difficult territory for early human relatives to settle in.

Suzy White, Post-Doctoral Research Assistant, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Reading • conversation
March 19, 2025 • ~6 min

Inside the sex lives of chimpanzees: it’s about much more than just reproduction

Any notion of a dominant alpha chimp getting all the action is far from reality.

Zanna Clay, Professor in the Department of Psychology, Durham University • conversation
March 11, 2025 • ~9 min

How the human neck became a locus of power, beauty and frailty

The neck’s vitality and vulnerability are rooted in a quirky evolutionary history.

Kent Dunlap, Professor of Biology, Trinity College • conversation
Feb. 10, 2025 • ~7 min

Twins were the norm for our ancient primate ancestors − one baby at a time had evolutionary advantages

Twins are pretty rare, accounting for just 3% of births in the US these days. But new research shows that for primates 60 million years ago, giving birth to twins was the norm.

Jack McBride, Ph.D. Student in Anthropology, Yale University • conversation
Dec. 16, 2024 • ~8 min

Fossilized footprints reveal 2 extinct hominin species living side by side 1.5 million years ago

Ancient fossil footprints are the first evidence of two different hominin species − Homo erectus and Paranthropus boisei − living in the same place at the same time.

Purity Kiura, Chief Research Scientist in Archaeology and Heritage, National Museums of Kenya • conversation
Nov. 28, 2024 • ~13 min

Their DNA survives in diverse populations across the world – but who were the Denisovans?

The discovery of a finger bone in a cave in Siberia some 15 years ago kicked off a race to unravel the mysteries of an entirely new group of humanoids.

Linda Ongaro, Research Fellow in Genetics, Trinity College Dublin • conversation
Nov. 26, 2024 • ~7 min

The whole story of human evolution – from ancient apes via Lucy to us

Our understanding of human ancestry has changed dramatically since the discovery of Lucy the ancient hominin 50 years ago. Here is the history of humanity as we know it today.

John Gowlett, Professor of Archaeology and Evolutionary Anthropology, Department of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology, University of Liverpool • conversation
Nov. 25, 2024 • ~44 min

The whole story of human evolution – from ancient apes via Lucy to us – in one long read

Our understanding of human ancestry has changed dramatically since the discovery of Lucy the ancient hominin 50 years ago. Here is the history of humanity as we know it today.

John Gowlett, Professor of Archaeology and Evolutionary Anthropology, Department of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology, University of Liverpool • conversation
Nov. 25, 2024 • ~44 min

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