Anthropology

Anthropology

Human ancestors made ancient entry to Java

Layers of hardened volcanic ash on the Indonesian island of Java have yielded evidence that Homo erectus reached eastern Asia by 1.5 million years ago and remained there until about 1 million years ago.

Anthropology

. . . and then takes some lumps

The skeletal diversity that many scientists use to divide up fossil species in our evolutionary past masks a genetic unity that actually encompassed relatively few species, contend researchers in an opposing camp.

Anthropology

Our family tree does the splits…

Large-scale changes in climate and habitats may have sparked the evolution of many new animal species in Africa beginning 7 million to 5 million years ago, including a string of new species in the human evolutionary family.

Anthropology

Early Brazilians Unveil African Look

Prehistoric human skulls found in Brazil share some traits with modern Africans, leading a Brazilian scientist to theorize that Africans rather than Asians first arrived in the Americas sometime before 11,000 years ago.

Anthropology

Fossil Skull Diversifies Family Tree

A 3.5-million-year-old skull found in Kenya represents a group of species in the human evolutionary family that evolved separately from australopithecines such as Lucy's kind in Ethiopia.

Anthropology

Yanomami inquiry moves forward

The American Anthropological Association has launched a formal inquiry into the highly publicized allegations of scientific misconduct by anthropologists and others working in South America among the Yanomami Indians.

Anthropology

Chimps grasp at social identities

Researchers contend that neighboring communities of wild chimpanzees develop distinctive styles of mutual grooming to identify fellow group members and foster social solidarity.

Anthropology

Neandertals and humans each get a grip

A fossil analysis indicates that, by about 100,000 years ago, modern humans in the Middle East had hands suited to holding stone tools by attached handles, whereas Neandertals did not.

Anthropology

Rumble in the Jungle

A new book raises troubling and controversial issues regarding research on a famous South American Indian population.

Anthropology

Human ancestors had taste for termites

Incisions on ancient bone implements found in South Africa indicate that human ancestors gathered termites, a protein-rich food source, more than 1 million years ago.

Anthropology

Gene, fossil data back diverse human roots

Ancient mitochondrial DNA extracted from Homo sapiens fossils and anatomical links among H. sapiens crania from different regions both support a theory of geographically diverse human origins.