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hominins

Ancient hominins may have needed midwives to help deliver babies

7 May 2021

Based on the shapes of their pelvises, extinct hominins like Australopithecus had a hard time giving birth, suggesting mothers in labour needed assistance from their peers


The rise and fall of the mysterious culture that invented civilisation

The rise and fall of the mysterious culture that invented civilisation

24 February 2021

Proto-cities built from 6200 years ago in eastern Europe upend our ideas about when civilisation began and why people made the move from rural to urban living


Was it just luck that our species survived and the Denisovans didn't?

Was it just luck that our species survived and the Denisovans didn't?

27 January 2021

For millennia, our species advanced in lockstep with the Denisovans and it is hard to work out from archaeological finds why they disappeared from the planet while we now dominate it


The other humans: The emerging story of the mysterious Denisovans

The other humans: The emerging story of the mysterious Denisovans

27 January 2021

The existence of the Denisovans was discovered just a decade ago through DNA alone. Now we're starting to uncover fossils and artefacts revealing what these early humans were like


The reason we love to gather around the TV lies in Stone Age embers

The reason we love to gather around the TV lies in Stone Age embers

16 December 2020

Watching TV and staring at flickering flames produce similar physiological effects, offering intriguing clues to the enduring power of entertainment – and the origins of sociability


Evolution explains why social distancing due to covid-19 is so hard

Evolution explains why social distancing due to covid-19 is so hard

11 November 2020

Hugs, handshakes and air kisses serve the same crucial purposes as animal greetings like sniffing, eye poking and buttock grabbing


The theory of evolution is a vibrant, living entity still in its prime

The theory of evolution is a vibrant, living entity still in its prime

23 September 2020

Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution is one of the greatest accomplishments of human intellect and it is continuing to bring further insights under its wing


How ancient proteins are untangling humanity's family tree

How ancient proteins are untangling humanity's family tree

9 September 2020

We can't extract DNA from some of the most perplexing ancient human fossils. But ancient proteins sometimes survive better, and they are finally starting to give up their secrets


The real reasons miscarriage exists – and why it's so misunderstood

The real reasons miscarriage exists – and why it's so misunderstood

5 August 2020

New research reveals that miscarriage serves a critical role in human evolution – and in some instances, may even be associated with optimal fertility


Homo sapiens: Why did evolution favour the brainy ape?

Homo sapiens: Why did evolution favour the brainy ape?

28 April 2020

Being intelligent has allowed our species to conquer the world. Mark Maslin explains why evolution favoured an unusually brainy ape.


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