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Rapidly evolving bits of DNA helped develop the human brain

2 September 2021

Some sections of the human genome have changed quickly during our evolution, and hundreds of them seem to be involved in the development of our brains


photos of faces

You can recognise around 5000 faces, from family to celebrities

9 October 2018

For much of human evolution our ancestors may have encountered only a few hundred people in their lives – but we can each recall about 5000 distinct faces


Chimp evolution was shaped by sex with their bonobo relatives

Chimp evolution was shaped by sex with their bonobo relatives

24 May 2018

Some chimpanzee populations gained useful DNA from interbreeding with bonobos, and one may even have become more gentle and “bonobo-like” in its brain structure and behaviour


We may have got the evolution of our big brains entirely wrong

We may have got the evolution of our big brains entirely wrong

23 May 2018

Many scientists think that our big brains evolved to help us cope with the complexities of social living, but a model suggests it was more to do with finding food and lighting fires


World's most-spoken languages may have arisen in ancient Iran

World's most-spoken languages may have arisen in ancient Iran

23 May 2018

About 3 billion people speak Indo-European languages like English and Hindustani, and it seems the first such tongue was spoken south of the Caucasus mountains


People adapted to the cold and got more migraines as a result

People adapted to the cold and got more migraines as a result

3 May 2018

A gene variant that helps humans cope with colder climates also seems to have put people living in northerly regions at a higher risk of migraine


Surprise! Having a big brain really does mean having less muscle

Surprise! Having a big brain really does mean having less muscle

28 February 2018

It’s an evolutionary mystery how humans and other primates found the energy to support their large brains, but now it seems sacrificing some muscle might have helped


Huge dose of brain chemical dopamine may have made us smart

Huge dose of brain chemical dopamine may have made us smart

23 November 2017

Two “thinking” regions of human brains are much richer in a neurotransmitter called dopamine than the equivalent brain regions in apes and monkeys


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