human-evolution
8 stories related to this topic, newest first.
bbc.co.ukJapanese Skulls Have Become Rounder and Wider-Jawed Over Past Century
CT scans of people who died between 1900 and 1920 compared with those who died between 2022 and 2024 show consistent changes in head shape. Skulls have become more brachycephalic with shorter foreheads, larger mastoid processes and increased sexual dimorphism. Researchers attribu…
The IndependentAndean Populations Show Genetic Adaptation to Potato-Rich Diet
Indigenous communities in the Andes domesticated potatoes between 6,000 and 10,000 years ago, leading to genetic changes that persist in their descendants. A new study found that Quechua speakers in Peru have an average of 10 copies of the AMY1 gene, which produces an enzyme that…
New ScientistNeandertals Used Rhinoceros Teeth as Tools at Sites in Spain and France
Researchers identified marks on fossilized rhinoceros teeth from caves in Spain and France that indicate Neandertals used them as hammers and anvils around 100,000 years ago. The teeth served multiple purposes including shaping stone tools and processing vegetable fibers and hide…
archaeology.orgStudy Finds Neanderthal Children Grew Faster Than Modern Humans
A recent study published in Current Biology indicates that Neanderthal children developed at a faster rate than modern humans. The research is based on remains from northern Israel, dated between 51,000 and 56,000 years ago. The findings suggest this growth pattern may relate to…
Substrate placeholder — needs reviewHarvard Study Analyzes Genetic Selection in Ancient West Eurasian DNA Spanning 10,000 Years
David Reich’s genetics lab at Harvard released a report showing human evolution in Europe and the Middle East over the last 10,000 years. The genome-wide association study identifies changes in disease vulnerabilities and traits like fair skin and intelligence. ZeroHedge reported…
Substrate placeholder — needs reviewLong-Term Chimpanzee Conflict in Ugandan Park Examined for Insights into Human Warfare Origins
Researchers have studied a prolonged conflict among chimpanzee groups in Uganda's Gombe Stream National Park. The conflict, which lasted four years, involved lethal violence between neighboring communities. Observations from this event are analyzed in relation to the evolution of…
Substrate placeholder — needs reviewGenetic Study Suggests Human Population Once Dropped to 1,280 Breeding Adults
The current global human population exceeds 8 billion. A recent genetic study indicates that the human population may have declined to approximately 1,280 breeding adults at some point in the past. The study examines genetic evidence to support this finding.
sciencealert.comHuman Genetic Mutation Rate and Its Effects on Fitness Examined in New Scientist Column
A column in New Scientist discusses the human genetic mutation rate, which some researchers have linked to declines in physical and mental fitness. Columnist Michael Le Page argues that these mutations do not pose the health risks often attributed to them. The piece explores whet…