Anthropology

Humans

Ancient DNA links an East Asian Homo sapiens woman to early Americans

Genetic clues point to a Late Stone Age trek from southwestern China to North America.

Anthropology

Demond Mullins climbed Everest to inspire more Black outdoor enthusiasts

Mullins hopes his successful Mount Everest summit will encourage more Black people to experience the great outdoors.

Psychology

The idea that many people grow following trauma may be a myth

Studies of posttraumatic growth are fundamentally flawed and can contribute to toxic cultural narratives, researchers say.

Anthropology

A new origin story for domesticated chickens starts in rice fields 3,500 years ago

Chickens, popular on today’s menus, got their start in Southeast Asia surprisingly recently, probably as exotic or revered animals, researchers say.

Anthropology

A Denisovan girl’s fossil tooth may have been unearthed in Laos

A molar adds to suspicions that mysterious hominids called Denisovans inhabited Southeast Asia's tropical forests.

Archaeology

A special brew may have calmed Inca children headed for sacrifice

The mummified remains contained a substance that may reduce anxiety and is found in ayahuasca, a psychedelic ceremonial liquid still drunk today.

Archaeology

Ancient ‘smellscapes’ are wafting out of artifacts and old texts

In studying and reviving long-ago scents, archaeologists aim to understand how people experienced, and interpreted, their worlds through smell.

Anthropology

How ancient, recurring climate changes may have shaped human evolution

Climate changes drove where Homo species lived over the last 2 million years, with a disputed ancestor giving rise to H. sapiens, a new study claims.

Anthropology

North America’s oldest skull surgery dates to at least 3,000 years ago

Bone regrowth suggests the man, who lived in what’s now Alabama, survived a procedure to treat brain swelling by scraping a hole out of his forehead.

Anthropology

Social mingling shapes how orangutans issue warning calls

The new findings hint at how modern language may have taken root in sparse communities of ancient apes and humans.

Chemistry

One forensic scientist is scraping bones for clues to time of death

The bones of more than 100 cadavers are shedding light on a more precise and reliable way to determine when someone died.

Genetics

Africa’s oldest human DNA helps unveil an ancient population shift

Long-distance mate seekers started staying closer to home about 20,000 years ago.