Anthropology

Anthropology

Petite primate fossil could upend ideas about ape evolution

Ancient fossils suggest modern apes descended from a small, gibbonlike creature.

Anthropology

Synchronized dancing boosts pain tolerance

Dancing in sync to high energy routines increase pain tolerance and helps people bond as a group, a study suggests.

Anthropology

Plagues plagued the Bronze Age

Ancient bacterial DNA provides first clues to Bronze Age plagues in Europe and Asia.

Anthropology

Sleep time in hunter-gatherer groups on low end of scale

Hunter-gatherer communities in Africa and South America have similar sleeping patterns as people living in postindustrial societies, researchers find.

Anthropology

Long before going to Europe, humans ventured east to Asia

Cave finds indicate modern humans reached southern China long before entering Europe.

Humans

Into Africa: Ancient skeleton sheds light on reverse migration

Ancient man’s DNA helps reveal extent of Eurasian farmers’ back-to-Africa migration some 3,000 years ago.

Humans

Chimpanzees show surprising flexibility on two feet

Chimpanzees’ upper-body flexibility while walking upright suggests ancient hominids walked effectively.

Anthropology

Bronze Age mummies identified in Britain

Bone analysis finds widespread mummy making in ancient England and Scotland.

Anthropology

Ancient hominid ears were tuned to high frequencies

Two ancient hominid species may have heard high-frequency sounds especially well.

Anthropology

Ancient hominid ears were tuned to high frequencies

Two ancient hominid species may have heard high-frequency sounds especially well.

Anthropology

More than 9,000-year-old decapitated head discovered in Brazil

Human decapitation goes back more than 9,000 years in the Americas.

Anthropology

Handed-down tales tell of ancient sea level rise

Australian Aborigines tell tales of actual, ancient sea-level rises, a contested study finds.