Anthropology

Environment

Lead levels in ancient Rome’s water were high, but not toxic

Ancient Romans probably drank tap water with up to 100 times more lead than the levels found in local spring water.

Anthropology

Laetoli footprints show signs of unusual gait

Contrary to prior study, 3.6-million-year-old hominids in Tanzania did not walk like humans.

Anthropology

Earliest case of a battered child found in Greece

A baby living in Athens around 2,200 years ago was probably beaten to death.

Anthropology

Ancient boy died surprisingly young

Imaging analysis reduces age of Australopithecus sediba youngster from 9 to 7.5 years old.

Anthropology

Turkana Boy sparks row over Homo erectus height

Estimating the adult height and weight of an ancient youth from his skeleton has proven tricky.

Anthropology

Bronze Age herders spread farming around Asia

Ancient seeds indicate that Central Asian animal raisers had an unappreciated impact on early agriculture.

Health & Medicine

Casinos may reduce poverty, obesity in Native American communities

A modest reduction in overweight youth was observed after the addition of slot machines.

Anthropology

Human ancestors at West Asian site deemed two species

Researchers see two species instead of one at oldest known Homo site outside Africa.

Anthropology

Cancer proposed as spur for evolution of dark-skinned ancestors

Fatal ailments might have sparked DNA changes that yielded dark skin in human ancestors.

Archaeology

Nearly 1-million-year-old European footprints found

Erosion temporarily unveils remnants of a Stone Age stroll along England’s coast.

Genetics

Stone Age Spaniard had blue eyes, dark skin

Genetics of 7,000-year-old skeleton suggests blond hair, pale skin came later.

Anthropology

Skulls from ancient London suggest ritual decapitations

The city’s Roman rulers had special watery places to keep the heads of military enemies or vanquished gladiators.