Twins were the norm for our ancient primate ancestors − one baby at a time had evolutionary advantages
Twins have been rare in human history and can seem special for that reason. Our recent research suggests that twins were actually the norm further back in primate evolution.
The Origins of the Stonehenge Altar Stone
New research in Nature solves the mystery of the origins of the Stonehenge Altar Stone, an enigmatic rock at the heart of the monument.
Field Notes: My Time with Titis
What is it like to study titi monkeys in the Amazon Rainforest? Leakey Foundation grantee David Wood says the worst part is the sweat bees.
Raymond Dart’s 1973 Lecture, “The Discovery of Australopithecus and Its Implications”
Raymond Arthur Dart (1893-1988) announced, described, and named the first discovery of an Australopithecine in the February 7, 1925 issue of Nature. The now iconic specimen consisted of a partial fossilized face, jaw, and cast of the interior of the braincase of a young child from Taung, which Dart assigned to a new genus and species called Australopithecus africanus.
Human skin stood up to the sun before there were sunscreens and parasols – Nina Jablonski explains why
Human beings evolved under the sun. Sunlight was a constant in people’s lives, warming and guiding them through the days and seasons. Homo sapiens spent the bulk of our prehistory and history outside, mostly naked. Skin was the primary interface between our ancestors’ bodies and the world.