early humans

That ‘Oldest Site in the Americas’ Claim Just Took a Massive Hit

The latest findings come from the first independent investigation of the Monte Verde site in 50 years—and the implications are paradigm-shifting.

Human History Gayoung Lee Mar 19

One of the Most Complete Human Ancestors Ever Found Isn’t Who We Thought It Was

New research challenges the previous identification of a famous fossil dubbed "Little Foot."

Human History Margherita Bassi Dec 16

Neanderthals Ate Maggots, Scientists Say

Maggot-infested meat likely provided Neanderthals and even some modern-day humans with a rich source of fat and nitrogen.

Human History Ed Cara Jul 25

Early Fire Use Wasn’t for Cooking, New Theory Suggests

The discovery of fire was one of the most fundamental advancements of human development, but researchers can't agree on why it came about.

Human History Margherita Bassi Jun 4

Face-shaped rock with dot of red pigment

Did a Neanderthal Spot a Face in This Rock 43,000 Years Ago—and Leave a Fingerprint Behind?

The discovery could deepen our understanding of the Neanderthal mind, but some experts aren’t convinced by the interpretation of the evidence.

Human History Ellyn Lapointe May 31

120,000-Year-Old Human Footprints Mark Possible Migration Route Through Arabian Peninsula

Archaeologists in Saudi Arabia have discovered seven well-preserved footprints belonging to humans. Dated to around 120,000 years ago, these appear to be the oldest evidence of our species in the region. Prior to the last ice age, somewhere between 112,000 and 122,000 years ago, two humans, possibly three, walked south along the shore of an…

Human History George Dvorsky Sep 18

Hundreds of Fossilized Human Footprints Provide a Glimpse of Ancient Life in Africa

Over 400 fossilized human footprints have been discovered in Tanzania, representing the largest collection of human prints ever found in Africa. Dating back some 10,000 years, the footprints offer a snapshot of life during the Late Pleistocene, including possible divisions of labor based on sex. New research published in Scientific Reports describes hundreds of fossilized…

Human History George Dvorsky May 14

Scientists Discover Ice Age Structure Made From Bones of 60 Mammoths

An unusually large structure from the last ice age built from the bones of dozens of woolly mammoths has been uncovered in Russia. Dating back some 25,000 years, it’s the oldest known structure of its kind—but its purpose isn’t entirely clear. Circular structures made from mammoth bones are surprisingly common in the archaeological record, dating…

Human History George Dvorsky Mar 16

44,000-Year-Old Cave Painting Could Be the Earliest Known Depiction of Hunting

Archaeologists in Indonesia have stumbled upon an extraordinarily old cave painting which appears to depict human-like figures in pursuit of wild pigs and buffaloes. It’s quite possibly the oldest portrayal of a hunting scene in the archaeological record, but the vague nature of the artwork leaves it open to interpretation. New research published today in…

Human History George Dvorsky Dec 11

AI Finds Traces of a Lost Species in Human DNA

Buried deep within the DNA of Asian individuals is a genetic clue pointing to the existence of an unknown human ancestor. Remarkably, it wasn’t a human who reached this startling conjecture, but rather an artificially intelligent algorithm. Welcome to archaeology in the 21st century. New research published last week in Nature Communications suggests a yet-to-be…

Human History George Dvorsky Jan 25

The Human Origin Story Has Changed Again, Thanks to New Discovery in Algeria

The discovery of 2.4-million-year-old stone tools and butchered bones at a site in Algeria suggests our distant hominin relatives spread into the northern regions of Africa far earlier than archaeologists assumed. The find adds credence to the newly emerging suggestion that ancient hominins lived—and evolved—outside a supposed Garden of Eden in East Africa. This extraordinary…

Human History George Dvorsky Nov 29

Humans Lived in Madagascar 6,000 Years Earlier Than Previously Thought

An analysis of butchered animal bones suggests humans had somehow ventured to Madagascar by at least 10,000 years ago, which is 6,000 years earlier than previous evidence suggested. This means humans likely played a key role in the extinction of the island’s large animals. Humans lived on Madagascar during the early Holocene, according to new…

Human History George Dvorsky Sep 12

Archaeologists Have Found the World’s Oldest Known Drawing in a South African Cave

Some 73,000 years ago in what is now South Africa, an early human used a red ochre crayon to draw a cross-hatched pattern onto a smooth flake, according to new research published today. It’s now considered the earliest evidence of drawing in the archaeological record. The drawing, which consists of three red lines intersecting with…

Human History George Dvorsky Sep 12

Discovery of 14,000-Year-Old Toast Suggests Bread Can Be Added to Paleo Diet

Archaeologists have uncovered the earliest evidence of bread-making at a site in northeastern Jordan. Dating back some 14,400 years, the discovery shows that ancient hunter-gatherers were making and eating bread 4,000 years before the Neolithic era and the introduction of agriculture. So much for the “Paleo Diet” actually being a thing. Bread-making predates agriculture, according…

Human History George Dvorsky Jul 16

Humans Didn’t Evolve From a Single Ancestral Population

In the 1980s, scientists learned that all humans living today are descended from a woman, dubbed “Mitochondrial Eve,” who lived in Africa between 150,000 to 200,000 years ago. This discovery, along with other evidence, suggested humans evolved from a single ancestral population—an interpretation that is not standing the test of time. The story of human…

Human History George Dvorsky Jul 11

A Toddler Who Lived 3 Million Years Ago Could Walk Upright and Capably Climb Trees

A re-analysis of a three-million-year-old fossil suggests Australopithecus afarensis, an early hominid, had children who were as capable on two feet as they were in the trees—an important discovery that’s shedding new light on this critical stage in hominid evolution. A tiny fossilized foot no larger than a human thumb reveals some of the physical…

Human History George Dvorsky Jul 4

Something Completely Unexpected Happened to the First Settlers of South America

As the last Ice Age was coming to an end, and as the first settlers arrived in North America, two distinct populations emerged. One of these groups would eventually go on to settle South America, but as new genetic evidence shows, these two ancestral groups—after being separated for thousands of years—had an unexpected reunion. The…

Human History George Dvorsky May 31

New Evidence Reveals a 17,000-Year-Old Coastal Route Into North America

The first people to cross into North America from Eurasia did so by traveling through the Bering Strait, or so the theory goes. A new theory has emerged proposing a coastal route into the continent, but evidence has been lacking. A recent analysis of boulders, bedrock, and fossils in Alaska is now providing a clearer…

Tech News George Dvorsky May 30

Stunning Discovery Shows Early Humans Were Hunting Rhinos in the Philippines Over 700,000 Years Ago

Our species, Homo sapiens, weren’t the first humans to leave Africa—not by a long shot. The remarkable discovery of a 709,000-year-old butchered rhino fossil in the Philippines shows that so-called archaic humans were romping around the islands of southeast Asia a full 400,000 years before our species even existed. That premodern humans had made their…

Tech News George Dvorsky May 2

Did Neanderthals Go Extinct Because of the Size of Their Brains?

Using computers and MRI scans, researchers have created the most detailed reconstruction of a Neanderthal brain to date, offering new insights into the social and cognitive abilities of these extinct humans. But as to whether these characteristics were responsible for their ultimate demise remains an open question. New research published today in Scientific Reports suggests…

Tech News George Dvorsky Apr 26

early humans

That ‘Oldest Site in the Americas’ Claim Just Took a Massive Hit

One of the Most Complete Human Ancestors Ever Found Isn’t Who We Thought It Was

Neanderthals Ate Maggots, Scientists Say

Early Fire Use Wasn’t for Cooking, New Theory Suggests

Did a Neanderthal Spot a Face in This Rock 43,000 Years Ago—and Leave a Fingerprint Behind?

120,000-Year-Old Human Footprints Mark Possible Migration Route Through Arabian Peninsula

Hundreds of Fossilized Human Footprints Provide a Glimpse of Ancient Life in Africa

Scientists Discover Ice Age Structure Made From Bones of 60 Mammoths

44,000-Year-Old Cave Painting Could Be the Earliest Known Depiction of Hunting

AI Finds Traces of a Lost Species in Human DNA

The Human Origin Story Has Changed Again, Thanks to New Discovery in Algeria

Humans Lived in Madagascar 6,000 Years Earlier Than Previously Thought

Archaeologists Have Found the World’s Oldest Known Drawing in a South African Cave

Discovery of 14,000-Year-Old Toast Suggests Bread Can Be Added to Paleo Diet

Humans Didn’t Evolve From a Single Ancestral Population

A Toddler Who Lived 3 Million Years Ago Could Walk Upright and Capably Climb Trees

Something Completely Unexpected Happened to the First Settlers of South America

New Evidence Reveals a 17,000-Year-Old Coastal Route Into North America

Stunning Discovery Shows Early Humans Were Hunting Rhinos in the Philippines Over 700,000 Years Ago

Did Neanderthals Go Extinct Because of the Size of Their Brains?

Musk Changes OpenAI Lawsuit So that If He Wins the $134 Billion, OpenAI’s Nonprofit Gets It

Pro-Iran Hackers Target Critical U.S. Energy and Water Infrastructure

‘She-Hulk’ Was Apparently One of Marvel’s Most Successful Shows

The World’s First Eye-Tracking Smart Glasses Are Intriguing and Unpolished

Noah Hawley Is Remaking ‘Terrified,’ Which Shouldn’t Happen

Unprecedented Observation Reveals 2 Supermassive Black Holes Locked in a Tight Death Spiral

This Apple MacBook Pro Is Now Under $500 After 78% Off, Grade-A Refurb Deal (16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, Touch Bar)

Anthropic Launches ‘Project Glasswing’ to Stealthily Spot Cybersecurity Issues for Rivals

Aqara Thermostat Hub W200 Review: Almost Better than My Ecobee

HP Omen Max 45L Review: 4K60 Gaming Has Never Been So Easy

Ecovacs Winbot W3 Omni Review: Window Cleaning Robots Have a Long Way to Go

AirPods Max 2 vs. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen): Which ANC Headphones Win?

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DJI Osmo 360 Review: The Best 360 Camera for the DJI-Pilled

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