Are Hunter-Gatherers The Happiest Humans To Inhabit Earth?
Anthropologist James Suzman has lived with one of the last groups of hunter-gatherers. And it's made him rethink his perspective on the Western lifestyle.
anthropology
When People Ate People, A Strange Disease Emerged
For decades, a rare disease crawled across Papua New Guinea. When scientists realized what was behind kuru, it caught everyone by surprise. But similar diseases can still be transmitted through food.
Fossils Suggest That Island Life Shrank Our 'Hobbit' Relatives
Scientists say tiny bones dating back 700,000 years on the Indonesian island of Flores shine new light on how these mysterious, 3-foot-tall creatures got that way.
When It Came To Food, Neanderthals Weren't Exactly Picky Eaters
During the Ice Age, it seems Neanderthals tended to chow down on whatever was most readily available. Early humans, on the other hand, maintained a consistent diet regardless of environmental changes.
Human Sacrifice Is Linked To Social Hierarchies In New Study
Scientists say, "our results suggest that ritual killing helped humans transition from the small egalitarian groups of our ancestors, to the large stratified societies we live in today."
This Gene Could Turn Your Hair Gray
Is stress turning your hair gray? Your ancestors may have something to do with it, too. Scientists say they've found the first genetic variant associated with going gray.
War May Not Have Led To Easter Island's Ancient Collapse
The question of what caused Easter Island's demise is a matter of hot debate. War is often blamed, but new research suggests that obsidian blades on the island were used for farming — not fighting.
Did The Language You Speak Evolve Because Of The Heat?
People speak very differently depending on where they live, and the climate and environment might have something to do with that. Crisp English consonants don't carry well in the rain forest.
Up Late? Looks Like Our Paleo Ancestors Didn't Sleep Much Either
It's tempting to think that our forebears got lots of blissful snooze time. But modern-day hunter-gatherers aren't getting more than 6.5 hours a night, researchers say. And that's without smartphones.
Bones In Church Ruins Likely The Remains Of Early Jamestown's Elite
Scientists say remains of four men exhumed from what was once an Anglican church suggest they were well-nourished, "high-status" leaders in the early 17th century colony. And one was likely Catholic.