Colder Climates Meant Bigger Bodies For Ancient Humans
Human ancestors got steadily larger over the last 1 million years. Our relatives living in colder places developed bigger bodies, a new study finds.
Neanderthal
'An Extraordinary Discovery': Archeologists Find Neanderthal Remains In Cave Near Rome
Archeologists unearthed the remains of nine Neanderthals, dating from 50,000 to 100,000 years ago, in a discovery the Italian culture minister said will be "the talk of the world."
'Minibrains' With A Neanderthal Gene Offer Hints About Human Evolution
Lab-grown brainlike organoids altered with an ancient gene began to look and behave differently. The experiments help show how the human brain has evolved.
Ancient Bone Reveals Surprising Sex Lives Of Neanderthals
Genomic sequencing reveals new evidence of interbreeding among different groups of our ancient relatives. A scientist calls the find "almost too lucky to be true."
Study Suggests Neanderthals Enjoyed Long Childhoods
The study of a 49,000-year-old skeleton of a Neanderthal boy discovered in Spain indicates that he may have matured at about the same rate as children of modern homo sapiens.
Some Plaque To Build A Theory On: Did Humans And Neanderthals Kiss?
NPR's Scott Simon reflects on the scientific discovery of Neanderthal dental plaque that indicates they might have kissed humans.
Some Neanderthals Were Vegetarian — And They Likely Kissed Our Human Ancestors
A new study of the dental plaques of three Neanderthals reveals surprising facts about their lives, including what they ate, the diseases that ailed them and how they self-medicated (and smooched).
Dust To Dust: Scientists Find DNA Of Human Ancestors In Cave Floor Dirt
Anthropologists in Germany say they may not need old bones to recover ancient DNA. They just analyze dust from the floor of caves where Neanderthals and other now-extinct human relatives once resided.
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.
Science Seeks Clues To Human Health In Neanderthal DNA
Some of the genetic variations in human DNA that have been linked to quick clotting or depression or diabetes lie within or near the genetic stretches we picked up from Neanderthals, a study finds.