The oldest pottery we’ve found are a few fragments from China ~20,000 years old. But the technology has explosive origins deeper in the ice age
Nutcracker man accidentally evolved weak teeth
The teeth of Nutcracker man (aka Paranthropus) are riddled with defects. Did evolution undermine the teeth of the species famous for its powerful bite?
Neanderthal medicine inferior to human healthcare
Neanderthal medicine was a thing and they took care of each other. But just how effective was it? An analysis of their rate of survival suggests “not very”.
Why did people make the first prehistoric art?
The first prehistoric art consists of engravings on shells. These were made for almost half a million years. Why did people make them, and why for so long?
New Ardipithecus fossils shows creationists are wrong about Lucy (again)
Oh dear. This is one of the times I discover I’ve been spending too much time on the internet. Simpson et al. just found a bunch of new Ardipithecus ramidus fossils1; and whilst everyone else is celebrating I’m left going “hehe, clearly creationists don’t know what they’re on about” Which shouldn’t really be news to Continue Reading
Looking for love on Instagram? Exploit evolution!
Evolution influences how we behave. If you’re looking for romance, could this be exploited to encourage people to slide into your Instagram DMs?
Why did the human nose evolve?
The human nose is unique amongst primates, being all pointy. Why did this unusual feature evolve? New research speculates it might help with navigation.
Inbreeding anomalies found in Neanderthal family
Genetics shows Neanderthals lived in isolated groups, often inbreeding. But did this impact their health? A study on the El Sidrón Neanderthals suggest yes.
Pew Research over-estimates creationism in America
Surveys find creationism common in America, but Pew Research reveals that this all depends on the question is asked. It’s actually lower than we thought.
Denisovans were artists, cave dates suggest
New dates from Denisova cave confirms the epynonymous Denisovans were innovatiors, manufacturing tools never before seen in the region.