▲ Peaking
Science
Cave fossils in China reveal lives of mysterious human relatives
Newly discovered cave fossils in China are providing fresh insights into the lives of mysterious human relatives.
Human Evolution
30 trends tracked about this subject — the full history, oldest to newest below.
▲ Peaking
World
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It's Oldest Evidence of Habitual Drug Use—and the Damage
Prehistoric origins of a commonly used psychoactive substance reveal the oldest evidence of habitual drug use.
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Science
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The First Denisovan Arm Bone Offers a New Clue to What These Ancient and Mysterious Humans Looked Like
The discovery of the first Denisovan arm bone provides researchers with a new physical clue regarding the appearance of these ancient humans.
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Science
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'Heel-strike' may have allowed early humans to walk farther—at the cost of high-impact forces
Recent scientific reporting examines how heel-first walking patterns enabled early human migration.
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World
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Scientists Discover the Earliest Evidence of Drug Use in Really Old Teeth
Researchers have identified the earliest known evidence of human drug use through the analysis of fossilized teeth dating back 25,000 years in Indonesia.
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Science
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Who were the Denisovans? Rich trove of fossils and tools paints new picture
A new collection of fossils and tools is providing researchers with a deeper understanding of the mysterious ancient human group known as the Denisovans.
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Science
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Fossil remains unearthed in China offer new clues about how Denisovans lived
Newly discovered Denisovan fossil remains unearthed in a cave in southwest China reveal rare insights into ancient human subsistence strategies.
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Science
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Archaeologists Just Found the Most Complete Denisovan Record Yet—and It Goes Back 190,000 Years
Archaeologists have uncovered the most complete Denisovan record to date in a Chinese cave, featuring remains dating back 190,000 years.
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Science
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Irish Cave Art May Push Human Story Back to 15,000 Years
Newly discovered cave art in Ireland could potentially push the known timeline of human history back by 15,000 years.
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Science
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Scientists measured campfire light and discovered its incredible role in shaping human language
New research suggests the specific lighting conditions of campfires may have disadvantaged hand gestures and favored the evolution of spoken language.
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Science
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Why It Might Be Time to Rethink the Human Family Tree
2 news sources are covering this Science story right now — PULSE is tracking how fast it spreads.
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Science
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Stone tools suggest Neanderthals once inhabited Arabian deserts
Evidence from stone tools suggests Neanderthals ventured much further south than previously believed, inhabiting Arabian deserts 55,000 years ago.
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Science
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Why it might be time to rethink the human family tree
Recent evolutionary discoveries are prompting a fundamental scientific re-evaluation of how human ancestors are named and classified.
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Science
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Last common ancestor of humans and chimpanzees could have been a vertical climber, no matter its feet
5 news sources are covering this Science story right now — PULSE is tracking how fast it spreads.
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Science
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His pelvis was made for walking. Hers? Not so much, claims study of Neanderthal bones
8 news sources are covering this Science story right now — PULSE is tracking how fast it spreads.
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Health
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Neanderthal gene inherited by modern humans linked to greater muscle mass
New research suggests a specific genetic inheritance from Neanderthals may contribute to increased muscle mass in certain modern humans.
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Science
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Intricate Carvings in Ostrich Eggshells are 60,000 Years Old
Ancient ostrich eggshell engravings dated to 60,000 years ago suggest humans possessed sophisticated pattern-thinking capabilities far earlier than once thought.
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Science
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Scientists Found DNA from Not One, but Two ‘Ghost Species’ Hiding in Our Genetic Code
Researchers have uncovered genetic evidence of two extinct 'ghost species' within modern human DNA, suggesting a far more complex evolutionary history.
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Science
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Neanderthal Gene Still Shapes Muscle and Jaws in Some Living Humans
New research indicates that a specific inherited Neanderthal gene variant continues to influence muscle mass and jaw structure in some modern humans.
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Health
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Study Points to Sugar, Not Just Meat, as Fuel for Human Brain Evolution
Recent studies suggest sugar, alongside meat, fueled the evolution of the human brain.
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Science
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1.4-Million-Year-Old Footprints Reveal a Giant Human Relative
Newly examined 1.4-million-year-old footprints indicate the existence of an unexpectedly large human relative.
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Science
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Scientists Find Traces of Two Unknown Archaic Hominins in Human DNA
Recent scientific research reveals traces of two previously unknown archaic hominins hiding within modern human DNA.
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Science
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Mysterious DNA: two unknown ancestors found in human genome
Researchers have identified two previously unknown 'ghost' ancestors embedded within the human genome, revealing hidden complexities in human evolution.
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Science
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Not just Neanderthals: Ghost lineage in Africa left its mark on our DNA
New genomic research has identified two previously unknown ancestral lineages, known as ghost lineages, within the human genome.
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Science
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Million-year-old footprints show gender divide among our ancient relatives
4 news sources are covering this Science story right now — PULSE is tracking how fast it spreads.
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Science
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Scientists trace the shocking origin of human eyes to an ancient “cyclops”
Recent scientific studies trace the evolutionary origin of human eyes back to a 560-million-year-old one-eyed creature.
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Science
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Evolutionary drivers of encephalization and facial reduction in the genus Homo
New research is challenging long-held assumptions about why the genus Homo developed larger brains and smaller faces during evolution.
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Science
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Genetic diversity of late Neanderthals in northwestern Europe
New ancient DNA analysis reveals that the last Neanderthals in northwestern Europe were more genetically diverse and connected than previously thought.
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Health
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Rare Neanderthal baby remains reveal growth patterns similar to modern humans and signs of metabolic disease
Rare Neanderthal baby fossils reveal fetal growth patterns similar to modern humans and evidence of early metabolic disease.
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Science
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Scientists Uncover What Kept Humanity’s First Campfires Burning 780,000 Years Ago
Recent scientific findings push back humanity's earliest known use of fire and reveal new details about ancient campfires.