The extinction and competition hypotheses for the demise of the Neanderthals, notably suggested by interdisciplinary scientist and author Jared Diamond, hinge on the idea that humans were more advanced than Neanderthals. Commonly claimed are the following: that humans had more communicative abilities, were more efficient hunters, had superior weaponry, ate a broader diet, and had … Continue reading When It Comes to Neanderthals, Humans May Be the Borg
Tag: Anthropology
Minimum crew size for an interstellar generation ship
John Hawks takes a look at a fascinating article in Popular Mechanics that looks at what the minimum crew size would need to be for an interstellar generation ship, and relates it to what is known about genetics in anthropology. Popular Mechanics asks, "How Many People Does It Take to Colonize Another Star System?". The basic problem … Continue reading Minimum crew size for an interstellar generation ship
America’s first settlers were trapped in Beringia for 10,000 years
The ancestors of Native Americans came to the New World by walking over a land bridge across the Bering Strait. But there's a rather glaring 10,000 year gap in the story — one that could be explained by a migratory pause that lasted for millennia. via America's first settlers were trapped in Beringia for 10,000 years. … Continue reading America’s first settlers were trapped in Beringia for 10,000 years
Skin cancer risk may have driven evolution of black skin — ScienceDaily
Early humans may have evolved black skin to protect against a very high risk of dying from ultraviolet light-induced skin cancer, a new analysis concludes. Skin cancer has usually been rejected as the most likely selective pressure for the development of black skin because of a belief that it is only rarely fatal at ages … Continue reading Skin cancer risk may have driven evolution of black skin — ScienceDaily
Did Neanderthals have religion?
It's been a while since Coolidge and Wynn posted an entry. Now they've done one looking at whether Neanderthals intentionally buried their dead. What did Neandertals do with dead people? And what does this tell us about Neandertal behavior? These questions are perennial favorites for undergraduates and lay persons interested in human evolution. Indeed, one … Continue reading Did Neanderthals have religion?
Seven things about evolution – john hawks weblog
What is evolution? In its original sense, evolution meant "unrolling", as if a papyrus scroll were being unrolled to reveal its contents. We may talk about the "evolution" of many things, from an individual's lifetime to the evolution of the universe. In the most general sense, evolution means "change". Biologists are very specific about the … Continue reading Seven things about evolution – john hawks weblog
Studies of a skin color gene across global populations reveal shared origins | Penn State University
All instances of a gene mutation that contributes to light skin color in Europeans came from the same chromosome of one person who most likely lived at least 10,000 years ago, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers. via Studies of a skin color gene across global populations reveal shared origins | Penn State … Continue reading Studies of a skin color gene across global populations reveal shared origins | Penn State University
A Society Without Marriage? | Psychology Today
Nigel Barber has a post up discussing a society without marriage, at least as we understand it, and its implications for the future of marriage in western societies. Anthropologists are constantly pointing out that the range of human behavior is vast. Whenever people start thinking they've figured out the human condition, it always pays to … Continue reading A Society Without Marriage? | Psychology Today
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