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Articles on Early humans

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A full set is two on the top and two on the bottom. Sebastian Kaulitzki/Science Photo Library via Getty Images

Why do people have wisdom teeth?

Two dental experts explain that these furthest-back molars may be a not-so-necessary leftover from early human evolution.
A general view of Wadi Gharandal riverine wetland, along the Jordan Rift Valley, showing palm trees concentrated at the centre of the wadi near the active spring. Mahmoud Abbas

New path for early human migrations through a once-lush Arabia contradicts a single ‘out of Africa’ origin

The findings reveal a close association between climatic conditions and early human migrations out of Africa.
Wikimedia

Major new research claims smaller-brained Homo naledi made rock art and buried the dead. But the evidence is lacking

Homo naledi had a brain less than half the size of our own. Yet the new research claims it had cognitive abilities far beyond what we might expect.
Three upright walkers, including Lucy (center) and two specimens of Australopithecus sediba, a human ancestor from South Africa dating back nearly 2 million years. Image compiled by Peter Schmid and courtesy of Lee R. Berger/Wikimedia Commons

When and how was walking invented?

Walking has taken a very long time to develop, with evidence of bipedalism among early humans in Africa roughly 4.4 million years ago.
Eleanor Scerri

Research reveals humans ventured out of Africa repeatedly as early as 400,000 years ago, to visit the rolling grasslands of Arabia

The new work presents the oldest dated evidence for hominins in Arabia, in the form of an ancient handaxe tool uncovered from the Nefud Desert.
Stone arrowheads (Maros points) and other flaked stone implements from the Toalean culture of South Sulawesi. Shahna Britton/Andrew Thomson

Who were the Toaleans? Ancient woman’s DNA provides first evidence for the origin of a mysterious lost culture

The first ancient human DNA from the Indonesian island of Sulawesi — and the wider Wallacea islands group — sheds light on the early human history of the region.
This skull, found in France, was among the first fossils to be recognized as belonging to our own species. DEA /G. Cigolini via Getty Images

How did humans evolve, and will we evolve more?

Our biggest evolutionary advantages are an ability to walk on two legs and our big brains.

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