Many known hominin fossils defy species classification, with the most famous example being the ever-enigmatic Denisovans. A study by anthropologists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the ...

Our species is defined by a long list of cultural and genetic traits that set us apart from our ancient counterparts. New research suggests at least some key distinctions date back earlier than ...

Scientists have digitally reconstructed the face of a 1.5-million-year-old Homo erectus fossil from Ethiopia, uncovering an unexpectedly primitive appearance. While its braincase fits with classic ...

When researchers in China announced a possible new human species from a cave in Hebei province, they did more than add another name to our already crowded family tree. They introduced a population ...

In paleoanthropology, a rare, nearly-complete skeleton can rewrite entire chapters of the human origin story. The “Little ...

The climate and early human societies were changing quickly during the fall of our closest evolutionary relative—and are big clues to the causes of their demise. This reconstruction of a Neanderthal ...

The human brain is a fascinating and complex organ that supports numerous sophisticated behaviors and abilities that are ...