Evolution: lab‑grown ‘mini brains’ suggest one mutation might have rewired the human mind
Neanderthal-human hybrid brains grown in the lab give fascinating insights into evolution.
Primary Results
Their DNA survives in diverse populations across the world – but who were the Denisovans?
The discovery of a finger bone in a cave in Siberia some 15 years ago kicked off a race to unravel the mysteries of an entirely new group of humanoids.
When did kissing evolve and did humans and Neanderthals get off with each other? New research
Humans are not the only animal to kiss.
How Neanderthal language differed from modern human – they probably didn’t use metaphors
The two human species had many similarities but their communication would have been different.
Homo longi: extinct human species that may replace Neanderthals as our closest relatives found in China
A new analysis of a ‘lost’ skull rewrites the recent family tree of the human species, showing our closest relatives lived in China.
Ancient tooth proteins suggest Homo erectus may have left a genetic legacy in people today
Studies of Chinese Homo erectus suggest that it was no evolutionary dead end, but contributed genes to modern people in the region.
Genetic studies reveal diversity of early human populations – and pin down when we left Africa
New research into how early humans spread across the world settles several long-running debates.
The first dog‑fox hybrid points to the growing risk to wild animals of domestic species
Scientists had thought a ‘dogxim’ was impossible until one was discovered in Brazil
The whole story of human evolution – from ancient apes via Lucy to us
Our understanding of human ancestry has changed dramatically since the discovery of Lucy the ancient hominin 50 years ago. Here is the history of humanity as we know it today.
DNA dating: How molecular clocks are refining human evolution’s timeline
How do scientists figure out when evolutionary events – like species splitting away from a common ancestor – happened? It turns out our DNA is a kind of molecular clock, keeping time via genetic changes.