Human evolution in the news

Innovative scientific techniques and fresh discoveries are adding to our knowledge on some of the most fundamental questions about humankind at an unprecedented rate. Here you can keep up to date with the most recent findings.   

Digital painting of Neanderthals clinging on to life in a refuge as the climate deteriorated. Did taking refuge from climate change spur human evolution? - 16/03/2012

Models of ice age plant and animal movements reveal clues to human evolution.

Areas of the brain (Neanderthals on the left and modern humans on the right) show differences Did a good sense of smell give us an evolutionary advantage? - 13/12/2011

Sense of smell may have been as important as language in giving modern humans an evolutionary advantage over other human relatives.

CT scan of Kent’s Cavern maxilla before reconstruction. Devon jawbone reveals earliest NW European - 02/11/2011

A jawbone from Kent's Cavern has revealed that modern humans were living in northwestern Europe between 41,000 and 44,000 years ago.

Iwo Eleru skull from Nigeria (on the right) dates to 13,000 years ago but shows more ancient feature Mystery of a West African skull from 13,000 years ago - 16/09/2011

Humans with primitive skull features were still living in West Africa 13,000 years ago.

Fossil skull of the 1.98-million-year-old Sediba human ancestor uncovered in South Africa Sediba human ancestor could shift our origins to South Africa - 08/09/2011

A human-like species may shift the likely location of early human origins from East Africa to South Africa.

Map of southern Africa, where some scientists suggest modern humans evolved. Previously, most eviden Modern humans came from southern Africa, study suggests - 22/03/2011

A genetic study suggests modern humans evolved in southern Africa rather than in the east.

Human skulls made into cups uncovered in Gough's Cave in Somerset are the oldest known so far. Earliest human skull-cups made in the UK - 16/02/2011

The earliest known examples of human skull-cups have been uncovered in the UK, Natural History Museum scientists report.

The Denisova human shared a common ancestor with modern humans and Neanderthals (cranium shown right Ancient Denisovans and the human family tree - 12/01/2011

A new group of ancient humans interbred with our species and left behind a genetic trace. Chris Stringer talks about the research.

Synchrotron image of the upper jaw (maxilla) of a Neanderthal child showing the permanent teeth insi Neanderthal teeth reveal they grew up quicker than us - 22/11/2010

A high-tech study of tooth growth lines reveals that Neanderthals had shorter childhoods and reached maturity earlier than modern humans.

Illustrated scene with ancient human relative Australopithecus afarensis Oldest tool use and meat-eating revealed - 12/08/2010

Ancient human relatives used stone tools to help them eat animals more than 3 million years ago.

Scene of Happisburgh, Norfolk, UK, 800,000 years ago Ancient Britons were earliest northern Europeans - 07/07/2010

Ancient humans lived in Britain more than 800,000 years ago Museum scientists report.

Model head of a Neanderthal man First genetic code of Neanderthal reveals interbreeding - 06/05/2010

The genetic code of the Neanderthals has been revealed for the first time, giving surprising clues to their intimate relations with modern humans.