Lead exposure may have spelled evolutionary success for humans—and extinction for our ancient cousins—but other scientists ...

On Valentine’s Day in 2018, a team of scientists walked across a flat expanse in the badlands of northeastern Ethiopia, scanning the ground for fossils. An eagle-eyed field assistant, Omar Abdulla, ...

An international study changes the view that exposure to the toxic metal lead is largely a post-industrial phenomenon. The ...

A timeless question has always fascinated scientists who study the past. Which comes first, the new behavior or the physical tool that perfects it? Do you change how you live and then evolve the body ...

For decades, small grooves on ancient human teeth were thought to be evidence of deliberate tool use – people cleaning their teeth with sticks or fibers, or easing gum pain with makeshift “toothpicks” ...

Fossil teeth unearthed in Ethiopia suggest two distinct human ancestor species lived alongside each other between 2.6 and 2.8 million years ago, reshaping what is known about our evolution. The 13 ...

"Human children grow at a uniquely slow pace by comparison with other mammals. When and where did this schedule evolve? Have technological advances, farming and cities had any effect upon it?

We collated data on tooth and brain size for 15 fossil species on the human family tree, spanning about 5 million years of evolution. Somewhat oxymoronically, the third molars – otherwise known as ...

At a time when biodiversity is under severe pressure from human activities, understanding how evolution works is more ...

Lead is a powerful neurotoxin that disrupts the growth and function of both brain and body. There is no safe level of lead exposure, and even the smallest traces can impair memory, learning and ...