The origins of the species known as 'the hobbit' - a human relative only a little over a metre tall - have been debated ever since its discovery in 2004. Now new fossils may reveal the ancestors of this strange species and help us to understand its history.
We can only guess as to why a group of Neanderthals built a series of large stalagmite structures in a French cave 175,000 years ago – but the fact they did provides a rare glimpse into our extinct cousin’s potential for social organisation in a challenging environment.
We can only guess as to why a group of Neanderthals built a series of large and mysterious stalagmite structures in a French cave - but the fact they did provides a rare glimpse into our cousin species’ potential for social organisation in a challenging environment.
Neanderthals and Denisovans may have supplied modern humans with genetic variants that let them thrive in new environments.
Gut dwellers signal immune cells to stay calm and dial down inflammation.
A mind-bending, fantastic question: how did life on earth begin? This is a subject not only for speculation, but also for scientific investigation. We explore the leading theories for the origin of life on our planet.
Science nowadays often starts from the assumption of continuity between humans and animals, while shifting the burden of proof to those who insist on differences. Anyone who asks me to believe that a tickled ape, who almost chokes on his hoarse giggles, is in a different state of mind than a tickled human child has his work cut out for him.
Did sexual reproduction evolve to keep up with mitochondrial mutation?
What's in a minimal cell? This is very close to the basic requirements of life as we know it. For a full 17 percent of the genes we have no clear idea of what they do.
Experiments in evolution are exploring what would happen if we rewound the tape of life.
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