Neandertals
Neandertal populations existed in the western part of Eurasia between 500,000 and around 40,000 years ago. They are among the best known fossil relatives of humans, and DNA evidence shows that some Neandertals were among the ancestors of people today.
An interview with Clive Finlayson about Neandertal lifeways
This is a part of the course, Human Evolution: Past and Future, which I presented in 2014.
The Kebara 2 hyoid speaks for itself, but is it a Neandertal?
An analysis of the internal bone distribution of the Kebara 2 hyoid bone shows a pattern of forces similar to speakers of modern languages.
New findings from the Denisova 3 genome at high coverage
Sequencing work by Matthias Meyer and coworkers highlights the demography of ancient Denisovans and genes that may make today's people different from them.
Did Neandertals live at or above the Arctic Circle?
Examining work by Ludovic Slimak and coworkers on the Byzovaya site, with Mousterian artifacts near the Arctic Circle in Russia.
Did humans colonize the northern latitudes without fire?
An article by Wil Roebroeks and Paola Villa argues that fire was not present in Europe before 400,000 years ago.
My reactions on the publication of the first draft Neandertal genome
Publication of the first draft of a Neandertal genome reveals that these ancient humans are among the ancestors of people living today.
A mysterious mitochondrial sequence from Denisova Cave, Russia
A small fragment of finger bone with a DNA sequence that represents a previously-unknown form of hominin.
Did Neandertals evolve in a population sink?
The dynamics of adaptation in shrinking populations may help understand how many ancient populations evolved.
Who first inhabited the European Arctic? A look at Mamontovaya Kurya
I examine a new paper reviewing a site in the far north of European Russia, with critical examination of the idea that Neandertals were this far north 40,000 years ago.
