Research by John Hawks
Research highlight: Brain of the Taung Child
A new study of the endocast discovered a hundred years ago asks, what if we found this fossil today?
Research highlight: Understanding how Homo naledi walked and ran
A new paper in the Journal of Anatomy presents a reconstructed lower limb based on the Rising Star fossil sample.
Research highlight: Growth and development in human origins
A report from a Wenner-Gren-supported workshop innovating ways forward for understanding hominin ontogenies
Research highlight: Homo naledi teeth
In a massive new paper, a team led by Lucas Delezene provides descriptions of the dental evidence from the Dinaledi Chamber.
Finding ancient fire use in the Rising Star cave system
The study of the underground landscape enters a new phase with evidence of charcoal and burned animal bone in deep chambers.
Research highlight: The frontal sinuses of fossil hominins
A look inside the skulls of hominins reveals the extensive variation in the form of the internal structures known as the frontal sinuses.
Research highlight: Vertebral wedging in Homo naledi
In a new paper led by Scott Williams, we look at the way that the Homo naledi lower vertebral column compares to humans and other extinct hominins.
Research highlight: The limbs of Homo naledi
In a new paper, Sarah Traynor, David Green and I show that the sizes of the arm bones of Homo naledi are more or less like today's humans, despite their many morphological adaptations to climbing.
Research highlight: Taking human origins research into the next decade
Notes on the recent history of paleoanthropology from my Distinguished Lecture for the General Anthropology Division of the American Anthropological Association
Research highlight: Pelvic fragment from the Lesedi Chamber
A new paper from our team led by Zachary Cofran looks at the immature ilium that is currently the most complete pelvic fragment of Homo naledi.
Research highlight: Mandibles from Malapa
My research with Lee Berger looking at the variation of the mandibular ramus of Australopithecus sediba.
Research highlight: Strategizing public-facing work within an academic career
In a collaborative article with Kimberleigh Tommy, we examine the challenges facing researchers who work with the public.
Research highlight: A partial skull from Rising Star
Our team uncovered the tiny skull in a near-impossible crevice deep in the cave system.
Research highlight: Looking at what Darwin knew about primate relationships
I provide a context for Darwin's ideas about human and primate relationships and update Descent of Man with today's knowledge.
Research highlight: Accurate depiction of uncertainty in ancient DNA research: The case of Neandertal ancestry in Africa
An article in the Journal of Social Archaeology looking at how researchers shaped public perceptions of Neandertal DNA heritage in living people.
Research highlight: Making ancient DNA more ethical
I helped to draft a statement for the American Society of Human Genetics on responsible research on ancient DNA.
Research highlight: A look at the questions raised by Homo naledi
A chapter that presents some of the key topics shaping our continuing investigations of the Rising Star cave system.
Research highlight: How the pandemic must change field research
A group of field scientists come together to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on our work.
Research highlight: Sexual dimorphism in the relationship between the gut and pelvis
We test the notion that pelvis dimensions can yield accurate estimates of gut size in fossil hominins by looking at today's people.
Research highlight: Introducing a juvenile skeleton of Homo naledi
We put together excavation records, 3D imagery, and laboratory analysis of bones and teeth to understand the preservation of a skeleton from the Dinaledi Chamber.
Research highlight: Use ancient remains more wisely
In this contribution, Keolu Fox and I consider what is necessary to build a sustainable science of ancient DNA.
My article giving an overview of our symposium on Homo naledi
An article written for American Scientist gives the current state of our research into the biology of this species.
Our new paper on why human evolution accelerated
I run through our 2007 work on evidence for recent natural selection across the human genome.
