Human evolution: Facts, news, features and articles about the past 300,000 years of Homo sapiens
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A fossilized foot found 15 years ago belonged to enigmatic human relative that lived alongside Lucy, scientists say
By Sophie Berdugo published
Freshly unearthed jaw bones and teeth that were found close to a previously discovered foot suggest human relatives tried several ways of walking before honing in on one strategy.

Neanderthals cannibalized 'outsider' women and children 45,000 years ago at cave in Belgium
By Kristina Killgrove published
Fragmented Neanderthal bones discovered in a cave in Belgium show that one group cannibalized the women and children of another group.

Science history: Iconic 'Lucy' fossil discovered, transforming our understanding of human evolution — Nov. 24, 1974
By Tia Ghose published
On an expedition in the Awash Valley in Ethiopia, two anthropologists uncovered the bones of a 3.2 million-year-old human ancestor. The iconic "Lucy" fossil would reveal much about our species' tangled family tree.

Did Neanderthals have religious beliefs?
By Owen Jarus published
Whether Neanderthals had religious beliefs is a subject of ongoing debate.

'Perfectly preserved' Neanderthal skull bones suggest their noses didn't evolve to warm air
By Kristina Killgrove published
An analysis of the only intact Neanderthal inner nose bones known to exist reveals that our ancient cousins' enormous noses did not evolve to withstand harsh climates.

Prehistoric Jomon people in Japan had 'little to no' DNA from the mysterious Denisovans, study finds
By Sophie Berdugo published
The prehistoric Jomon people of Japan had "unexpectedly low" levels of DNA from the Denisovans, our mysterious human relatives.

'The images could be much older': Analysis of rocks shows Neanderthals made art at least 64,000 years ago
By Paul Pettitt published
Art has sometimes thought to be exclusive to modern humans.

Crimean Stone Age 'crayons' were used by Neanderthals for symbolic drawings, study claims
By Sophie Berdugo published
Scientists have discovered Stone Age "crayons" in Crimea, hinting that Neanderthals may have used them for symbolic drawings or markings. But not everyone agrees.
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