Human Origins

Humans are unique creatures on the planet, though it wasn't always this way. Long ago, some bizarre human relatives, such as Nutcracker Man and a Homo species whose miniature bodies resembled the hobbits on Lord of the Rings, roamed Earth. Scientists are even finding evidence that modern humans crossed paths with some of our relatives, with fossils suggesting Homo sapiens may have had sex with Neanderthals and even a newly discovered species called the Denisovans. In news and features, we will cover human evolution and origins, revealing the mysteries of humanity, details on human ancestors and the evolutionary steps that led to modern humans.

Related Topics: DNA and Genes, Evolution, Fossils

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'Hobbits' Lived on the Same Island As Today's Pygmies, But They Aren't Related

August 03, 2018 | Article

Ever since finding the remains of the "hobbits" — a small-statured species of ancient human — on the island of Flores in Indonesia, scientists have wondered whether the modern Pygmy people who now call the island home were in any way related to them.
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Earliest Evidence of Our Human Ancestors Outside of Africa Found

July 11, 2018 | Article

A new discovery suggests that human ancestors left Africa roughly 10,000 generations earlier than experts thought.
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Oldest Human DNA from Africa Reveals Clues About a Mysterious Ancient Culture

March 27, 2018 | Article

The DNA samples come from one of the most ancient cemeteries in the world.
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Neanderthals Weren't Humans' Only Mating Partners. Meet the Denisovans.

March 15, 2018 | Article

The mysterious extinct human lineage known as the Denisovans may have interbred with modern humans in at least two separate waves, a new study finds.
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What is Darwin's Theory of Evolution?

February 26, 2018 | Reference

Charles Darwin's theory of evolution and natural selection isn't an idea with holes. It's one of the most solid theories in science. But what exactly is it?
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Human History Gets Longer: Oldest Fossils Outside of Africa Found

January 25, 2018 | Article

The oldest fossils of modern humans outside Africa have been discovered in Israel.
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Ancient Axes, Spear Points May Reveal When Early Humans Left Africa

December 27, 2017 | Article

Ancient stone tools that may be nearly 2 million years old have been unearthed in Saudi Arabia, providing clues to help determine when ancient hominins dispersed from Africa.
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Neanderthals: Facts About Our Extinct Human Relatives

December 20, 2017 | Reference

Sometimes thought of as dumb brutes, Neanderthals, a dead-end species in human evolution, used tools, buried their dead and controlled fire, among other intelligent behaviors.
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Your Hair Color and Sleep Habits May Come from Neanderthals

October 16, 2017 | Article

Neanderthal DNA could influence your skin tone, hair color, sleep patterns, mood and even smoking behavior, a new study finds.
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You May Be More 'Neanderthal' Than You Thought

October 05, 2017 | Article

The newly sequenced genome of a female Neanderthal is revealing that our relatives may have passed on genes that today are linked to cholesterol levels, arthritis and other diseases.
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