In San Teodoro cave, north-eastern Sicily, a team of scientists has found evidence of earliest recorded presence of humans on the island. They are dated to about 16,500 years ago and were left behind by hunter-gatherers who arrived in Sicily after the last glacial period ended. The cave is near Acquedolci town (Messina), and inside […]
Homo sapiens
Posted inScience, Stone Age Archaeology
Prehistoric Sun Protection: How Homo sapiens Survived the Planet’s Magnetic Reversal 41,000 Years Ago
A recent study led by the University of Michigan suggests that Homo sapiens who inhabited Europe around 41,000 years ago may have survived a period of intense solar radiation thanks to technological innovations that seem simple but were highly effective: the use of protective pigments like ochre, the making of tightly fitted clothing, and sheltering […]
Posted inStone Age Archaeology
This Is How Humans Managed to Make Fire During the Ice Age Glaciation
For millennia, fire has been considered an essential element for human survival: it not only provided warmth in hostile climates but also enabled food cooking, tool-making, and even served as a hub for social interactions. In the context of the European Ice Age, this resource must undoubtedly have been a vital pillar for hunter-gatherer groups […]
Posted inScience
Homo sapiens Emerged from the Union of Two Mysterious Populations Before Neanderthals and Denisovans 300,000 Years Ago
For decades, the predominant view of human evolution held that Homo sapiens emerged in Africa between 200,000 and 300,000 years ago, descending from a single ancestral lineage. However, recent research from the University of Cambridge has challenged this perspective, suggesting a far more intricate evolutionary history than previously thought. Based on an advanced analysis of […]
Posted inCulture, Science
Human Language Emerged 135,000 Years Ago as a Private System Within Thought, According to a Genetic Study
Human language is one of the most distinctive capabilities of our species, yet its origin remains an unresolved mystery. A recent genetic analysis suggests that the linguistic ability of human beings was already present at least 135,000 years ago, although its use in social contexts may have emerged around 100,000 years ago. The study, published […]
Posted inStone Age Archaeology
Evidence Discovered That Neanderthals and Homo sapiens Coexisted, Sharing Technology, Customs, and Funerary Rituals 110,000 Years Ago
A recent archaeological discovery in Tinshemet Cave, located in central Israel, has provided compelling evidence that Neanderthals and Homo sapiens not only coexisted in the region but also shared technology, ways of life, and funerary rituals, suggesting a much closer relationship than previously thought. Excavations in Tinshemet Cave have been ongoing since 2017, led by […]
Posted inStone Age Archaeology
New Dating Confirms That the Lapedo Child, a Hybrid of Modern Human and Neanderthal, Lived Thousands of Years After Their Extinction
An international team of researchers has successfully directly dated the remains of the so-called Lapedo Child, an infant skeleton discovered in 1998 in the rock shelter of Lagar Velho, in the Leiria region of Portugal, which exhibits hybrid characteristics of Neanderthals and modern humans. Thanks to the application of radiocarbon dating on hydroxyproline from collagen—a […]
Posted inScience
The Genetic Discovery That Could Explain the Origin of Human Language: A Protein That Modifies Vocalization
The mystery surrounding the origins of human language continues to intrigue the scientific community. The ability to communicate with a complex language distinguishes us from other animal species, and so far, there is no conclusive evidence that Neanderthals or other hominins could develop this skill with the same sophistication as Homo sapiens. While there are […]
Posted inScience
The Blood of Homo sapiens Explains How They Survived, While That of Neanderthals May Have Led to Their Extinction
A group of scientists has found clues in blood groups that explain how modern humans managed to survive and expand from Africa to the rest of the world. Published in the journal Scientific Reports, the study compares the genes of the blood groups of Homo sapiens and Neanderthals to better understand our history as a […]
Posted inArchaeology, Prehistory
Genome of the Oldest Modern Humans in Europe Reveals They Belonged to the Same Family and Had Dark Skin and Hair
An international team of researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology has sequenced the oldest known genomes of modern humans. These belong to seven individuals who lived between 42,000 and 49,000 years ago in the regions of Ranis, Germany, and Zlatý kůň, Czechia. The findings offer a unique insight into early human migrations […]
