Human Evolution

A new study has found evidence that early human ancestors carried fire into Wonderwerk Cave in South Africa as early as 1.79 million years ago. Researchers identified burned bones deep inside the cave using a new detection method.

May 24, 2026 Reported by AI

Researchers have identified the oldest known hand-held wooden tools used by humans, dating back around 430,000 years. The artifacts were uncovered at the Marathousa 1 site in Greece's Peloponnese region.

Genetic analysis suggests that interbreeding between Neanderthals and Homo sapiens involved mostly male Neanderthals and female modern humans. Researchers examined sex chromosomes to uncover this pattern, which occurred during multiple periods after humans left Africa. The findings point to mating preferences as the likely explanation, though experts call for more evidence.

February 25, 2026 Reported by AI

A new computational analysis of Paleolithic artifacts reveals that humans over 40,000 years ago engraved structured symbols on tools and figurines, indicating early forms of information recording. These signs, found mainly in southwestern Germany, show complexity comparable to the earliest known writing systems that emerged millennia later. Researchers suggest these markings were purposeful, predating formal writing by tens of thousands of years.