As humans left Africa tens of thousands of years ago, eventually populating the entire planet, they were joined on their world-conquering ride by the trillions of microorganisms that compose the gut m...

In two Indigenous communities living preindustrial lifestyles in the Bolivian Amazon, dementia is remarkably uncommon. However, a newly published longitudinal study reveals why earlier estimates told ...

Located just south of Athens in the historical region of Attica sits one of the largest ancient cemeteries ever found in Greece — the Phaleron burial ground.In 2016, three mass graves were discovered ...

Cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, depression — these are just some of the health challenges research has shown women experience during their menopausal transition. While cardiovascular disease is ...

In recent years, researchers have noticed the sudden emergence of the concept of "food noise" being used in popular discourse.Google Trends tracking of the term by an ASU linguistic anthropologist fou...

Throughout her career, Anne Stone, Regents Professor in Arizona State University’s School of Human Evolution and Social Change, has made significant contributions to the field of anthropological genet...

By studying ancient statues in South America, a group of researchers from Arizona State University have gleaned further insights into the cosmological and political power of an ancient civilization.

How do cultural heritage professionals, such as archaeologists and historic preservationists, responsibly manage and preserve the ever-growing body of digital objects generated across cultural heritag...

The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) governs the return of Native American ancestors and cultural items to federally recognized tribes and Native Hawaiian Organizations.

When Michael Smith, professor at Arizona State University's School of Human Evolution and Social Change, read a book the summer after his freshman year of college at Brandeis University about the stor...

Research into the genome of Indigenous Americans identified more than 1 million genetic variants that had not been documented previously.

It’s a bright, Saturday morning in north Phoenix as four high school students make their way into ASU’s Deer Valley Petroglyph Preserve. But they weren’t there to walk the trail, visit the museum or l...

Recognized for their innovative educational practices, Assistant Research Professor Christopher Caseldine and Assistant Professor India Schneider-Crease, both in Arizona State University's School of H...

When the text came in from a colleague, Amber Wutich wasn’t expecting the news. “Anne Stone was the first to text me,” said Wutich, a Regents and President’s Professor in Arizona State University's Sc...

The story of Indigenous peoples in the Americas is woven through their DNA, and scientists are beginning to trace its threads in new ways.

Paleogenomics, or the study of ancient DNA from a genomic perspective, has revolutionized the field of biological anthropology and our understanding of human evolution.

The largest group of wild chimpanzees known to scientists has permanently split in two — something that is extremely rare.Scientists with Arizona State University and The University of Texas at Austin...

More than 3 million years ago, when our ancient human ancestors — embodied by the iconic “Lucy” — were roaming the African landscape, they would have feared a big, bad crocodile with a prominent lump ...

A 1981 publication showed how cooperators can prevail over defectors, laying the foundation for how the evolution of cooperation between unrelated individuals is studied. A 1981 publication showed how cooperators can prevail over defectors, laying the foundation for how the evolution of cooperation between unrelated individuals is studied.

While community-based approaches are a crucial part of archaeological research, some researchers say they face challenges engaging with communities whose members may not relate to a locality’s past.Th...

When you picture the beginnings of democracy, you likely think of men draped in linen togas gathered in marble columned buildings. But the origin story of democracy is being rewritten, thanks to a new...

Engaging with local communities in meaningful ways is a core aspect of anthropology, but it's not something that archaeologists are always trained to do.In a recent temporary museum exhibit in Apaxco,...

Lots of Americans experience more inflammation in their bodies as they get older. But, new research from ASU suggests it doesn’t have to be this way.

A team of international scientists has uncovered key genetic adaptations underlying survival in hot and dry environments, revealing how natural selection may have enabled some pastoralist populations ...

For the past two summers, an international cohort of five university students have gathered at the coast of South Africa for seven weeks to analyze animal fossils. The training program gives students ...

Deep in the Bolivian Amazon exists a forager-horticultural community called the Tsimane. Researchers look to them for insights on how the human body functioned prior to modern technologies, as their lifestyles remain the closest to that of our ancestors.

A team of international scientists has discovered new fossils at a field site in Africa that indicate Australopithecus and the oldest specimens of Homo coexisted at the same place in Africa at the sam...

New research by evolutionary anthropologists is redefining what we thought we knew about human behavior, specifically social norms and how we may be able to change them in the future.Social norms are ...

A leading authority on cultural evolution, Robert Boyd, a professor in Arizona State University’s School of Human Evolution and Social Change and a research scientist with the Institute of Human Origi...

Each spring, tiny Lucy’s warblers, with their soft gray plumage and rusty crown, return to the Arizona desert, flitting through the mesquite branches in search of safe places to nest.But as urban expa...

Homemade air purifiers can filter air faster, making them an affordable alternative to more expensive commercial products.

In classrooms throughout the country, the buzz around March Mammal Madness starts long before the tournament begins. For middle school science teacher Jessica Harris, students wonder which animals wil...

Growing up in Tempe as a first-generation American, Surabhi Sajith, knew that she wanted to combine the global experience of her India-born parents with a desire to make a difference locally. Now a se...