The oldest bones in Britain share almost no DNA with anyone alive today. Here’s what that tells us about human history, genetics, and ethnic “homelands."

What if one of our oldest ideas about ancestry is simply wrong? Harvard geneticist David Reich argues that ancient DNA has exposed the myth of purity and uncovered a far messier history of who we are and where we came from.

Speculative evolution explores the strange paths natural selection might have taken — and what that means for humans.

The revival of Pasto Varnish shows how living heritage can survive if knowledge is passed on in time.

"It's this modern idea of doing voluntary discretionary, physical activity for the sake of health and fitness."

Scientists found a massive underwater wall off the coast of France that might help explain the origin of the legend of Ys.

Revisiting the year’s noteworthy nonfiction.

From science to philosophy, three perspectives explore why humans can’t stop asking “why.” Our search for purpose, they suggest, is less about finding answers and more about learning how to move forward.

In this excerpt from "Playful," Cas Holman surveys the research that brought the neuroscience of play into the mainstream.

“No matter what their gods were, what they did for a living, what they wore, the songs they sang, everything varies except love, and everybody loves.”

If AI is modeled only on human intelligence, will it inherit only human ways of seeing the world?

Life's "in-between" stages pack unique cognitive benefits — if you know how to tap into them.

“Nothing about human behavior makes sense except in the light of culture and in anthropology, and we need to understand the cultural component to our behaviors as well.”

In “The Secret History of Denisovans,” Silvana Condemi and François Savatier trace the story of our mysterious hominin ancestor.

After more than a million years of separation, two branches of humanity reunited around 300,000 years ago, suggests new research.

In "Dinner with King Tut," Sam Kean examines how a burgeoning field is recreating ancient tasks to uncover historical truths.

English could settle into a state of "diglossia" where a gulf exists between the written form and its spoken varieties, but the two are bound into a single tongue.

From religious iconography to modern mysticism, the human aura has been a subject of fascination across centuries and cultures.

In his book, "Birds, Sex and Beauty," Matt Ridley explores why learning isn't always nature versus nurture.

Whether we should tear down philosophy’s Berlin Wall and let East and West finally merge depends entirely on what we think philosophy is—and what it’s for.

New research challenges old assumptions about the evolution of the human brain.

Dubbed "Valeriana" by researchers, the city of 50,000 peaked around 800 AD before being swallowed by the jungle.

Grab a sword, a small plate, and a young child. We've got a demon to summon.

Welcome to The Nightcrawler — a weekly newsletter from Eric Markowitz covering tech, innovation, and long-term thinking.

From tribal hunts to Stonehenge and into the modern day, the peer instinct helps humans coordinate their efforts and learning.

The controversial theory about magic mushrooms and human evolution gets a much-needed update.

Plenty of parents feel guilty about wanting to skip playtime, but there's no need.

Early modern humans interbred with Neanderthals — and scientists recently pinpointed a key site of contact.

From hunter-gathers to desk jockeys, we work best when short, intense sessions are followed by lighter fare.

The hidden story behind Greek surnames and how they trace family origins across the country — starting with the name of a would-be U.S. president.