Episode 59: Top Human Origins Discoveries of 2021
Origin Stories
Shownotes Transcript
2021 was a big year in science! Fossil discoveries introduced new relatives to our family tree, new findings added fascinating twists to the human story, and breakthroughs in research methods opened new worlds to explore. In this episode, five scientists discuss their favorite human origins discoveries of 2021.
Click here for a transcript of this episode).
Our guests:
Scott A. Williams, New York University)Jessica Thompson, Yale University)Giulia Gallo, University of California at Davis)Fernando Villanea, University of Colorado at Boulder)Erin Kane, Boston University)
Read more about their top discoveries:
Dragon Man Late Middle Pleistocene Harbin cranium represents a new Homo species ) Stunning ‘Dragon Man' skull may be an elusive Denisovan—or a new species of human) 'Dragon man' claimed as new species of ancient human but doubts remain)
SedaDNA Unearthing Neanderthal population history using nuclear and mitochondrial DNA from cave sediments)
Bacho Kiro Initial Upper Palaeolithic humans in Europe had recent Neanderthal ancestry) Early Homo sapiens groups in Europe faced subarctic climates) Like Neanderthals, Early Humans Endured a Frigid Europe)
White Sands footprints Evidence of humans in North America during the Last Glacial Maximum) Ancient Footprints Push Back Date of Human Arrival in the Americas) National Park Services White Sands Website)
Camera trap research on Dryas monkeys A natural history of Chlorocebus dryas from camera traps in Lomami National Park and its buffer zone, Democratic Republic of the Congo, with notes on the species status of Cercopithecus salongo) Using local knowledge and camera traps to investigate occurrence and habitat preference of an Endangered primate: the endemic dryas monkey in the Democratic Republic of the Congo)- Picture Perfect: Camera Traps Find Endangered Dryas Monkeys )
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Origin Stories is a project of The Leakey Foundation), a nonprofit organization dedicated to funding human origins research and outreach.
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Credits
This episode was hosted and produced by Meredith Johnson and Ray Pang. Our editor is Audrey Quinn.
Music by Henry Nagle) and Lee Roservere). Additional music by Blue Dot Sessions.
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