Hominin Month

Celebrating and exploring human origins in lists, news, and features.

Stenciled human hands in a cave near Rio Pinturas, Argentina, dating from the last ice age.

5 Misconceptions About Early Humans

We break down some common myths about our early human ancestors—and what makes our species, ‘Homo sapiens,’ so different from them.

A Neanderthal skull against a backdrop of the German valley where the first specimens of the human ancestor were found.

‘Thal Order: 11 Things You Might Not Know About Neanderthals

Often dismissed as “primitive,” our extinct relatives were surprisingly thoughtful. Some were also cannibals.

The Discoveries of 21 Human Ancestors, Mapped

Within the last 200 years, we’ve discovered about two dozen species of hominins in Europe, Africa, and Asia—which you can see laid out in this map.

Meet some of your famous family members.

10 Famous Hominin Fossils That Changed Our Thinking About Human Origins

Each of these ancient fossils, even if just a small part of a skeleton, represents an identifiable character in the story of humankind.

Three human-like figures and a large pig are drawn on a limestone cave wall.

A 51,200-Year-Old Cave Painting Might Be the World’s Oldest Narrative Art

The drawing of three human figures with a pig was discovered in an Indonesian cave—and might be the world’s oldest art that tells a story.

A replica of the Denisovan finger bone discovered in 2010.

9 Facts About the Denisovans, Our Mysterious Human Ancestor

The Denisovans went extinct around 30,000 years ago. Scientists are just beginning to unravel their genetic legacy.

New Fossils Add to Mystery Surrounding the “Hobbit,” Our Smallest Human Ancestor

A fragment of an arm bone found on Flores, Indonesia, suggests that some of our human ancestors were even smaller than we thought.

Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania, the site of humankind's earliest ancestors.

8 Facts about Olduvai Gorge, the “Cradle of Mankind”

The gorge in northern Tanzania has yielded many of the oldest fossils of humankind, shedding new light on our ancient ancestors.

Foot pain and sprained ankles are just a few of the common problems affecting our ill-adapted feet.

6 Downsides of Human Evolution

From back injuries to difficult childbirth, here are six annoying parts of being human that you can blame on evolution.

Blue eyes and the ability to enjoy (or at least tolerate) dairy are signs of evolution.

6 Signs Humans Are Still Evolving

Despite modern technology and industrialization, humans are still changing as a species, even today. Here are a some indications that our evolution isn’t over.

A 1920 mural by paleoartist Charles Robert Knight depicting Cro-Magnon people painting on cave walls at Font-de-Gaume, France.

Neanderthal vs. Cro-Magnon: What’s the Difference?

These prehistoric members of our genus, ‘Homo,’ occupy different branches of the human family tree.

A replica of the Laetoli footprints discovered in Laetoli, Tanzania; The original footprints were dated to 3.6 million years ago.

9 Fascinating Discoveries that Changed Our Understanding of Human Evolution

Scientists have uncovered ancient fossils, prehistoric artwork, and other clues to human evolution. Here are nine of the most revealing discoveries that have changed our understanding of our early ancestors—and ourselves.

An artist’s rendering of what Lucy may have looked like in life.

On the Origin of Lucy: How One Extraordinary Fossil Helped Alter Our View of Human Evolution

Lucy walked on her own two feet. Scientists weren’t expecting that.