Press releases (archive)

Contact: Sandra Jacob (e-mail: info@[>>> Please remove the text! <<<]eva.mpg.de, phone: +49 (0) 341-3550 122)


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Ancient DNA sheds light on the peopling of the Mariana Islands

Researchers find that present-day Mariana Islanders’ ancestry is linked to the Philippines

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ERC Consolidator Grant awarded to international research team

LMRG BirthRites

Heidi Colleran, leader of the Max Planck Research Group BirthRites - Cultures of Reproduction at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary…

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„Forschungsreise“ now online

Comparative Cultural Psychology

The Max-Planck-Institute in Leipzig is part of a new platform for online child studies

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10 Million Euro ERC Synergy Grant Awarded for Study of the Cognitive and Cultural Evolution of Numeracy

Linguistic and Cultural Evolution

The QUANTA project is the first concerted effort to address the ambitious questions of when, why, and how tools for quantification emerged and evolved

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Denisovan DNA in the genome of early East Asians

Evolutionary Genetics

Scientists identify 34,000-year-old Early East Asian of mixed Eurasian descent

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Biodiversity monitoring programmes need a culture of collaboration

Primatology

Integration of contributors promotes the quantity and quality of data

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Neandertal gene variant increases risk of severe Covid-19

Evolutionary Genetics

A segment of DNA that causes their carriers to have an up to three times higher risk of developing severe Covid-19 is inherited from Neandertals

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Johannes Krause wins “Fabio Frassetto” International Prize for Paleoanthropology

The award for outstanding research contributions and achievements concerning human origins and evolution will be presented on September 25, 2020 by…

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Y chromosomes of Neandertals and Denisovans now sequenced

Evolutionary Genetics

Neandertals have adopted male sex chromosome from modern humans

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Like humans, chimpanzees can suffer for life if orphaned before adulthood

Primatology

Male chimpanzees who lose their mother early in life are less competitive and have fewer offspring than sons who continue to live with their mothers

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Chimpanzees show greater behavioural and cultural diversity in more variable environments

Primatology

Both historical and recent variation in ecological and environmental conditions are associated with larger behavioural repertoires in wild chimpanzees

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The oldest Neanderthal DNA of Central-Eastern Europe

An 80,000-year-old Neanderthal reveals cultural and genetic affinities between Poland and the Northern Caucasus

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Effectiveness of primate conservation measures mostly unproved

Primatology

Evidence-based conservation is key to curb primate population declines

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Neandertals may have had a lower threshold for pain

People who inherited a special ion channel from Neandertals experience more pain

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Reduction of bushmeat hunting

Primatology

Disease prevention and protection of species require differentiated strategies

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In the wild, chimpanzees are more motivated to cooperate than bonobos

Primatology

When informing about a threat territorial chimpanzees are more motivated to cooperate than less territorial bonobos

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Neandertal genes in the petri dish

Evolutionary Genetics

Researchers are studying the Neandertal DNA found in modern humans using stem cells and organoids

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A Neandertal from Chagyrskaya Cave

Evolutionary Genetics

Neandertals may have lived in very small groups, and genes expressed in the basal ganglia of their brains may have changed

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Strengthened research profiles, novel visions for the future

MPI-EVA in Leipzig and MPI-SHH in Jena enter into a major reorganization – Leipzig to be retained as hub for ancient genetics, Jena to create novel…

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Research links personality traits to toilet paper stockpiling

High levels of emotionality and conscientiousness are indicators for stockpiling behavior

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In chimpanzees, females contribute to the protection of the territory

Primatology

Female chimpanzees are also important in helping to win and keep a territory

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Women with Neandertal gene give birth to more children

Evolutionary Genetics

Neandertal progesterone receptor has a favourable effect on fertility

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Similar to humans, chimpanzees develop slowly

Primatology

Chimpanzees need more than five years to acquire key skills

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Cultural diversity in chimpanzees

Primatology

Chimpanzee groups each have their own unique termite fishing cultures

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The oldest Upper Paleolithic Homo sapiens in Europe

Major cultural transition in Europe took place earlier than previously thought

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Study reveals rich genetic diversity of Vietnam

Evolutionary Genetics

Researchers genotyped more than 20 ethnic groups in Vietnam, encompassing all five major language families in Mainland Southeast Asia

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Neandertals had older mothers and younger fathers

Evolutionary Genetics

Researchers analyzed the genomes of more than 27.000 Icelanders to find out which parts of our genomes contain Neandertal DNA

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"In my opinion, 'social distancing’ is the wrong term"

Primatology

For many weeks now, social interactions have been prohibited in many countries, which has affected many people. Roman Wittig of the Max Planck…

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Multiple hominin genera were present in South Africa two million years ago

New fossils indicate that Homo erectus existed earlier than previously thought, at a time when also Australopithecus and Paranthropus were around…

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Lucy had an ape-like brain

Three million year old brain imprints show that Australopithecus afarensis infants may have had a long dependence on caregivers

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Human ancestors may have regularly climbed trees

A new study has found evidence that human ancestors as recent as two million years ago may have regularly climbed trees

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Reconstructing the diet of fossil vertebrates

The ratio of special zinc isotopes in dental enamel provides information about the diet of mammals in prehistoric times

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Researchers were not right about left brains

Brain imprints on cranial bones from great apes and humans refute the long-held notion that the human pattern of brain asymmetry is unique

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Japan Prize 2020 goes to Svante Pääbo

Geneticist Svante Pääbo honoured for his work into human origins

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The growing pains of orphan chimpanzees

Primatology

Mothers may be shaping pre-adult growth and offspring muscle mass even without direct provisioning

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Less offspring due to territorial conflicts

Primatology

Female chimpanzees’ reproductive success decreases in times of strong territorial conflict with other groups

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Wild chimpanzees are sensitive to the sound properties of wood

Primatology

Accumulative stone throwing chimpanzees like tree species with a resonating timbre

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How does language emerge?

Comparative Cultural Psychology

New study from Leipzig provides insights into the first steps

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Monkeys inform about threats

Primatology

Monkeys cooperatively share information about the presence of snakes with group members

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You have to learn to understand dogs

Humans’ ability to read dogs’ facial expressions is not innate

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Leipzig primate researchers initiate global collaboration

First "ManyPrimates" study published

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Macaques can make palm oil more sustainable and efficient by hunting plantation rats

Primatology

Considered an oil palm pest, macaques can in fact diminish a more severe pest: rats

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How human brain development diverged from great apes

Evolutionary Genetics

Cell atlas of great ape forebrain development illuminates dynamic gene-regulatory features that are unique to humans

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Male common marmosets smell female fertility

Primatology

Males can thus distinguish between cycle phases

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Should I stay or should I go?

Primatology

Female gorillas must balance the reproductive costs of staying with or leaving an older male

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Sex for cooperation

Primatology

New insights help to explain why same-sex sexual interactions are so important for female bonobos

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A face for Lucy's ancestor

Researchers discover remarkably complete 3.8 million-year-old cranium of Australopithecus anamensis at Woranso-Mille in Ethiopia

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More moral by playing together?

How does the playing behaviour of children influence their prosocial behaviour?

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Studying animal cognition in the wild

Primatology

Sometimes recording what animals do not do or fail to find can lead to revealing insights into their expectations, and thus cognition

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Cooperation with high status individuals may increase one's own status

Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture

Long-term study of Amazonian community shows the interconnectedness of cooperation and status hierarchy

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