Press releases (archive)

Syphilis originated in the Americas prior to the arrival of Columbus, and European colonialism made it globally dominant

Genomes of seven early Europeans show they belonged to a small, isolated group that had recently mixed with Neandertals but left no present-day…

Scientists unravel timing and impact of Neandertal gene flow into early modern humans

Research raises questions about role of competition in human evolution

Special feature explores the origins, development, and future of a multidisciplinary field of research

Genetic analysis challenges traditional narratives about Pompeii’s past and reveals Pompeians’ cosmopolitan ancestry

Alexander Herbig receives ERC Synergy Grant to study the complex influences of genetics, environment, society and climate on disease outcomes

Genetic study of the wider Caucasus region shows how movement of people and innovation transfer enabled pastoralists to exploit the steppe zones of…

Historically small population at high risk of extinction

A new study shows that word-initial consonants are systematically lengthened across a diverse sample of languages

10,000-year-old human genomes are genetically similar to those of ethnic groups living in the region today

Harald Ringbauer receives ERC Starting Grant to study the DNA of Medieval Black Death victims

Bacho Kiro Cave provides key insights into the technological and behavioral evolution of pioneer Homo sapiens in Europe

Study on Issa Valley chimpanzees challenges traditional views on arboreal behaviour and hominin evolution

Leipzig scientists analyse 21,000 cells from tissue samples

Study highlights economic and environmental efficiency of Indigenous harvesting in the Canadian Arctic communities

Also using chemical analysis, new study finds no evidence

No evidence in Sahelanthropus postcranial remains supporting habitual bipedalism

An ERC Advanced Grant has been awarded to Wolfgang Haak, head of the Molecular Anthropology Research Group in the Department of Archaeogenetics at the…

Scientists reconstruct ancient genomes of the two most deadly malaria parasites, Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum

Ancient Maya genomes reveal the practice of male twin sacrifice and the enduring genetic legacy of colonial-era epidemics

Genetic analyses of Celtic burial mounds from 500 BCE reveal close relationships and provide new insights into the power structures of early Celtic…

First-mover advantage may be key to success in the music industry

Mateja Hajdinjak starts a new Max Planck Research Group at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig

Linguistic analysis provides insight into the vocabularies for body parts in more than a thousand languages

The U.S. National Academy of Sciences honors Jenny Tung for her outstanding contributions

Isotopic evidence reveals surprising dietary practices of pre-agricultural human groups in Morocco

Using ancient DNA and archaeological evidence to unravel the kinship, social practices and transformations of early medieval steppe groups in Europe

More than a third of Africa’s great ape population faces risks related to mining

New study suggests animals can live alongside humans—if they are risk-analysis experts

Researchers of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI-EVA) in Leipzig, Germany, present the results of 15 years of archaeogenetic…

Ancient genomes show that the main genetic variant responsible for fatty liver diseases dates back to beyond the split from Neanderthals

Chimpanzees may use social learning to acquire new skills

Study shows multiple pathways connect early life adversity to later life health

Burials show that children with Down Syndrome and Edwards Syndrome were recognized as members of their communities

New simulation model shows that the evolution of sustainable institutions critically depends on clearly defined and enforced access rights

New research shows that environmental barriers have influenced the spread of cultural innovations but do not consistently favour Eurasia

Ancient DNA helps researchers elucidate the structure of a prehistoric community from Southeast Asia

A new study shows, how food availability could catalyze cultural transmission

The arrival of Homo sapiens in cold northern latitudes took place several thousand years before Neanderthals disappeared in southwest Europe

With deep sadness the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI-EVA) in Leipzig announces that Prof. Dr. Christophe Boesch passed away…

Women’s foraging groups provide important opportunities for children and adolescents to learn crucial subsistence skills

Researchers examined the internal structure of Homo habilis teeth, and found that most are remarkably similar to Australopithecus

Study reveals link between frequent plantation visits and infant mortality in wild southern pig-tailed macaques in Peninsular Malaysia