News/Press releases

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


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Fieldwork and Ancient DNA Research in Nepal

Archaeogenetics

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

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Liver steatosis in ancient and modern humans

Archaeogenetics

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

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Learning from conspecifics

Comparative Cultural Psychology

Chimpanzees may use social learning to acquire new skills

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Early life adversity leaves long-term signatures in baboon DNA

Primate Behavior and Evolution

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

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Ancient Genomes Reveal Down Syndrome in Past Societies

Archaeogenetics

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

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The cultural evolution of collective property rights

Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture

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

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Did Eurasia's dominant East-West axis "turn the fortunes of history"?

Linguistic and Cultural Evolution

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

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Thailand’s Iron Age Log Coffin culture

Archaeogenetics

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

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In wild orangutans social learning is affected by ecology

Primate Behavior and Evolution

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

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Homo sapiens already reached northwest Europe more than 45,000 years ago

Former Departments
Human Evolution

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

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Christophe Boesch Passed Away

Former Departments
Primatology

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

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Cultural transmission in women’s subsistence networks

Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture

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

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Dental morphology in Homo habilis and its implications for the evolution of early Homo

Human Origins

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

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Use of habitat for agricultural purposes puts primate infants at risk

Primate Behavior and Evolution

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

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Ancient relatives

Archaeogenetics

New computational tool detects up to second to third degree cousins using ancient genomes

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Research award for Christina Warinner

Archaeogenetics

Shanghai Archaeology Forum honors Christina Warinner with 2023 Research Award

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Unearthing ancient social structures with sediment DNA

Evolutionary Genetics

An ERC Consolidator Grant was awarded to Benjamin Vernot, leader of the Max Planck Research Group for Ancient Environmental Genomics at the Max Planck…

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Chimpanzees use hilltops to conduct reconnaissance on rival groups

Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture

Research on neighbouring chimpanzee communities in the forests of West Africa suggests a warfare tactic not previously seen beyond humans is regularly…

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Studying the Facets of Infant Social Learning

Comparative Cultural Psychology

Maleen Thiele starts Minerva Fast Track group at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI-EVA)

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Wild chimpanzees show capacity to combine meanings within utterances

Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture

New study reveals that wild chimpanzees use vocal sequences to denote a wide range of co-occurring or sequential daily events

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