Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology

Assessing the potential of ancient protein sequences in the study of hominid evolution

This study evaluates how ancient protein sequences can inform hominid evolution, showing they provide limited resolution compared to DNA data but can still offer insights when combined with better modeling.

Tracing the Neanderthal-Modern Human hybrid zone using paleogenomic data

The paper uses paleogenomic data and simulations to identify conditions under which introgression patterns can trace Neanderthal-modern human hybrid zones.

Evaluating the effects of archaic protein-altering variants in living human adults

The paper investigates the phenotypic effects of archaic protein-altering variants in living humans using UK Biobank data, finding no significant differences in health or cognitive traits among carriers.

A high-coverage genome from a 200,000-year-old Denisovan

This paper presents a second high-quality Denisovan genome from a 200,000-year-old molar, revealing genetic contributions from multiple Denisovan groups and refining the Denisovan genetic lineage.

A maternal-fetal PIEZO1 incompatibility as a barrier to Neanderthal-modern human admixture

The paper identifies a maternal-fetal PIEZO1 incompatibility that likely restricted Neanderthal-modern human admixture by reducing fetal survival in hybrids.

Archaic Adaptive Introgression in Modern Human Reproductive Genes

This study identifies 118 reproductive-associated genes with evidence of adaptive introgression from archaics, showing their impact on traits and disease.

The phylogenetic position of the Yunxian cranium elucidates the origin of Homo longi and the Denisovans

The study reconstructs the Yunxian 2 cranium and shows it belongs to the Homo longi clade, likely including Denisovans, and is closely related to the H. sapiens clade.

Inter-band connectivity and climate shaped Neanderthal extinction and Homo sapiens dispersal.

This study uses climate and ecological data to model Neanderthal extinction and Homo sapiens dispersal, finding that group connectivity, not climate or competition, was key.

Candidate Denisovan fossils identified through gene regulatory phenotyping

The paper identifies potential Denisovan fossils by comparing cranial specimens to predicted Denisovan morphology using genetic phenotyping.

Arrow heads at Obi-Rakhmat (Uzbekistan) 80 ka ago

The paper reports the discovery of projectile points at 80 ka in Uzbekistan, suggesting early use of arrow-like technology by Neanderthals.

Identifying the Levant as a potential contact and interbreeding zone for Neanderthals and modern humans

The paper identifies the Levant as the main potential interbreeding area for the third Neanderthal-modern human contact event using species distribution modeling and archaeological data.

Novel dynamics of human-carnivore interactions linked to the arrival of Homo sapiens in Europe

This study examines how human arrival in Europe affected secondary consumer dynamics and interactions with Neanderthals during Marine Isotope Stage 3.

Buca della Iena and Grotta del Capriolo: new chronological, lithic, and faunal analyses of two late Mousterian sites in Central Italy

Radiocarbon dates place late Mousterian use of two northwestern Tuscan caves within 50-40 ka cal BP, with Buca della Iena occupied from about 47 to 42.5 ka cal BP.

Hip stabilization in an australopithecine-like hip: the influence of shape on muscle activation

This study compares muscle activation and joint forces in modern human-like and australopithecine-like hips during walking, finding differences in gluteal muscle activation patterns.

Ancient DNA Reveals Hominoid Evolution: Intermediate DNA Sequences and Advances in Molecular Paleontology

This paper extracts and analyzes ancient DNA from fossils and pottery, identifying intermediate DNA sequences and novel regulatory mechanisms in hominoid evolution.

Cleaning the Dead: Optimized decontamination enhances palaeoproteomic analyses of Pleistocene skeletal material

This study evaluates decontamination methods for ancient proteins, finding that a brief bleach wash effectively removes modern contamination without damaging endogenous proteins from Pleistocene specimens.

Rapid expansion of synaptic complexity as a key contributor to cognitive growth in early humans

The paper identifies genetic variants associated with synaptic processes that may have contributed to cognitive growth in early humans by comparing gene expression across archaic and modern humans.

Demographic responses to climatic changes during the Final Palaeolithic in Europe

Cologne Protocol estimates from 1788 Final Palaeolithic sites show Europe's hunter-gatherer population roughly halving from GI-1d-a to the Younger Dryas, with occupation shifting eastward.

Where do the Dmanisi hominins fit on the human evolutionary tree?

This study uses parsimony analyses to determine the evolutionary placement of Dmanisi hominins, proposing two species: Homo georgicus and an unnamed species.

A Refined Analysis of Neanderthal-Introgressed Sequences in Modern Humans with a Complete Reference Genome

This study remaps Neanderthal and Denisovan genomes onto new and old references, finds improved mapping with T2T-CHM13, and identifies new introgressed sequences and population-specific archaic ancestry.

Unexpected D-tour Ahead: Why the D-Statistic, applied to Humans, Measures Mutation Rate Variation not Neanderthal Introgression

This paper challenges the use of the D-statistic to infer Neanderthal introgression, showing it instead reflects mutation rate variation across human populations.

Neandertal ancestry through time: Insights from genomes of ancient and present-day humans

The paper analyzes Neandertal ancestry in over 300 genomes to determine the timing and impact of gene flow from Neandertals to modern humans.

Partitioning the genomic journey to becoming Homo sapiens

The paper identifies 56 recent functional variants in modern humans, 24 linked to brain functions and skull morphology, which did not introgress into Neanderthals.

The environmental context of the Middle-to-Late Stone Age Transition in eastern Africa: seasonality as a key factor

The paper links changes in stone tool attributes during the Middle-to-Late Stone Age transition in eastern Africa to climatic seasonality, showing a correlation between tool size and shape with environmental variability.

Assessing phylogenetic information content and redundancy in hominin craniodental traits

The paper evaluates the phylogenetic information content of hominin craniodental traits and finds that only 31 traits contribute meaningfully to phylogenetic inference.

Climatic-environmental influences on hominin brain size over the last 5 million years

This study uses Bayesian phylogenetic methods to analyze hominin fossil data and finds that colder and more variable temperatures positively influence brain size evolution within species, but this effect weakens in later Homo species.

Exploring adaptive introgression in modern human circadian rhythm genes

The paper identifies adaptive introgression in circadian rhythm genes across 76 global populations, finding 303 genes and intergenic regions with archaically derived variants under positive selection.

The Acheulean niche: climate and ecology predict handaxe production in Europe

This study links Acheulean handaxe production in Europe to specific climate and ecological conditions, showing associations with winter temperatures and precipitation patterns.

Early to Middle Pleistocene transition shapes the evolution of human-specific mutations associated with height and basal metabolic rate

The paper identifies a human-specific mutation linked to height and basal metabolic rate, showing its evolutionary timing and functional impact through dietary changes.

Denisovan admixture facilitated environmental adaptation in Papua New Guinean populations

This study examines Denisovan and Neandertal DNA distribution in Papua New Guinean populations, finding that Denisovan-like haplotypes are associated with brain development and immune response genes, suggesting adaptive significance.