Anthropology Content

ɫ��ɫ Researchers Develop Theoretical Model to Determine How Pilgrimages Can Emerge

Karen Michele Nikos-Rose — October 01, 2025 - 3:51pm

Pilgrimages are ubiquitous across all major world religions.

How do you Analyze Past Climates?

Karen Michele Nikos-Rose — July 28, 2025 - 9:54am

The key to unlocking climates of the ancient past, including weather seasonality and rainfall, may lie in an unexpected place: primate teeth.

Study Suggests Remembrances of Dead Played Role in Rise of Architecture in Andean Region

Karen Michele Nikos-Rose — July 01, 2025 - 8:19am

Archaeologists have long thought that monumental architecture — large, human-built structures that emphasize visibility — were products of societies with power structures, including social hierarchy, inequality and controlled labor forces. But this notion is being questioned as researchers uncover evidence that hunter-gatherer groups also built such structures.

What Do Your Teeth Reveal About Your Diet?

Andy Fell — June 16, 2025 - 2:41pm

Teeth chronicle the past. Much like trees, they grow in rings and these rings, or growth marks, act like a record of development.

"Teeth retain the chemical signatures at the time when they were grown, starting at birth and ending in your late teens,” said Diana Malarchik, a Ph.D. candidate in the ɫ��ɫ Department of Anthropology. “Based on this anatomy, I can sample these growth rings and get nitrogen signatures and create a dietary timeline.”

Study Suggests Dance and Lullabies Aren’t Universal Human Behaviors

Andy Fell — April 29, 2025 - 8:00am

Social singing and dance are often assumed to be hard-wired into the human condition; studies have supported the conclusion that these are common across cultures. But new research from a ɫ��ɫ, anthropologist challenges the idea that dance and lullabies are universal among humans.

The Conversation: How are Humans Different From Other Animals?

Karen Michele Nikos-Rose — March 19, 2025 - 1:35pm

Of the 8.7 million species on Earth, why are human beings the only one that paints self-portraits, walks on the Moon and worships gods?

For decades, many scholars have argued that the difference stems from our ability to learn from each other. Through techniques such as teaching and imitation, we can create and transmit complicated information over many generations.

How Do Pilgrimage Sites Arise?

Jamie Sara Gelfond — March 04, 2025 - 8:12am

Pilgrimages are ubiquitous across all major world religions. From the Kumbh Mela, a Hindu festival on the banks of India’s Ganges River, to Mecca, the birthplace of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, millions of people travel to various sites across the globe to engage in rituals and connect with their faith.

Being Part of a ‘Civilization’ Only Reduces Violence If You’re a Woman in Ancient Andes Populations

Karen Michele Nikos-Rose — October 21, 2024 - 9:31am

The extent to which “civilization” heightens or lessens the likelihood of violent conflict throughout human history has remained one of the most enduring questions among anthropologists. But a new collaborative study of archaeological groups from the Andes region of South America suggests that being part of a centrally organized state society is only part of the equation.

Researchers Identify Tooth Enamel Proteins That Offer Window into Human Health

Karen Michele Nikos-Rose — September 19, 2024 - 8:47am

Native Americans living in coastal Northern California during the Mission era were presumed to experience high rates of disease and stress.

Not until now, however, did scientists have hard evidence of their health issues, according to new research conducted in cooperation with Native descendants. A new way of looking at tooth enamel could give scientists a path to deeper understanding of the health of human populations — from the ancient to the modern. It is believed to be the first research of its kind.

ɫ��ɫ Study Highlights Factors Associated with Higher Tuberculosis Risk in South Africa

Karen Michele Nikos-Rose — August 01, 2024 - 1:51pm

Tuberculosis is the world’s top infectious killer. About 10 million people fall ill with the disease every year, and roughly 1.5 million people die because of it, according to the World Health Organization. Additionally, about one-quarter of the world’s population is infected with the disease’s causative agent Mycobacterium tuberculosis.