Are humans the only animals that practice medicine? In this episode, two scientists share surprising observations of orangutans and chimpanzees... more

Over 50,000 years ago on what is now the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, someone climbed a towering rock formation and... more

Early prehistorians had little more than stones and bones to work with as they tried to piece together the story... more

Why do humans have most of our hair on our heads, not our bodies? Why do we have so many... more

Music is universal in all human cultures, but why? What gives us the ability to hear sound as music? Are... more

What is it like to be responsible for the safekeeping of the ancestors of everyone in the world? In this... more

Travel through 50,000 years of human history following clues hidden inside beads made from ostrich eggshells. In this episode, researchers... more

2023 was another exciting year in human origins research! Fossil discoveries and long-term primate studies expanded our understanding of what... more

Sibling relationships can include everything from love and support–to tension, competition, and conflict. They might also play a fundamental role... more

Humans invest enormous amounts of time and energy into bringing up our babies. This unique investment is a fundamental... more

Humans invest enormous amounts of time and energy into bringing up our babies. This unique investment is a fundamental part... more

How did climate change impact ancient human behavior? This is one of the questions Justin Pargeter and his team are... more

This special episode takes you inside the world of archaeology students at Boomplaas Cave, one of South Africa’s flagship human... more

In this episode, we explore the fascinating tale of the Hobbit, an unexpected fossil find that shook the world's understanding... more

Dr. Kira Westaway is part of an international research team working to solve the mystery of Gigantopithecus, the largest ape... more

How do human bodies use energy? In this episode, Leakey Foundation grantee Dr. Herman Pontzer shares groundbreaking research that upends... more

2022 was another exciting year in human origins research! New fossil discoveries and ancient DNA research expanded our understanding of... more

We've been hard at work on a new season of stories about how we became human. Origin Stories returns on... more

In this episode, we explore five strange fossilized footprints found by Mary Leakey at the site of Laetoli in... more

In this episode, we talk with Evan Hadingham, senior science editor for the PBS program NOVA. His new book, Discovering... more

2021 was a big year in science! Fossil discoveries introduced new relatives to our family tree, new findings added fascinating... more

As a young girl, Biruté Mary Galdikas dreamed of going to the forests of Southeast Asia to study the least-known... more

Scientists agree that dogs evolved from wolves, but exactly how and when that happened is hotly contested. In this episode,... more

Learn about the evolution of our extraordinary ability to cool ourselves down. Biological anthropologist Andrew Best discusses the past, present,... more

Producer and scientist Kevin McLean travels to an island off the coast of Panama where researchers have found an isolated... more

The widely-held idea known as the “obstetrical dilemma” is a hypothesis that explains why babies are so helpless, and why... more

Sleep is one of the defining traits of human life. It's also one of the most mysterious. Dr. Horacio de... more

What is it like to study an endangered species like chimpanzees, knowing they may go extinct within your lifetime? Leakey... more

Your life story is hidden in your teeth. The days, weeks, years, and stressful events of your life are recorded... more

Early prehistorians had little more than stones and bones to work with as they tried to piece together the story... more