John Hawks

How Neanderthal ancestry affects growth and muscle

Study of a Neanderthal-derived haplotype of GHR show effects on height and lean body mass

Aug 6 • John Hawks

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The big feet of Paranthropus boisei

New analysis of footprint trackways suggest a larger body size than previously thought for this Early Pleistocene human relative.

Aug 2 • John Hawks

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July 2026

Traces of insect DNA in dental calculus may reveal bug-eating past

A study finds that Neanderthals had comparable insect trace evidence as gorillas and western chimpanzees.

Jul 18 • John Hawks

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June 2026

The first molecular data from Homo naledi

Protein data from the Rising Star cave system show the known sample of this species is entirely female.

Jun 24 • John Hawks

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How many Denisovan ancestors?

New studies magnify the observation that three groups of Denisovans may have contributed to many living people's genomes, but I find some unanswered…

Jun 19 • John Hawks

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The ancient mixture in cave lion genomes

Introgression is widespread among lineages of big cats. Our ancestors encountered one of the biggest products.

Jun 6 • John Hawks

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May 2026

Rethinking Homo erectus and Denisovans with ancient proteins

Mixture demonstrated for old fossil teeth hints that anthropologists may have mixed ideas.

May 15 • John Hawks

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A new age for ‘Ubeidiya

The earliest Acheulean artifacts in Eurasia may be closely connected to their development in Africa.

May 9 • John Hawks

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April 2026

How human evolution has been speeding up

Providing some of the missing background for new research on natural selection from ancient DNA

Apr 20 • John Hawks

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U.S. federal support for human origins research may be over

The field is generating more new discoveries than ever, but significant setbacks for students and many researchers.

Apr 10 • John Hawks

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March 2026

Ancient handaxes made from geodes

New work describes exceptional artifacts from the Sakhnin valley of Israel.

Mar 31 • John Hawks

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Looking into a Neanderthal gallery at La Roche-Cotard

An enigmatic “mask” comes from outside a cave filled with Neanderthal markings.

Mar 21 • John Hawks

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