John Hawks

John Hawks

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Homo naledi

Modern humans evolved from an 80-20 mixture of two deep streams
Genome models are converging on a scenario in which two stem lineages separated 1.5 million years ago, and merged together 300,000 years ago.
 • John Hawks
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.
 • John Hawks
Ten years of Homo naledi in my world
I reflect on the experience since the scientific description of the species was published in 2015
 • John Hawks
How Homo naledi got into the Dinaledi Chamber
New research from Dirk van Rooyen gives the most detailed look ever at the entry path into the deepest parts of the Rising Star cave system.
 • John Hawks
Research highlight: Burials by Homo naledi
After two years of intense reviews and revision, the work on burial evidence from this ancient hominin finds acceptance.
 • John Hawks
Research highlight: Understanding how Homo naledi walked and ran
A new paper in the Journal of Anatomy presents a reconstructed lower limb based on the Rising Star fossil sample.
 • John Hawks
Research highlight: Growth and development in human origins
A report from a Wenner-Gren-supported workshop innovating ways forward for understanding hominin ontogenies
 • John Hawks
Research highlight: Homo naledi teeth
In a massive new paper, a team led by Lucas Delezene provides descriptions of the dental evidence from the Dinaledi Chamber.
 • John Hawks
Lecture: Finding ancient minds in the human evolutionary tree
Insights into the behavioral capabilities of ancient human relatives are beginning to show that some of the abilities we consider human go surprisingly…
 • John Hawks
Finding ancient fire use in the Rising Star cave system
The study of the underground landscape enters a new phase with evidence of charcoal and burned animal bone in deep chambers.
 • John Hawks
Research highlight: The frontal sinuses of fossil hominins
A look inside the skulls of hominins reveals the extensive variation in the form of the internal structures known as the frontal sinuses.
 • John Hawks
Panel: Who or what is Homo naledi?
Lee Berger, Agustin Fuentes, and I had a provocative conversation sharing our different perspectives on work related to the Rising Star cave system.
 • John Hawks
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