Showing papers in "Journal of Human Evolution in 2015"

TL;DR: It is shown that there is no reliable evidence that the body size of non-erectus early Homo differed from that of australopiths, and it is confirmed that Homo erectus evolved larger average body size than earlier hominins.

TL;DR: Several high-throughput sequencing methodologies, including whole genome shotgun sequencing, sequence capture, and restriction digests (demonstrated here), can be used with archived biomaterials.

TL;DR: In this article, a predictive model of alternating phases of high and low-climate variability for tropical East Africa over the past 5 million years is proposed, which implies repeated increases in landscape/resource instability and intervening periods of stability in East Africa.

TL;DR: The stone artefacts and stratigraphic details support previous claims for human occupation 50-60 ka and show that human occupation during this time differed from later periods, as well as discussing the implications of these new data for understanding the first human colonisation of Sahul.

TL;DR: The Paleolithic site of Schöningen is famous for the earliest known, completely preserved wooden weapons, and an ongoing analysis of nine spears, one lance, a double pointed stick, and a burnt stick dating to the Holsteinian contributes considerable information on the operational sequence of production.

TL;DR: How emerging research on ancient human microbiomes is changing the way the authors think about ancient disease and how archaeological studies can contribute to a medical understanding of health and nutrition today is explored.

TL;DR: Novel applications of ancient DNA from dental calculus are discussed, highlighting the considerable scope of this new research field for evolutionary biology and modern medicine.

TL;DR: It is concluded that the analyzed features and artifacts present no convincing evidence for human use or control of fire at Schöningen, and shows that a multianalytical, micro-contextual approach is the best methodology for evaluating claims of early evidence of human-controlled fire.

TL;DR: It is demonstrated that there is a stratigraphical hiatus in the Gongwangling section immediately below loess 15, and the cranium in fact lies in palaeosol (S) S22 or S23, the age of which is ca.

TL;DR: The analysis determined that the assemblage of horse remains from Schöningen 13 II-4 resulted from multiple accumulation events, which took place at different periods of time.

TL;DR: An extraordinary assemblage of 88 bone tools from the 'Spear Horizon' includes numerous long-bone shaft fragments, three ribs used as 'retouchers' to resharpen flint tools, and a complete horse innominate that was used as an anvil in bipolar knapping.

TL;DR: Observations from the genetic data are reconciled with hypotheses about the peopling and settlement history from anthropology and archaeology for various key regions, and the data are discussed in light of evidence from related disciplines, such as modern human genetics, climatology and linguistics.

TL;DR: The authors' dichotomous, intraregional results quantitatively confirm that Clovis foragers engaged in two tiers of social learning, which can be tied to drift that resulted from increased forager interaction at different stone-outcrop hubs and decreased foragers interaction among groups using different outcrops.

TL;DR: Surprisingly, among the extant lemurs, there was no relationship between body size and genetic diversity, and the decoupling of these variables suggests that risk factors other than body size may have as much or more meaning for establishing future lemur conservation priorities.

TL;DR: The results suggest that the gross morphology of entheses is less reliable than internal bone structure for making inferences about an individual's past behaviour.

TL;DR: Since sites dating to MIS4 are abundant in the Cape, it is suggested that populations during MIS4 responded to glacial conditions with either demographic stability or growth as well as technological change.

TL;DR: The results demonstrate that population structure is an important part of human postcranial variation, and that clinally distributed natural selection is not sufficient to explain among-group differentiation.

TL;DR: An analysis of the finds from Schöningen and their contexts shows that the inhabitants of the site were skilled hunters at the top of the food chain and exhibited a high level of planning depth.

TL;DR: A combination of sedimentological, paleontological, and stable isotopic evidence indicates a semi-arid environment characterized by seasonal precipitation and the dominance of C4 grasslands, likely associated with a substantial reduction in Lake Victoria, in agreement with predictions from genetic observations.

TL;DR: 3-D kinematic data are fundamental to a comprehensive understanding of the mechanics, energetics and control of chimpanzee bipedalism and indicate that humans walk with a more stable pelvis than chimpanzees, especially in tilt and rotation.

TL;DR: The lithic assemblages documented at Sima del Elefante and their importance in the context of the Early and Middle Pleistocene human occupation of Europe are presented and the technological and palaeoeconomic strategies adopted by different species of hominins during two key phases of the occupation ofEurope are compared.

TL;DR: Ancient genomes of humans and their diverse microbiomes from a range of eras and archaeological contexts will enable population-level ancient analyses in the near future and a better understanding of their co-evolutionary history.

TL;DR: A systematic review of dentognathic specimens attributed to Proconsul and a new genus are recognized that is characterized by a suite of unique features that strongly unite the included species as a clade.

TL;DR: The results confirm the trend of increasing enamel thickness during the Pliocene that culminates in the thick enamel of the robust Australopithecus species, and then decreases from early Homo to recent modern humans.

TL;DR: Evidence is presented showing that the stone tools from Schöningen 12 and 13 were used for working wood and hide and for cutting meat, and the results from the use-wear and residue analyses proved complementary in several instances.

TL;DR: The analysis of heat-treated artefacts from the Howiesons Poort of Diepkloof Rock Shelter identified a hitherto unknown type of organic residue - a tempering-residue - that sheds light on the processes used for heat treatment in the MSA, suggesting that heat treatment of silcrete was conducted directly using an open fire.

TL;DR: Analysis of the postcrania of Gough Cave suggests that cannibalism during the Magdalenian was part of a customary mortuary practice that combined intensive processing and consumption of the bodies with ritual use of skull-cups.

TL;DR: A Europe-wide contextualisation shows that while the current coarse-grained record still allows for several potential scenarios, the data point towards a most parsimonious model of a Châtelperronian made by Neanderthals, with roots in the late Middle Palaeolithic technological skill set.

TL;DR: A contextual reassessment of the faunal remains from La Cotte is provided to fully understand Neanderthal behaviour at the site and zooarchaeological data do not support the inference that megafauna were the major contributor of meat.

TL;DR: The genetic evidence for population origins is presented, what ancient DNA work has been undertaken to address human history and evolution in the Pacific region is reviewed, and it is argued that the future is bright but research requires a collaborative approach between academic disciplines but also with local communities.