<p>The science of human origins keeps producing new theories. But are we any closer to telling a true story of human origins? Or are we simply drowning in data? </p><p>Earlier this November, the chair of UCSD’s Department of Anthropology invited me to explore this question in a campus talk. My optimistic claim was that underneath many of the field’s important debates, a powerful story has been emerging. At its core, this is a story about calories, cooperation, and climate change. And at the centre of it are not men hunting or women gathering.</p><p>At the centre of it are children playing and learning.</p><p>Here is the recording from the talk . </p><p>Check out also my <a href="⁠https://onhumans.substack.com/p/can-we-tell-a-true-story-of-human-f03⁠" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">Substack essay </a>inspired by this talk, with many of the pictures and graphs from the slides! </p><p>PS. I was in San Diego to attend a <a href="https://carta.anthropogeny.org/events/ancient-dna-new-revelations" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">CARTA symposium</a> on the role of genetics in the study of human origins. I managed to record three episodes behind the scenes. </p><p>Live recordings <a href="http://OnHumans.Substack.com/DNA" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">coming soon</a>!</p><p><br></p><p><strong>FACT CHECKING</strong></p><p>No major errors have been found yet. As a small correction, the mention about macaques vs giraffe&#39;s should have been about neurons in the cortex, not total neurons in the brain. The main idea doesn&#39;t change. </p><p>If you find an error in this or other episodes, get in touch via the form below.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>LINKS</strong></p><p>Articles and essays: <a href="OnHumans.Substack.com" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">OnHumans.Substack.com</a></p><p>Support: <a href="Patreon.com/OnHumans" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Patreon.com/OnHumans</a></p><p>Contact Form: <a href="https://forms.gle/h5wcmefuwvD6asos8" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://forms.gle/h5wcmefuwvD6asos8</a></p><p><br></p><p><strong>KEYWORDS</strong></p><p>Human evolution | Human origins | Anthropogeny | Anthropology | Paleoanthropology | Genus Homo | Australopithecins | Human brain | Comparative neuroanatomy | Human tool cultures | Alloparenting | Cooking hypothesis | Expensive tissue hypothesis | Life history | r vs K strategies | </p><p><br></p>

On Humans

Ilari Mäkelä

Can We Tell a (True) Story of Human Origins? Live from UC San Diego

NOV 24, 202542 MIN
On Humans

Can We Tell a (True) Story of Human Origins? Live from UC San Diego

NOV 24, 202542 MIN

Description

<p>The science of human origins keeps producing new theories. But are we any closer to telling a true story of human origins? Or are we simply drowning in data? </p><p>Earlier this November, the chair of UCSD’s Department of Anthropology invited me to explore this question in a campus talk. My optimistic claim was that underneath many of the field’s important debates, a powerful story has been emerging. At its core, this is a story about calories, cooperation, and climate change. And at the centre of it are not men hunting or women gathering.</p><p>At the centre of it are children playing and learning.</p><p>Here is the recording from the talk . </p><p>Check out also my <a href="⁠https://onhumans.substack.com/p/can-we-tell-a-true-story-of-human-f03⁠" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">Substack essay </a>inspired by this talk, with many of the pictures and graphs from the slides! </p><p>PS. I was in San Diego to attend a <a href="https://carta.anthropogeny.org/events/ancient-dna-new-revelations" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">CARTA symposium</a> on the role of genetics in the study of human origins. I managed to record three episodes behind the scenes. </p><p>Live recordings <a href="http://OnHumans.Substack.com/DNA" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">coming soon</a>!</p><p><br></p><p><strong>FACT CHECKING</strong></p><p>No major errors have been found yet. As a small correction, the mention about macaques vs giraffe&#39;s should have been about neurons in the cortex, not total neurons in the brain. The main idea doesn&#39;t change. </p><p>If you find an error in this or other episodes, get in touch via the form below.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>LINKS</strong></p><p>Articles and essays: <a href="OnHumans.Substack.com" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">OnHumans.Substack.com</a></p><p>Support: <a href="Patreon.com/OnHumans" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">Patreon.com/OnHumans</a></p><p>Contact Form: <a href="https://forms.gle/h5wcmefuwvD6asos8" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://forms.gle/h5wcmefuwvD6asos8</a></p><p><br></p><p><strong>KEYWORDS</strong></p><p>Human evolution | Human origins | Anthropogeny | Anthropology | Paleoanthropology | Genus Homo | Australopithecins | Human brain | Comparative neuroanatomy | Human tool cultures | Alloparenting | Cooking hypothesis | Expensive tissue hypothesis | Life history | r vs K strategies | </p><p><br></p>