Rare African script offers clues to the evolution of writing

The world's very first invention of writing took place over 5000 years ago in the Middle East, before it was reinvented in China and Central America. Today, almost all human activities—from education to political systems ...

Cultivating cooperation through kinship

While the capability for organisms to work together is by no means novel, humans possess an unparalleled capacity for cooperation that seems to contradict Darwinian evolutionary principles. Humans often exhibit traits—such ...

When more pain means more gain

It seems unimaginable that intense, self-inflicted pain can result in an individual feeling much better, but that was the case with a longstanding ritual studied by researchers at the University of Connecticut.

Stretching language to its limit

Language - humanity's finest attribute - becomes stretched to its limit when faced with sacrifice, sexuality, or the brutality of war and predation. In the article "A space that will never be filled: Sharp communication and ...

Researchers look for dawn of human information sharing

Every day, information washes over the world like so much weather. From casual conversations, tweets, texts, emails, advertisements and news stories, humanity processes countless discrete pieces of socially transmitted information.

Rethinking the social structure of ancient Eurasian nomads

Prehistoric Eurasian nomads are commonly perceived as horse riding bandits who utilized their mobility and military skill to antagonize ancient civilizations such as the Chinese, Persians, and Greeks. Although some historical ...

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