In human demography and population studies, “population (human)” refers to the total set of individuals of Homo sapiens occupying a defined spatial, temporal, or social frame, serving as the primary unit of analysis for topics such as fertility, mortality, migration, and population structure. Research addresses population size, age–sex composition, density, spatial distribution, and dynamic processes governed by demographic rates and transitions. Human populations are modeled using formal demographic methods (e.g., life tables, stable and multistate population models) and are central to analyses of population growth, demographic transitions, population health, urbanization, and the interaction between human numbers and economic, environmental, and social systems.
Researchers at the Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (CENIEH) have led a study, recently published in the Journal of Human Evolution, on the diet of individuals at the Sima de los Huesos site (Sierra ...
Evolution
Jan 27, 2026
1
51
Researchers from the University of Cape Town (UCT), working with international collaborators, have shown that people in northern Mozambique use regionally distinct "dialects" when communicating with honeyguide birds, revealing ...
Plants & Animals
Jan 22, 2026
0
117
A new study, published in the journal Science, reveals how millennia of human migration across Pacific islands led to the introduction of invasive pig species all over the Asia-Pacific region.
Ecology
Jan 1, 2026
0
80
Currently, there are several hypotheses surrounding the disappearance of Neanderthals. While they all have at least some scientific support, researchers can't agree on which—or which combination—is most likely. In a new study, ...
Only around 1.1% of the world's population is vegan, but this percentage is growing. For example, in Germany the number of vegans approximately doubled between 2016 and 2020 to 2% of the population, while a 2.4-fold increase ...
Environment
Nov 11, 2025
2
204
Wolves roaming the Mongolian steppes cover more than 7,000 kilometers a year. The Arctic tern flies from pole to pole in its annual migration. Compared to these long-distance travelers of land, sea and sky, humans might seem ...
Plants & Animals
Oct 27, 2025
0
43
For countless millions across the globe, commuting to work or school is an everyday routine. But during a pandemic, the practice can contribute enormously to the spread of infectious disease, a fact that many traditional ...
General Physics
Oct 14, 2025
0
34
Around the world, women on average live longer than men. This striking pattern holds true across nearly all countries and historical time periods. Although the gap between the sexes has narrowed in some countries due to medical ...
Plants & Animals
Oct 1, 2025
0
167
Human settlements around the world are moving inland and relocating away from coastlines as sea levels rise and coastal hazards grow more severe, but a new international study shows the poorest regions are being forced to ...
Earth Sciences
Sep 24, 2025
1
430
Tracking human behavioral patterns in cities can be used to determine urban delineations and urban land use, which has the potential to improve urban planning.
Environment
Sep 4, 2025
0
18
