A remarkable set of discoveries has confirmed that parts of Stonehenge first stood 140 miles away at Waun Mawn, west Wales.
Articles on Human ancestors
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These ancient surfaces, which often preserve the tracks in remarkable detail, are now amenable to inspection and interpretation.
Before 200,000 years ago, close to the origin of our species, people preferred the use of broad-leaved grasses to build their beds and resting areas using ash layers underneath.
The artefact comes from deposits dated to more than 60,000 years ago. It closely resembles thousands of bone arrowheads used by the indigenous San hunter-gatherers from the 18th to the 20th centuries.
This is a hugely important find. It means that one of our earlier ancestors possibly originated in southern Africa.
The findings suggest that this specimen could climb and move in trees. But it may also have been able to walk on the ground. This echoes previous studies.
Given that we know humans moved across these landscapes, we wondered whether there might also be evidence of other forms of human activity on these surfaces of sand.
There’s almost no place on earth that doesn’t hold traces of humanity. But which routes did our ancestors follow first?
Researchers can more easily compare heated rocks from different studies and areas.
Thanks to hundreds of fossil remains found in Africa studies can explore new scenarios about how our ancestors lived and evolved.
Five major finds this year adds to our understanding of evolution and ancient life history.
Palaeontological finds offer a compelling and profound way to think about our place in nature.
A new discovery adds to our existing understanding of Homo sapiens in Africa.
Ancient indigenous people often collected fossil shells, teeth and bones that have provided critical clues about human origins.
Archaeologists have discovered the world’s oldest cheese, and it reveals how our ancestor’s cooking methods helped the human diet adapt.
New tools add to an emerging view of the past as a turbulent “Game of Thrones” style scenario, with distinct early human ancestors living in Eurasia before Homo sapiens arrived.
Top contributors
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Research Associate, African Centre for Coastal Palaeoscience, Nelson Mandela University
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Lecturer, University of Cambridge
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Associate professor in Vertebrate Palaeontology, University of the Witwatersrand
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Professor of Archaeology, University of the Witwatersrand
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Adjunct Senior Researcher at Griffith University and La Trobe University, and Ramón y Cajal (Senior) Research Fellow, Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (CENIEH)
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Lecturer in Archaeology, University of York
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Associate Professor in Earth Sciences, University of Adelaide, University of Wollongong
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Professor in Geochronology and Geochemistry, Southern Cross University
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Professor of Evolutionary Studies, Professor of African Prehistory, University of Bergen
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Senior Lecturer, University of Leicester
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Archéologue et chercheur au CNRS, Auteurs historiques The Conversation France; Université de Toulouse
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Senior Researcher in African Quaternary Archaeology and Hominin Palaeoecology (University of Cambridge and University of the Witwatersrand), University of the Witwatersrand
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Postdoctor in archaeology at SapienCE, University of Bergen
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PhD Researcher, La Trobe University
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Research Scientist, Institute of Human Origins and Associate Professor, School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University