Scientists found that one tiny DNA change in the NOVA1 gene helped modern humans resist lead exposure that harmed Neanderthals.

Learn how lead exposure impacted ancient humans' health and brain activity up to 2 million years ago.

Long before factories, mines, and cars filled the air with pollution, our distant ancestors were already living with a silent ...

Almost 2 million years ago, a young ancient human died beside a spring near a lake in what is now Tanzania, in eastern Africa ...

Several hominid species were consistently exposed to lead for almost two million years, which may have given modern humans a ...

The discovery of chemical signatures of lead in hominid fossils challenges our understanding of ancient environmental ...

Fossilized human teeth spanning two million years of evolution had shockingly high contents of lead, which may have been the ...

Benjamin holds a Master's degree in anthropology from University College London and has previously worked in the fields of psychedelic neuroscience and mental health. Benjamin holds a Master's degree ...

They detected clear chemical signatures in these remains, which indicated that lead exposure for these species dated back to ...

A personal reflection recalls Jane Goodall’s quiet pragmatism, her deep bond with Gombe’s chimps and the scientific legacy of her skeletal collection.

Lead exposure has been thought to be a uniquely modern phenomenon. Exposure to lead by ancient humans could have given modern humans a survival advantage over other species – more specifically, their ...