Becoming Human

Becoming Human brings together interactive multimedia, research and scholarship to promote greater understanding of the course of human evolution

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New Analysis of Denisova Material

May 19, 2013

At a conference held earlier this month in Cold Spring Harbor NY the leader of the team exploring the ancient cave in Central Asia called Denisova (photo below) announced startling results from the team’s genetic analyses.

Controversial Puzzle Remains

April 14, 2013

A puzzling set of fossils, discovered near Johannesburg in 2008 and surrounded by controversy from the first, are back in the news and both the puzzle and the controversy are no nearer resolution. Paleoanthropologist Lee Berger of the University of the Witwatersrand and his son uncovered the first of these fossils.

Lucy completes US tour - SoCal is last stop

February 20, 2013

The world famous 3 million year old fossil nicknamed Lucy has been touring the United States for the past five years and is now headed home to her place of origin, Ethiopia. Discovered by Donald Johansson, founder of the Institute of Human Origins, in 1974 is making her last stop in the US and is on exhibit at the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, California through April 28.

Ancient sediments to yield secrets

February 08, 2013

A large scale, transdisciplinary research effort seeking to match ocean core samples by drilling into ancient lake sediments will commence in East Africa this summer, it has been announced by Arizona State University and the Institute of human origins.

Crafting stone and hypotheses

February 08, 2013

The changing way we view evidence is a lot like knapping stone to make a tool. We chip away at one idea and shape it into something different. John Shea is a noted archaeologist and iconoclast, arguing“advances” in stone tool technology were responses to particular needs and not necessarily evidence of increased cognition.

An introduction to the history and crafting of early stone tools - Launch the Presentation Explore human lineage through time: discover your roots over a span of 7 million years - Launch the Interactive Timeline Journey through the story of human evolution in an interactive documentary experience - Launch the Documentary

Becoming Human is an interactive documentary experience that tells the story of our origins. Journey through four million years of human evolution with your guide, Donald Johanson.

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Building Bodies

Upright posture and the ability to walk on two legs are crucial, major adaptations associated with the divergence of the human lineage from a common ancestor with the African apes. Learn how we stood up!
Chromosome Connection

Students are taken on a chromosome comparison "adventure", in which the banding patterns are compared on the chromosomes of humans and apes. Play Chromosome Connection!

Becoming Human

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Building Bodies

Chromosome Connection