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Osteology Everywhere: Head for the hills
Last week I was exploring central England with the brilliant Jess Beck, an archaeology PhD student at the University of Michigan. Both of us avid (nay, rabid) connoisseurs of everything skeletal, we...
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Results of the toe-tally easy lab activity
Alternate title: Dorsal canting in primate PPP4s Earlier this year I suggested a classroom activity in which students can scrutinize the evidence used to argue that the >5 million year old (mya)...
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eFfing #FossilFriday: toolmakers without tools?
Matt Skinner and colleagues report in today’s Science an analysis of trabecular bone structure in the hand bones of humans, fossil hominins and living apes. Trabecular bone, the sponge-like network of...
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Quick thought on the Australopithecus deyiremeda maxilla
It will be lots of work to prep my Human Evolution course for the Fall. This past year has seen many major fossil discoveries, and adding to the list is the newly described species Australopithecus...
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Gracile & robust Australopithecus
Last week, I introduced my Human Evolution students to the “robust” australopithecines. It was a very delicate time, when we had to have a grown up, mature conversation about adult things. I reminded...
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Osteology Everywhere: Bacon or first rib?
I went to a cafe today to eat breakfast and get some work done. Write, write, write. It’s important to be properly nourished to ensure maximal productivity. The Ron Swanson diet. But I was aghast to...
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#FossilFriday: 2015 Retrospecticus
Holy crap 2015 was a big year for fossils. And how fortuitous that 2016 begins on a Fossil Friday – let’s recap some of last year’s major discoveries. Homo naledi Some Homo naledi mandibles in order...
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Did GDF6 “gene tweak” allow humans to become upright?
The short answer is, “Not really.” But as is often the case, the real story behind so many headlines last week is a bit more complicated. smh. Links to the first, second, third, and fourth stories....
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Worst year in review
As we’re wrapping up what may be the worst year in recent global memory, especially geopolitically, let’s take a moment to review some more positive things that came up at Lawnchair in 2016. Headed...
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New (old) Australopithecus anamensis cranium
The Fall semester here at Vassar kicks off next week, and so of course a new fossil discovery is published this week that threatens to upend my course plans and throw my syllabi into disarray....
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