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humans

Humans

We’re not the most successful human species

Homo sapiens are far from the most successful human on Earth – this smaller-brained predecessor was even more prosperous

Video
Alice Roberts

Humans

Alice Roberts: ‘We are fundamentally, at the end of the day, animals’

Culture
Lascaux Cave is a Palaeolithic cave situated in southwestern France, near the village of Montignac in the Dordogne region, which houses some of the most famous examples of prehistoric cave paintings. Close to 600 paintings ??? mostly of animals - dot the interior walls of the cave in impressive compositions. Horses are the most numerous, but deer, aurochs, ibex, bison, and even some felines can also be found. Besides these paintings, which represent most of the major images, there are also around 1400 engravings of a similar order. The art, dated to c. 17,000 ??? c. 15,000 BCE, falls within the Upper Palaeolithic period and was created by the clearly skilled hands of humans living in the area at that time. The region seems to be a hotspot; many beautifully decorated caves have been discovered there. The exact meaning of the paintings at Lascaux or any of the other sites is still subject to discussion, but the prevailing view attaches a ritualistic or even spiritual component to them, hinting at the sophistication of their creators. Lascaux was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list in 1979, along with other prehistoric sites in its proximity. Valley, France.

Life

91av recommends a smart new account of human exceptionalism

Culture
A person wearing a generic great white shark inflatable costume goes paddleboarding in the harbor. A funny playful twist on shark and human interaction.

Humans

Why do we feel the need to humanise everything, from dogs to cars?

Culture
Members of the Tsimané group

Humans

Hunter-gatherer groups are much less egalitarian than they seem

News
A caretaker feeds chimpanzees inside their playground area at the Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Freetown, on April 24, 2025. The sanctuary, which rehabilitates orphaned Western chimpanzees, is a leading site for wildlife research and conservation education programs. Extremely popular with tourists, its keepers have defiantly kept it closed since late May. The protest is meant to spur the government into action over the rapid environmental degradation taking place in the national park where it is located. The deterioration does not just affect the chimps, experts say, but also inhabitants of the wider region including the nearby capital of Freetown, home to some two million people. (Photo by PATRICK MEINHARDT / AFP) (Photo by PATRICK MEINHARDT/AFP via Getty Images)

Life

Smart new book takes an axe to the myth of human exceptionalism

Culture

Humans

How a surge in ancient plagues 5000 years ago shaped humanity

Features

Humans

Your pet dog’s ancestor was a fierce, wild animal. How was it tamed?

Features

Humans

Archaeologists are unearthing the most powerful women who ever lived

Features

Humans

Babies start showing empathy even before they can speak

When adults pretended to be in pain, children as young as 9 months old comforted them, pushing back the earliest age when humans are known to display empathy

News

Mind

Can we get better at spotting when someone is lying?

Regulars

Life

Welcome to a great, straightforward guide to the tree of life

Culture

Humans

Are we really doomed? An entertaining guide to humanity’s extinction

Culture

Earth

In millions of years, what could a future civilisation learn about us?

Culture