On Humans Podcast
@ilarimakela.bsky.social
Human Origins | Macro History | Anthropology | Neuroscience | Philosophy
Posting as Ilari Mäkelä, host of On Humans.
https://onhumans.substack.com/about
Posting as Ilari Mäkelä, host of On Humans.
https://onhumans.substack.com/about
"New research at Semiyarka is challenging long-held ideas about mobility, metallurgy, and the unexpected shape of early cities in Eurasia."
www.anthropology.net/p/city-of-th...
@anthropology.net
www.anthropology.net/p/city-of-th...
@anthropology.net
November 20, 2025 at 4:49 PM
"New research at Semiyarka is challenging long-held ideas about mobility, metallurgy, and the unexpected shape of early cities in Eurasia."
www.anthropology.net/p/city-of-th...
@anthropology.net
www.anthropology.net/p/city-of-th...
@anthropology.net
"How is it that Brazil imported so many more enslaved people than the US, yet by the mid-19th century the US had 2.5 times more?"
aeon.co/essays/way-d...
aeon.co/essays/way-d...
November 19, 2025 at 1:53 PM
"How is it that Brazil imported so many more enslaved people than the US, yet by the mid-19th century the US had 2.5 times more?"
aeon.co/essays/way-d...
aeon.co/essays/way-d...
Diving with Sea Lions in San Diego 🦭
Turn on the sound to hear their vocalisations!
Not a bad start to a Wednesday. I could get used to this...
#animal
Turn on the sound to hear their vocalisations!
Not a bad start to a Wednesday. I could get used to this...
#animal
November 12, 2025 at 10:21 PM
Diving with Sea Lions in San Diego 🦭
Turn on the sound to hear their vocalisations!
Not a bad start to a Wednesday. I could get used to this...
#animal
Turn on the sound to hear their vocalisations!
Not a bad start to a Wednesday. I could get used to this...
#animal
Did Neanderthals speak? We don't know. But DNA evidence shows our ancestors experienced speedier evolution in the vocal tract.
This is highly suggestive of a more important role for speech amongst Homo sapiens.
By the way, the methods are insane 🤯 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32132541/
🏺 #paleosky
This is highly suggestive of a more important role for speech amongst Homo sapiens.
By the way, the methods are insane 🤯 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32132541/
🏺 #paleosky
November 12, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Did Neanderthals speak? We don't know. But DNA evidence shows our ancestors experienced speedier evolution in the vocal tract.
This is highly suggestive of a more important role for speech amongst Homo sapiens.
By the way, the methods are insane 🤯 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32132541/
🏺 #paleosky
This is highly suggestive of a more important role for speech amongst Homo sapiens.
By the way, the methods are insane 🤯 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32132541/
🏺 #paleosky
Okay. It's over. What an incredible weekend!
Thank you to all the wonderful folks who made this possible!
BONUS: I managed to record short live episodes with three speakers... Stay tuned 👀
@anthropogeny.org @salkinstitute.bsky.social
Thank you to all the wonderful folks who made this possible!
BONUS: I managed to record short live episodes with three speakers... Stay tuned 👀
@anthropogeny.org @salkinstitute.bsky.social
November 11, 2025 at 1:23 AM
Okay. It's over. What an incredible weekend!
Thank you to all the wonderful folks who made this possible!
BONUS: I managed to record short live episodes with three speakers... Stay tuned 👀
@anthropogeny.org @salkinstitute.bsky.social
Thank you to all the wonderful folks who made this possible!
BONUS: I managed to record short live episodes with three speakers... Stay tuned 👀
@anthropogeny.org @salkinstitute.bsky.social
November 6, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Forgive me for one LinkedIn style post... But this did feel good! ★★★★★ Grateful to those 100 people who, against all odds, actually discovered how rate a show on Spotify! (I still struggle to find it at times...)
🙏
open.spotify.com/show/4nhm3fG...
🙏
open.spotify.com/show/4nhm3fG...
November 6, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Forgive me for one LinkedIn style post... But this did feel good! ★★★★★ Grateful to those 100 people who, against all odds, actually discovered how rate a show on Spotify! (I still struggle to find it at times...)
🙏
open.spotify.com/show/4nhm3fG...
🙏
open.spotify.com/show/4nhm3fG...
I posted this article already, but only highlighting the negative trend.
Here is a more hopeful point: change is possible!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Here is a more hopeful point: change is possible!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
November 5, 2025 at 5:51 PM
I posted this article already, but only highlighting the negative trend.
Here is a more hopeful point: change is possible!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Here is a more hopeful point: change is possible!
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
The backdrop to human evolution: an increasingly erratic climate.
🏺 #paleosky
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jK9P...
🏺 #paleosky
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jK9P...
November 5, 2025 at 5:20 PM
The backdrop to human evolution: an increasingly erratic climate.
🏺 #paleosky
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jK9P...
🏺 #paleosky
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jK9P...
I'll be here in person! Hit me up if you're coming, too.
The lineup is incredible -- do check out the webcast if not in sunny San Diego ☀️
carta.anthropogeny.org/events/ancie...
@anthropogeny.org
#paleosky 🏺
The lineup is incredible -- do check out the webcast if not in sunny San Diego ☀️
carta.anthropogeny.org/events/ancie...
@anthropogeny.org
#paleosky 🏺
October 31, 2025 at 8:36 PM
I'll be here in person! Hit me up if you're coming, too.
The lineup is incredible -- do check out the webcast if not in sunny San Diego ☀️
carta.anthropogeny.org/events/ancie...
@anthropogeny.org
#paleosky 🏺
The lineup is incredible -- do check out the webcast if not in sunny San Diego ☀️
carta.anthropogeny.org/events/ancie...
@anthropogeny.org
#paleosky 🏺
Forget the Hard Problem.
Here comes the "Lobster Problem of Consciousness"
🧠 onhumans.substack.com/p/can-the-br...
with @matthewcobb.bsky.social
Here comes the "Lobster Problem of Consciousness"
🧠 onhumans.substack.com/p/can-the-br...
with @matthewcobb.bsky.social
October 30, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Forget the Hard Problem.
Here comes the "Lobster Problem of Consciousness"
🧠 onhumans.substack.com/p/can-the-br...
with @matthewcobb.bsky.social
Here comes the "Lobster Problem of Consciousness"
🧠 onhumans.substack.com/p/can-the-br...
with @matthewcobb.bsky.social
"History no longer feels like something unfolding behind us but something rushing toward us, urgent and impossible to ignore."
~ @kaiserkuo.bsky.social
substack.com/home/post/p-...
~ @kaiserkuo.bsky.social
substack.com/home/post/p-...
October 27, 2025 at 12:24 PM
"History no longer feels like something unfolding behind us but something rushing toward us, urgent and impossible to ignore."
~ @kaiserkuo.bsky.social
substack.com/home/post/p-...
~ @kaiserkuo.bsky.social
substack.com/home/post/p-...
"Humans didn’t just diverge from other apes in form ... They diverged in speed.”
www.anthropology.net/p/the-face-t...
by @anthropology.net
www.anthropology.net/p/the-face-t...
by @anthropology.net
October 23, 2025 at 8:40 AM
"Humans didn’t just diverge from other apes in form ... They diverged in speed.”
www.anthropology.net/p/the-face-t...
by @anthropology.net
www.anthropology.net/p/the-face-t...
by @anthropology.net
The new series of @pnas.org articles on the history of inequality require some careful reading. The identical data set leads some to agree and others to disagree with Dawn of Everything... What's going on?
Here are some initial thoughts.
Here are some initial thoughts.
April 16, 2025 at 6:11 PM
The new series of @pnas.org articles on the history of inequality require some careful reading. The identical data set leads some to agree and others to disagree with Dawn of Everything... What's going on?
Here are some initial thoughts.
Here are some initial thoughts.
Wow! I just finished a long and important conversation on sex biology with @anthrofuentes.bsky.social
We touched upon so much! Hermaphrodite worms. Sex changing fish. Intersex humans. And of course, difficult topics around how to discuss such sensitive issues in public.
Stay tuned!
We touched upon so much! Hermaphrodite worms. Sex changing fish. Intersex humans. And of course, difficult topics around how to discuss such sensitive issues in public.
Stay tuned!
April 15, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Wow! I just finished a long and important conversation on sex biology with @anthrofuentes.bsky.social
We touched upon so much! Hermaphrodite worms. Sex changing fish. Intersex humans. And of course, difficult topics around how to discuss such sensitive issues in public.
Stay tuned!
We touched upon so much! Hermaphrodite worms. Sex changing fish. Intersex humans. And of course, difficult topics around how to discuss such sensitive issues in public.
Stay tuned!
It's out -- the 53th episode of On Humans!
This starts a two-part series on the origins of modern India.
The first episode focuses on the hugely contested effects of British rule in India. This is not one to miss!
Listen 🎧: onhumans.substack.com/p/what-about...
This starts a two-part series on the origins of modern India.
The first episode focuses on the hugely contested effects of British rule in India. This is not one to miss!
Listen 🎧: onhumans.substack.com/p/what-about...
February 18, 2025 at 7:14 PM
It's out -- the 53th episode of On Humans!
This starts a two-part series on the origins of modern India.
The first episode focuses on the hugely contested effects of British rule in India. This is not one to miss!
Listen 🎧: onhumans.substack.com/p/what-about...
This starts a two-part series on the origins of modern India.
The first episode focuses on the hugely contested effects of British rule in India. This is not one to miss!
Listen 🎧: onhumans.substack.com/p/what-about...
Can any of you guess? 😉 @yashenghuang.bsky.social @delong.social @ideenali.bsky.social @andreamatranga.bsky.social
Link >> onhumans.substack.com/p/what-about...
Link >> onhumans.substack.com/p/what-about...
February 18, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Can any of you guess? 😉 @yashenghuang.bsky.social @delong.social @ideenali.bsky.social @andreamatranga.bsky.social
Link >> onhumans.substack.com/p/what-about...
Link >> onhumans.substack.com/p/what-about...
It's often said that agriculture led to states. But agriculture came millennia before the first proper states.
Here's another culprit: mastery of water💧
www.academia.edu/38521622/Nav...
Here's another culprit: mastery of water💧
www.academia.edu/38521622/Nav...
February 18, 2025 at 12:55 PM
It's often said that agriculture led to states. But agriculture came millennia before the first proper states.
Here's another culprit: mastery of water💧
www.academia.edu/38521622/Nav...
Here's another culprit: mastery of water💧
www.academia.edu/38521622/Nav...
It's out! 👏 The 51st episode of On Humans explores the origins of patriarchy with @angarikadeb.bsky.social
You can listen in full or read a summary at:
onhumans.substack.com/p/why-patria...
You can listen in full or read a summary at:
onhumans.substack.com/p/why-patria...
January 29, 2025 at 3:36 PM
It's out! 👏 The 51st episode of On Humans explores the origins of patriarchy with @angarikadeb.bsky.social
You can listen in full or read a summary at:
onhumans.substack.com/p/why-patria...
You can listen in full or read a summary at:
onhumans.substack.com/p/why-patria...
January 22, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Early hominins moved from forests and into grasslands. We can detect this from their diet. But interestingly, the genus Homo returned to a more mixed diet.
Why? A return to the forest? Or eating the meat of arboreal beasts? 🤔
youtu.be/CQDA6SXiZtY?...
Why? A return to the forest? Or eating the meat of arboreal beasts? 🤔
youtu.be/CQDA6SXiZtY?...
January 21, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Early hominins moved from forests and into grasslands. We can detect this from their diet. But interestingly, the genus Homo returned to a more mixed diet.
Why? A return to the forest? Or eating the meat of arboreal beasts? 🤔
youtu.be/CQDA6SXiZtY?...
Why? A return to the forest? Or eating the meat of arboreal beasts? 🤔
youtu.be/CQDA6SXiZtY?...
From a lecture by Dean Falk on her new book, "The Botanic Age". (Yes, hominins made tools before the Stone Age)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXET...
Hosted by the @leakeyfoundation.bsky.social
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXET...
Hosted by the @leakeyfoundation.bsky.social
January 20, 2025 at 6:30 PM
From a lecture by Dean Falk on her new book, "The Botanic Age". (Yes, hominins made tools before the Stone Age)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXET...
Hosted by the @leakeyfoundation.bsky.social
www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXET...
Hosted by the @leakeyfoundation.bsky.social
"Varki had just stumbled across the first biochemical difference between humans and chimpanzees."
This is the best article I've read on the mystery called "scialic acid".
www.quantamagazine.org/researchers-...
This is the best article I've read on the mystery called "scialic acid".
www.quantamagazine.org/researchers-...
January 17, 2025 at 5:30 PM
"Varki had just stumbled across the first biochemical difference between humans and chimpanzees."
This is the best article I've read on the mystery called "scialic acid".
www.quantamagazine.org/researchers-...
This is the best article I've read on the mystery called "scialic acid".
www.quantamagazine.org/researchers-...
"Migrants send or bring back over three times the amount of money provided by global foreign aid. Cutting transaction fees could make this support even more effective in reducing poverty."
ourworldindata.org/great-global...
ourworldindata.org/great-global...
January 14, 2025 at 11:07 AM
"Migrants send or bring back over three times the amount of money provided by global foreign aid. Cutting transaction fees could make this support even more effective in reducing poverty."
ourworldindata.org/great-global...
ourworldindata.org/great-global...
Winter mind, summer mind:
Lower temperatures "evoke a need for social connection" while higher temperatures "facilitate notions of others as closer and more sociable"
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Lower temperatures "evoke a need for social connection" while higher temperatures "facilitate notions of others as closer and more sociable"
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
January 13, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Winter mind, summer mind:
Lower temperatures "evoke a need for social connection" while higher temperatures "facilitate notions of others as closer and more sociable"
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Lower temperatures "evoke a need for social connection" while higher temperatures "facilitate notions of others as closer and more sociable"
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...