John Hawks
@johnhawks.net
Paleoanthropologist | Chair and Professor of Anthropology, University of Wisconsin–Madison 🧪🏺💀https://www.johnhawks.net
I cannot imagine being buried less than 3 feet from any anthropological colleague. Sorry folks, eternity's too long
Alfred Kroeber (d. 1960), w/ colleagues who predeceased him, Robert Lowie (d. 1957) & Paul Radin (d. 1959), & their wives Luella Lowie (d. 1970) & Doris Radin (d. 1991). Three German-Austrian-Polish-American students of Boas, once colleagues and now neighbors. Sunset View Cemetery, El Cerrito, CA.
November 23, 2025 at 5:32 AM
I cannot imagine being buried less than 3 feet from any anthropological colleague. Sorry folks, eternity's too long
Reposted by John Hawks
The entire concept of such a book is fatally flawed from the start.
And though I don't think this point comes up in the podcast, I think there is a major selection-bias problem here too: the only ppl willing to write a book like this are the ones must vulnerable to bad-outcome overconfidence.
And though I don't think this point comes up in the podcast, I think there is a major selection-bias problem here too: the only ppl willing to write a book like this are the ones must vulnerable to bad-outcome overconfidence.
November 22, 2025 at 7:25 PM
The entire concept of such a book is fatally flawed from the start.
And though I don't think this point comes up in the podcast, I think there is a major selection-bias problem here too: the only ppl willing to write a book like this are the ones must vulnerable to bad-outcome overconfidence.
And though I don't think this point comes up in the podcast, I think there is a major selection-bias problem here too: the only ppl willing to write a book like this are the ones must vulnerable to bad-outcome overconfidence.
The earliest stone toolmakers seem to have innovated so slowly. What is going on with that?
open.substack.com/pub/johnhawk...
open.substack.com/pub/johnhawk...
What explains the long stasis of Oldowan sites?
A new study reveals a 300,000 year record of toolmaking near the eastern shore of Lake Turkana
open.substack.com
November 22, 2025 at 2:47 PM
The earliest stone toolmakers seem to have innovated so slowly. What is going on with that?
open.substack.com/pub/johnhawk...
open.substack.com/pub/johnhawk...
Writing more about Homo erectus this week, podcast interview set up for Monday, giving a conference presentation on the topic Thursday. The topic is really heating up—prompted by the reconsideration of many of the early fossils from mainland Asia.
www.johnhawks.net/p/the-proble...
www.johnhawks.net/p/the-proble...
The problem skulls from Yunxian
The relationships of fossils from deep time in China may help reveal ancestral connections for the Denisovans
www.johnhawks.net
November 15, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Writing more about Homo erectus this week, podcast interview set up for Monday, giving a conference presentation on the topic Thursday. The topic is really heating up—prompted by the reconsideration of many of the early fossils from mainland Asia.
www.johnhawks.net/p/the-proble...
www.johnhawks.net/p/the-proble...
Reposted by John Hawks
November 14, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Reposted by John Hawks
Towards coexistence: human-animal co-construction of behaviour in shared spaces! New article from excellent ongoing project with @mfhansen.bsky.social aias.au.dk/events/show/...
Towards coexistence: human-animal co-construction of behaviour in shared spaces
Humans and animals have always shared spaces, food and lives, but little research sheds light on this coexistence. In a new study, AIAS Fellow, cultural biologist Malene Friis Hansen and Professor Agu...
aias.au.dk
November 14, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Towards coexistence: human-animal co-construction of behaviour in shared spaces! New article from excellent ongoing project with @mfhansen.bsky.social aias.au.dk/events/show/...
Some fascinating new research is showing how fast ancestral humans evolved their skulls, outpacing all other lineages of apes. These methods intersect with work that my students and I are doing, fun to explain how they work and what the results may mean.
www.johnhawks.net/p/human-skul...
www.johnhawks.net/p/human-skul...
Human skull shape evolved faster than any of the apes
New research led by Aida Gómez-Robles helps illustrate how researchers study the evolution of cranial form.
www.johnhawks.net
November 14, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Some fascinating new research is showing how fast ancestral humans evolved their skulls, outpacing all other lineages of apes. These methods intersect with work that my students and I are doing, fun to explain how they work and what the results may mean.
www.johnhawks.net/p/human-skul...
www.johnhawks.net/p/human-skul...
Reposted by John Hawks
From Caveman to Martian? Caves have long been used as shelters by humans & our ancestors. It is possible that humans who travel to Mars would use caves as well, since they provide natural protection from the radiation, cold, and dust storms on the surface. phys.org/news/2025-11...
November 13, 2025 at 8:47 PM
From Caveman to Martian? Caves have long been used as shelters by humans & our ancestors. It is possible that humans who travel to Mars would use caves as well, since they provide natural protection from the radiation, cold, and dust storms on the surface. phys.org/news/2025-11...
We saw these from home last night but it turns out my office had an even better view. Wonderful aurora photo by Xiaomeng Shen in front of the Carillon tower and Social Sciences Building at @uwmadison.bsky.social
November 12, 2025 at 8:59 PM
We saw these from home last night but it turns out my office had an even better view. Wonderful aurora photo by Xiaomeng Shen in front of the Carillon tower and Social Sciences Building at @uwmadison.bsky.social
Human origins research has unfortunately become an area where researchers bring out Tolkien-esque analogies, trading on the idea that races or species of hominins once coexisted. The existence of past diversity is real, but the analogies with hobbits and other fictional beings promote misconceptions
The far right is obsessed with Lord of the Rings and Musk keeps posting about "hobbits" because modern scientific racism owes more to fantasy worlds and gaming systems than genetic science, and they see both as effective mediums for right-wing propaganda www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Why Elon Musk Needs Dungeons and Dragons to Be Racist
The fantastical roots of “scientific racism”
www.theatlantic.com
November 11, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Human origins research has unfortunately become an area where researchers bring out Tolkien-esque analogies, trading on the idea that races or species of hominins once coexisted. The existence of past diversity is real, but the analogies with hobbits and other fictional beings promote misconceptions
Oops…“Principal components (PC) axes
identified by a PCA are not necessarily the most informative biologically. Nevertheless, paleoanthropologists frequently interpret proximity in PC space as indicative of morphological and thus evolutionary affinity or relatedness”
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
identified by a PCA are not necessarily the most informative biologically. Nevertheless, paleoanthropologists frequently interpret proximity in PC space as indicative of morphological and thus evolutionary affinity or relatedness”
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Principal Components Analysis fails to recover phylogenetic structure in hominins
Objectives Paleoanthropologists often utilize geometric morphometrics and principal components analysis (PCA) to interpret shape variation within the hominin fossil record. It is common practice to in...
www.biorxiv.org
November 8, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Oops…“Principal components (PC) axes
identified by a PCA are not necessarily the most informative biologically. Nevertheless, paleoanthropologists frequently interpret proximity in PC space as indicative of morphological and thus evolutionary affinity or relatedness”
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
identified by a PCA are not necessarily the most informative biologically. Nevertheless, paleoanthropologists frequently interpret proximity in PC space as indicative of morphological and thus evolutionary affinity or relatedness”
www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
This is a really informative story from the University of São Paulo about archaeological work seeking traces of Neanderthal-modern human interactions:
“Brazilian scientists travel 40,000 years back to study Neanderthals in Romania”
jornal.usp.br/uspnews/braz...
“Brazilian scientists travel 40,000 years back to study Neanderthals in Romania”
jornal.usp.br/uspnews/braz...
Brazilian scientists travel 40,000 years back to study Neanderthals in Romania
In partnership with Romanian researchers, USP is leading a project to search for traces of ancient Hominins in caves across Transylvania
jornal.usp.br
November 8, 2025 at 2:45 PM
This is a really informative story from the University of São Paulo about archaeological work seeking traces of Neanderthal-modern human interactions:
“Brazilian scientists travel 40,000 years back to study Neanderthals in Romania”
jornal.usp.br/uspnews/braz...
“Brazilian scientists travel 40,000 years back to study Neanderthals in Romania”
jornal.usp.br/uspnews/braz...
James Watson, Co-Discoverer of the Structure of DNA, Is Dead at 97
www.nytimes.com
November 7, 2025 at 8:29 PM
A nice story in @science.org this week about the collaboration between archaeologists and Kuikuro people in Brazil, which has been central to uncovering evidence of social complexity in the Amazon region more than 600 years ago.
www.science.org/content/arti...
www.science.org/content/arti...
To unearth their past, Amazonian people turn to ‘a language white men understand’
A model partnership between archaeologists and the Kuikuro people has helped rewrite the history of early Amazonian societies
www.science.org
November 7, 2025 at 3:27 PM
A nice story in @science.org this week about the collaboration between archaeologists and Kuikuro people in Brazil, which has been central to uncovering evidence of social complexity in the Amazon region more than 600 years ago.
www.science.org/content/arti...
www.science.org/content/arti...
My personal view is that I am much less likely to submit material to "letters" or "technical comment" sections of scientific journals moving forward.
www.science.org/content/arti...
www.science.org/content/arti...
Letters to scientific journals surge as ‘prolific debutante’ authors likely use AI
New study reinforces worries about “mass production of junk” by unscrupulous scholars aiming to pad their CVs
www.science.org
November 4, 2025 at 10:03 PM
My personal view is that I am much less likely to submit material to "letters" or "technical comment" sections of scientific journals moving forward.
www.science.org/content/arti...
www.science.org/content/arti...
Helping some of the most senior people see the next phase of their work and lives is such an urgent need across society. The challenge in academic life is much the same as in government. Moving to a new project and a new role is even more vital.
“Well, so why don’t you retire?” someone asked. “The member literally looked at us and goes, ‘Well, what would I do?’” nymag.com/intelligence...
November 3, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Helping some of the most senior people see the next phase of their work and lives is such an urgent need across society. The challenge in academic life is much the same as in government. Moving to a new project and a new role is even more vital.
Reposted by John Hawks
I’ve spent many years explaining/defending biorxiv’s “no reviews” policy.
The logic was always that opening Word and opining is a far lower barrier than doing actual research, so noise’d be >> signal and we didn’t want to make subjective quality judgements.
LLMs mean it makes even more sense 1/2
The logic was always that opening Word and opining is a far lower barrier than doing actual research, so noise’d be >> signal and we didn’t want to make subjective quality judgements.
LLMs mean it makes even more sense 1/2
arXiv will no longer accept review articles and position papers unless they have been accepted at a journal or a conference and complete successful peer review.
This is due to being overwhelmed by a hundreds of AI generated papers a month.
Yet another open submission process killed by LLMs.
This is due to being overwhelmed by a hundreds of AI generated papers a month.
Yet another open submission process killed by LLMs.
Attention Authors: Updated Practice for Review Articles and Position Papers in arXiv CS Category – arXiv blog
blog.arxiv.org
November 2, 2025 at 5:33 PM
I’ve spent many years explaining/defending biorxiv’s “no reviews” policy.
The logic was always that opening Word and opining is a far lower barrier than doing actual research, so noise’d be >> signal and we didn’t want to make subjective quality judgements.
LLMs mean it makes even more sense 1/2
The logic was always that opening Word and opining is a far lower barrier than doing actual research, so noise’d be >> signal and we didn’t want to make subjective quality judgements.
LLMs mean it makes even more sense 1/2
A new post covering some recent work on estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and pregnancy from ancient skeletons. A window has just opened a crack but it’s another fascinating area where the lives of ancient people may be encoded in their bones and teeth.
www.johnhawks.net/p/finding-ho...
www.johnhawks.net/p/finding-ho...
Finding hormone biomarkers in ancient skeletons
The widening horizon of molecular biomarkers from ancient bones and sediments may open new doors to the biology of ancient people.
www.johnhawks.net
November 2, 2025 at 2:38 PM
A new post covering some recent work on estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and pregnancy from ancient skeletons. A window has just opened a crack but it’s another fascinating area where the lives of ancient people may be encoded in their bones and teeth.
www.johnhawks.net/p/finding-ho...
www.johnhawks.net/p/finding-ho...
Reposted by John Hawks
Oh wow! @johnhawks.net has just singled out this study of pregnancy hormones for a special post on his newsletter! "The widening horizon of molecular biomarkers from ancient bones and sediments may open new doors to the biology of ancient people."
"first successful detection of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone in bones, teeth and dental calculus, opening a way to identify pregnancy in the archaeological record." phys.org/news/2025-10... #histmed #WomensHealth #MedievalSky
Ancient skeletons yield the first hormonal evidence of reproductive life
University of Sheffield and University College London researchers have made the first successful detection of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone in bones, teeth and dental calculus, opening a wa...
phys.org
November 1, 2025 at 11:17 PM
Oh wow! @johnhawks.net has just singled out this study of pregnancy hormones for a special post on his newsletter! "The widening horizon of molecular biomarkers from ancient bones and sediments may open new doors to the biology of ancient people."
Reposted by John Hawks
A #Halloween #FossilFriday! Here’s a 🧠 brain! Sorta… this is an endocast, where sediment packed into a skull while there was still some soft tissue replacing and molding and casting where the brain was. This particular one is Miocene from Kyrgyzstan and likely horse. Found by @ashpoust.bsky.social
October 31, 2025 at 6:08 PM
A #Halloween #FossilFriday! Here’s a 🧠 brain! Sorta… this is an endocast, where sediment packed into a skull while there was still some soft tissue replacing and molding and casting where the brain was. This particular one is Miocene from Kyrgyzstan and likely horse. Found by @ashpoust.bsky.social
Great day yesterday sharing fossil hominins with more than a hundred sixth-graders here in Madison. I was able to tell them that—even though many are extinct today—our fossil relatives had families, they came from many parts of the world, and they came in all colors that today's people do. #inktober
October 31, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Great day yesterday sharing fossil hominins with more than a hundred sixth-graders here in Madison. I was able to tell them that—even though many are extinct today—our fossil relatives had families, they came from many parts of the world, and they came in all colors that today's people do. #inktober
Reposted by John Hawks
Two Hartebeest molars in a maxilla, from the Last Interglacial of Turkana, Kenya--a time period in which we desperately need more research! #FossilFriday
October 31, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Two Hartebeest molars in a maxilla, from the Last Interglacial of Turkana, Kenya--a time period in which we desperately need more research! #FossilFriday
Love this story about the new analysis of an important Nanotyrannus fossil and resulting conclusions. Why am I never surprised when a long debate in paleontology is ultimately settled by just letting researchers study a fossil that has been hidden from them?
arstechnica.com/science/2025...
arstechnica.com/science/2025...
New study settles 40-year debate: Nanotyrannus is a new species
“This fossil doesn’t just settle the debate. It flips decades of T. rex research on its head.”…
arstechnica.com
October 30, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Love this story about the new analysis of an important Nanotyrannus fossil and resulting conclusions. Why am I never surprised when a long debate in paleontology is ultimately settled by just letting researchers study a fossil that has been hidden from them?
arstechnica.com/science/2025...
arstechnica.com/science/2025...
Reposted by John Hawks
One of my Virtual Anthropology students is looking at primate endocasts using data from Morphosource, and they found this massive gorilla brain (630 ml) lurking inside a very cresty cranium
Original data here: www.morphosource.org/concern/biol...
Original data here: www.morphosource.org/concern/biol...
October 30, 2025 at 5:28 PM
One of my Virtual Anthropology students is looking at primate endocasts using data from Morphosource, and they found this massive gorilla brain (630 ml) lurking inside a very cresty cranium
Original data here: www.morphosource.org/concern/biol...
Original data here: www.morphosource.org/concern/biol...
The D3444 calvaria was uncovered at Dmanisi, Georgia, in 2002. The individual represented by this cranium lived sometime around 1.77 million years ago, and most scientists attribute the fossil to Homo erectus. The individual had lost nearly all teeth at the time of death. #inktober
October 30, 2025 at 2:38 PM
The D3444 calvaria was uncovered at Dmanisi, Georgia, in 2002. The individual represented by this cranium lived sometime around 1.77 million years ago, and most scientists attribute the fossil to Homo erectus. The individual had lost nearly all teeth at the time of death. #inktober