Human Origins - The Story of Us

World of PaleoAnth
  • 4.6 (17)
  • SCIENCE
  • UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY

🌍 Welcome to “The Story of Us”! 🌍 Join host Seth Chagi as we explore human evolution on “The Story of Us,” by the World of Paleoanthropology. Discover groundbreaking discoveries, meet key figures, and unravel ancient mysteries through engaging storytelling and stunning visuals. 🔔 Subscribe & Stay Updated: Never miss an episode—subscribe and hit the notification bell. 👍 Like, Comment, Share: Enjoy our content? Give a thumbs up, share your thoughts, and spread the knowledge. 🌐 Follow Us: Twitter: @PaleoWorld Instagram: @PaleoWorld Facebook: World of Paleoanthropology #TheStoryOfUs

  1. The Story of Us: Evolution, Cognition, and What Makes Us Human with Dr. Ian Tattersall.

    FEB 10

    The Story of Us: Evolution, Cognition, and What Makes Us Human with Dr. Ian Tattersall.

    Welcome back to The Story of Us and the Season 6 Premiere!! In this episode, host Seth Chagi sits down with Dr. Ian Tattersall, curator emeritus of the American Museum of Natural History, whose extensive scholarship has "reshaped how we think about what it means to be human". Dr. Tattersall's work spans human evolution, cognition, and primate diversity. Join us as we travel from ancient fossils to the emergence of symbolic thought and the art of our ancestors. In this conversation, we explore: • Dr. Tattersall's Career Path: From graduate school at Yale with Elwyn Simons and an undergraduate stint in Cambridge with David Pilbeam, to his long tenure at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH). • A Scientific Revolution: Dr. Tattersall discusses his experience arriving at the AMNH during the "two real revolutions in progress": the development of punctuated equilibrium by Niles Eldredge and Steve Gould, and the cladistic revolution led by Gary Nelson and Don Rosen. • Lessons from Lemurs: The influence of studying lemurs in Madagascar helped reshape the understanding of human evolution, moving away from the idea of a single, linear lineage. • The "Bush" of Human Evolution: Why the metaphor of a bush is preferred over a tree or ladder for representing the hominin family. • The Origin of Symbolic Thought: An in-depth discussion on modern human cognition, the difference between intuitive and symbolic intelligence, and the hypothesis that the invention of language was the cultural stimulus that triggered symbolic thinking. • Neanderthals vs. Homo sapiens: Comparing the highly intuitive cognition of Neanderthals with the symbolic reasoning that defines modern humans, and why the ability to envision alternatives was key to our species' ecological success. • Advice for the Next Generation: Dr. Tattersall shares encouragement for aspiring researchers, emphasizing the importance of open-mindedness and pursuing questions that genuinely motivate them. Dr. Tattersall provides a fascinating look at how meaning, mind, and material culture intertwine in the story of our shared past. #Ian Tattersall, #American Museum of Natural History, #Human Evolution, #Hominin Evolution, #Paleoanthropology, #Primate Diversity, #Cognition, #Symbolic Thought, #Intuitive Intelligence, #Neanderthals, #*Homo sapiens*, #Origin of Language, #Punctuated Equilibria, #Cladistics, #Evolutionary Process, #Diversity, #Madagascar Lemurs, #Human Exceptionalism, #Rock Art, #Interview, #The Story of Us, #Podcast, #Science Communication, #Science Education, #Seth Chagi, #American Museum

    50 min
  2. How Shared Caregiving and Fatherhood Shaped Human Evolution with Dr. Sarah Blaffer Hrdy

    11/08/2025

    How Shared Caregiving and Fatherhood Shaped Human Evolution with Dr. Sarah Blaffer Hrdy

    Dr. Sarah Blaffer Hrdy—primatologist, evolutionary anthropologist, and author of Mother Nature, Mothers and Others, and Father Time—joins The Story of Us to explore how shared caregiving shaped human evolution. From langur monkeys to the Pleistocene campfire, we trace the science behind cooperative breeding, food sharing, and the surprising biology of fathers. We also talk about what these insights mean for families today: babies’ social minds, support networks, and why involved dads aren’t just helpful—they’re deeply human. If you’ve ever wondered how grandmothers, fathers, and communities helped raise the most expensive babies on Earth—or why caring for infants can literally rewire adult behavior—this conversation is for you. Links to Dr. Hrdy’s books are below. Chapters and spoilers kept light so you can discover the big ideas as they unfold. Subscribe for more deep history, human origins, and smart conversations with the people moving the field forward. #WorldOfPaleoanthropology #HumanEvolution #SarahBlafferHrdy #CooperativeBreeding #FatherTime

    49 min
  3. Is sex strictly binary—or is the biology more interesting than the culture wars allow?

    10/20/2025

    Is sex strictly binary—or is the biology more interesting than the culture wars allow?

    Is sex strictly binary—or is the biology more interesting than the culture wars allow? Biological anthropologist Agustín Fuentes joins The Story of Us to unpack the science behind his new book, Sex Is a Spectrum: The Biological Limits of the Binary. We dig into chromosomes, gonads, hormones, and anatomy—the “messy middle” where real humans live—and why understanding sex as biocultural (biology shaped in and with culture) makes better science and better policy. In this conversation we cover: • What “sex is a spectrum” means (and what it doesn’t) • The 3 G’s (genes, gonads, g******s) and why they don’t always align • Evolution and animal examples that break simple rules • Intersex realities and clinical care • Sports fairness, testosterone rules, and why one metric can’t police womanhood • Why precise biology helps everyone—women’s health, trans folks, and society at large If you think this is just politics, bring your strongest arguments. If you care about getting the biology right, you’ll want to hear this. Book: Sex Is a Spectrum — Princeton University Press https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691249414/sex-is-a-spectrum (Also at Harvard Book Store) https://www.harvard.com/book/9780691249414 Guest: Agustín Fuentes, Professor of Anthropology, Princeton University Further reading & interviews SAPIENS Q&A with Fuentes (book overview): https://www.sapiens.org/biology/five-questions-for-agustin-fuentes/ C-SPAN/Harvard Book Store talk: https://archive.org/details/CSPAN3_20250727_011200_Agustin_Fuentes_Sex_is_a_Spectrum_-_The_Biological_Limits_of_the_Binary About the show: The Story of Us explores human evolution, culture, and science communication—without the jargon. Like, subscribe, and drop your toughest question in the comments. Evidence beats ideology. #AgustínFuentes #SexIsASpectrum #Biology #Anthropology #Gender #Intersex #SportsScience #ScienceCommunication #TheStoryOfUs

    51 min
  4. 🌍 Living with Hunter-Gatherers: Dr. Helga Vierich on Animism, Ancestry, and the Human Past

    09/25/2025

    🌍 Living with Hunter-Gatherers: Dr. Helga Vierich on Animism, Ancestry, and the Human Past

    What is it really like to live with hunter-gatherers? In this eye-opening episode, Dr. Helga Vierich—cultural and biological anthropologist—joins us to share vivid stories from her time with Indigenous communities in Africa. From hunting tales that rival action movies to deep insights into animism and ecological kinship, Dr. Vierich reveals what these ancient ways of living can teach us about human evolution, resilience, and how disconnected the modern world has become. 🎙️ Expect storytelling, laughter, wonder, and a whole new lens on what it means to be human. 🔍 Topics Covered: • Animistic worldviews and relational ecology • Lessons from forager societies about kinship, survival, and joy • A real hunting story you won’t forget • What modernity has lost—and what we can reclaim • Anthropology’s role in making the past matter today 📌 If you’re into human origins, deep history, or anthropology with heart—this one’s for you. 👣 Subscribe to The Story of Us for more conversations that bring humanity’s deep past into the present! #PaleoPost #TheStoryOfUs #WorldOfPaleoanthropology #AnthropologyPodcast #HunterGatherers #HelgaVierich #HumanOrigins #DeepHistory #Animism #CulturalAnthropology #BiologicalAnthropology #HumanEvolution #Foragers #IndigenousKnowledge

    1h 2m
  5. 🌍 Living with Hunter-Gatherers: Dr. Helga Vierich on Animism, Ancestry, and the Human Past

    07/25/2025

    🌍 Living with Hunter-Gatherers: Dr. Helga Vierich on Animism, Ancestry, and the Human Past

    What is it really like to live with hunter-gatherers? In this eye-opening episode, Dr. Helga Vierich—cultural and biological anthropologist—joins us to share vivid stories from her time with Indigenous communities in Africa. From hunting tales that rival action movies to deep insights into animism and ecological kinship, Dr. Vierich reveals what these ancient ways of living can teach us about human evolution, resilience, and how disconnected the modern world has become.🎙️ Expect storytelling, laughter, wonder, and a whole new lens on what it means to be human.🔍 Topics Covered: • Animistic worldviews and relational ecology • Lessons from forager societies about kinship, survival, and joy • A real hunting story you won’t forget • What modernity has lost—and what we can reclaim • Anthropology’s role in making the past matter today📌 If you’re into human origins, deep history, or anthropology with heart—this one’s for you.👣 Subscribe to The Story of Us for more conversations that bring humanity’s deep past into the present!#PaleoPost #TheStoryOfUs #WorldOfPaleoanthropology #AnthropologyPodcast #HunterGatherers #HelgaVierich #HumanOrigins #DeepHistory #Animism #CulturalAnthropology #BiologicalAnthropology #HumanEvolution #Foragers #IndigenousKnowledge

    1h 2m
  6. Unearthing the Past: The New Turkana Footprints with Dr. Kevin Hatala

    04/21/2025

    Unearthing the Past: The New Turkana Footprints with Dr. Kevin Hatala

    In this episode of The Story of Us, we’re joined by paleoanthropologist Dr. Kevin Hatala to explore an incredible new discovery — ancient hominin footprints uncovered in Kenya’s Lake Turkana Basin. What can these footprints tell us about how our ancestors moved, lived, and evolved? From locomotion to landscape, we dig deep into what makes these impressions a milestone in human origins research. 🎙️ Dr. Hatala shares exclusive insights into the research process, what sets these prints apart from previous finds (like Laetoli or Ileret), and how they reshape our understanding of early hominin gait and group behavior. 🌍 Whether you’re an anthropology student, a science buff, or just curious about where we came from, this is a can’t-miss conversation at the intersection of cutting-edge science and the deep past. 👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe to stay updated with the latest in human evolution and the ancient story of us.

    47 min
  7. Relatives of Homo naledi? New species of Paranthropus, and relatives of Hobbits!

    04/16/2025

    Relatives of Homo naledi? New species of Paranthropus, and relatives of Hobbits!

    In this captivating episode of “The Story of Us,” Season 5, Episode 2, we’re honored to host Dr. Clément Zanolli, a distinguished paleoanthropologist from the University of Bordeaux. Dr. Zanolli shares his firsthand experiences from the groundbreaking discovery of Paranthropus capensis, a newly identified hominin species. This remarkable find stems from the analysis of the SK 15 mandible, a 1.4-million-year-old fossil unearthed in South Africa’s Swartkrans Cave. The identification of P. capensis offers fresh insights into the diversity of early hominins and their evolutionary relationships. We delve into the intriguing possibility of a connection between Homo naledi and this new species, exploring how such relationships reshape our understanding of human evolution. Dr. Zanolli also provides valuable fieldwork tips and reflects on the profound experience of participating in the discovery of an entirely new hominin species. Additionally, we discuss the future directions of paleoanthropological research and what these discoveries mean for the broader narrative of human origins.Don’t miss this enlightening conversation that bridges the past and the present, shedding light on the complex tapestry of our ancestry.#ParanthropusCapensis, #HomoNaledi, #HumanEvolution, #Paleoanthropology, #DrClementZanolli, #SwartkransCave, #FossilDiscovery, #AnthropologyPodcast, #TheStoryOfUs, #HumanOrigins

    46 min
  8. Genetic Journeys: Dr. Jennifer Raff on the Peopling of the Americas

    04/07/2025

    Genetic Journeys: Dr. Jennifer Raff on the Peopling of the Americas

    Get ready for an enlightening journey into the world of ancient DNA and human history! In this episode of “The Story of Us,” we sit down with Dr. Jennifer Raff, a renowned anthropological geneticist and author of the New York Times bestseller “Origin: A Genetic History of the Americas.” Dr. Raff shares her fascinating insights into how genetics unravels the mysteries of our ancestors’ migrations and the peopling of the Americas.Throughout our conversation, we delve into Dr. Raff’s collaborative work with Indigenous communities across North America. She discusses the importance of combining genetic research with Indigenous knowledge to create a more comprehensive understanding of human history. Her passion for science literacy shines through as we explore how these partnerships are reshaping the narratives of our collective past.Join us as we also contemplate the future of anthropological genetics and the role of interdisciplinary collaboration in advancing the field. Dr. Raff offers her perspective on how scientists and communities can work together to foster a deeper appreciation for our shared heritage. This episode is a must-watch for anyone intrigued by the intersections of genetics, history, and culture.

    50 min
See All (78)

Shows with Subscription Benefits

SCICOMM SUPPORTER!

All Podcasts are FREE! A sub shows support!

$5.99/mo or $9.99/yr after trial

View Subscription FAQs

4.6
out of 5
17 Ratings

About

🌍 Welcome to “The Story of Us”! 🌍 Join host Seth Chagi as we explore human evolution on “The Story of Us,” by the World of Paleoanthropology. Discover groundbreaking discoveries, meet key figures, and unravel ancient mysteries through engaging storytelling and stunning visuals. 🔔 Subscribe & Stay Updated: Never miss an episode—subscribe and hit the notification bell. 👍 Like, Comment, Share: Enjoy our content? Give a thumbs up, share your thoughts, and spread the knowledge. 🌐 Follow Us: Twitter: @PaleoWorld Instagram: @PaleoWorld Facebook: World of Paleoanthropology #TheStoryOfUs

Information

More From World of PaleoAnth

You Might Also Like