Ancient DNA brings us closer to unlocking secrets of how modern humans evolved

Advances in studying ancient DNA from prehistoric remains provides us with new insight into the life of our African ancestors and the emergence of the modern human. Humans all share a common African ancestry, making African history everyone’s history. Yet little is known about the genetic evolution of people living on the continent in the … Read more

Our intelligent ancestor, the Neanderthal

While the jury is still out as to why the Neanderthal, an ancient ancestor of modern humans, became extinct about 40,000 years ago, it has long been assumed that it was because they possessed a low level of intelligence. Pioneering research is challenging this idea, uncovering evidence to suggest that our ancient cousins were in … Read more

New digital tools to track illegal wildlife trade online

As governments around the world turned to lockdowns and travel restrictions to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus, smugglers used social media to find new ways to connect with potential customers. Criminals can be resourceful and unrelenting in their efforts to find a way around obstacles. Wildlife traffickers are no exception. Today’s trade in … Read more