The Hall of Human Origins offers a welcoming place to explore one of the most exciting areas of science, the study of human evolution. Despite strong public interest in the science, however, many people find this topic troubling when viewed from a religious perspective. Representatives of diverse religious communities encourage a larger, more respectful understanding of both the scientific evidence and religious belief.
What's Hot in Human Origins?
April 12, 2013
August 16, 2012
June 28, 2012
June 15, 2012
Events
June 20, 2013 - 12:00pm - 2:00pm
June 28, 2013 - 3:00pm - 4:00pm
July 18, 2013 - 12:00pm - 2:00pm
July 26, 2013 - 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Featured Research
Human Evolution:
Religious Perspectives
Human Evolution: Religious Perspectives
Fun Facts
Why do we have wisdom teeth?
When our back molars are impacted in our jaw, they don’t seem very wise! They’re the last teeth to come into place, and having them was helpful to our early ancestors who ate tough, uncooked foods that wore away their teeth. But with cooking and making food softer, the size of our jaws has diminished, often with room for the last molars to form in the jaw…but – ouch! – not enough room to erupt.
Why do we get goose bumps?
The body hair of all mammals automatically stands up when cold, creating a fluffy layer of warmth. When we’re cold, the muscles around the hair follicles contract – a reflex left over from when our ancestors had long body hair. But since we don’t have much body hair, all we see are the goose bumps on our skin.
What Does It Mean To Be Human?
Other responses
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- Dan, Boston
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- Natalie Kristine, Buenos Aires, Earth
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- Danielle, Deerfield, WI
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- anthony Krajci, horsham Pa
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- Michael, Washington DC
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- Christian Rioux, Canada
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- Daniel Lawson, Mount Vernon, IL
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- Rachael, Australia
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- janae long, 38301
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- Jessica, Pennsylvania, USA
Visit the Exhibit
Virtual Dig
Teachers Forum
Are you interested in joining a discussion forum exclusively for educators involved in teaching human evolution? We encourage you to participate in our Teachers Forum and share your insights, questions, best practices, and experiences with other like-minded educators.
