What's Hot in Human Origins?
What Does It Mean To Be Human?
People get so wrapped up on an infinite amount of possible and complicated answers that we refuse to appreciate the most simple things in life. Just take a moment. Do not think about
- Caitlin, Cairns, Australia
- Lance, Colorado
- Josh Goldberg, New York City
- Joanne Ross, Hampton, VA
- Nancy Thompson, Longview, WA
- Sebby, New Hampshire
- hando, london
- TwitterAddict, Lost in Thought
- Isabella, Denver, Colorado
- Josh, California
- Danraj Appan, Brooklyn, NY(USA)
- McKayla, SC
Visit the Exhibit
Featured Research
'Hobbits' on Flores, Indonesia
New digs and geological dating in Liang Bua Cave, Indonesia, show that Homo floresiensis, nicknamed the “hobbit” for its small size, became extinct around 50,000 years ago – tens of thousands of years earlier than originally thought.
For Teachers
AP Biology Curriculum Materials
Are you an AP Biology teacher? Click here for freely downloadable curriculum materials aligned to the AP learning objectives that use human case studies to teach core evolutionary principles and a resource to help teachers create a comfortable and supportive classroom environment for teaching evolution.
Lesson Plans
Human Evolution: Religious Perspectives
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.
Featured Media
How To Tell a Rock from a Stone Tool
How can you tell if a rock is actually an early stone tool? Watch this video to find out.
Designing the Exhibition
This video takes you behind-the-scenes into the process of designing and building the Smithsonian's Hall of Human Origins.
Fun Facts
What does gut got to do with it?
The proportions of our bodies are a product of millions of years of evolution, including our stomachs! Our ancestor Homo erectus evolved a narrower ribcage and pelvis, shorter large intestines, and longer small intestines. This made the early human gut smaller and it decreased the time it took to digest food! The shorter gut allows for more energy to be diverted from the intestines to other important organs of the body, such as the brain.