Did Men Hunt and Women Gather? ~ Cara Ocobock
How natural is a sexual division of labour? Very natural, claims a popular theory. Indeed, it was the secret to our success: men evolved to hunt, women to forage. This allowed women to focus on childc...
9 Nov 20231h 28min
A Natural History of Equality ~ Sarah Brosnan
“Why do we care about equality? Is it an invention of the European Enlightenment? Or is it something rooted in human nature?”These questions launched episode 15 with philosopher Elizabeth Anderson. Ti...
18 Okt 20231h 10min
Is the Human Brain Special? ~ Suzana Herculano-Houzel
The human brain is sometimes called the "most complex thing in the universe”. It allows us to study ourselves, other animals, and the cosmos itself. Indeed, we often think of our brain as the pinnacle...
3 Okt 20231h 10min
Encore | How Love Synchronises Our Brains ~ Ruth Feldman
How literally can we be in "synch" with someone? Very literally, said my guest in episode 3. Originally titled “A Musical Biology of Love”, this was a fascinating episode with jazz musician and neuros...
18 Sep 202340min
Do Machines Improve the Human Condition? ~ Daron Acemoglu
Machines allow us to do more work with less effort. They sound like an obviously good thing. But there is a tension here. New gadgets and new technologies - new simple “machines” - have been invented ...
10 Sep 202348min
Encore | Is War Natural For Humans? ~ Douglas P. Fry
To complete a trilogy on the anthropology of war, here is episode 8 from the archives. Enjoy!SUPPORT THE SHOWPlease consider becoming a supporter of On Humans. Even small monthly donations can make a ...
25 Aug 20231h 15min
What Can Chimpanzees Tell Us About War and Peace? ~ Brian Ferguson
Is war natural for humans? This question launched episode 8 of this podcast. In that episode, anthropologist Douglas Fry argued that war is a new phenomenon. Yes, history is full of wars. But war arri...
19 Aug 20231h 16min
How War Shapes Our Humanity ~ Greta Uehling
What does war do to the human psyche? It can traumatise. It can cause grief. It can normalise violence and make demons out of the enemy. But difficult times can also elevate our care and compassion. A...
14 Aug 202355min
