Stones, Bones, and Teeth: The Bias of the Archaeological Record

Stones, Bones, and Teeth: The Bias of the Archaeological Record

How do we actually know what early humans ate?

There are no photographs from two million years ago. No written records. No preserved daily menus. What we have are fragments: stone tools, fossilized bones, and teeth.

In this episode of Modern Bodies, we explore how archaeologists and paleoanthropologists reconstruct the prehistoric world using surviving evidence. From 3.3-million-year-old stone tools discovered in Kenya to dental microwear patterns that reveal diet, we unpack how scientists interpret the archaeological record — and what that record leaves out.

Because the past does not preserve itself evenly.

Wood decays. Fibres disappear. Only certain materials survive, which means our understanding of early humans is shaped by durability, not importance. When rare wooden tools dating back hundreds of thousands of years are discovered, they expand our understanding of early ingenuity beyond stone and hunting.

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Avsnitt(37)

Are Humans Built for Modern Life?

Are Humans Built for Modern Life?

Are humans actually built for modern life? Felicia and Ehud Ur explore how cities, technology, social media, AI, and ultra-processed food are reshaping human biology and behavior faster than evolution...

7 Maj 32min

Menopause, Survival, and the Human Story

Menopause, Survival, and the Human Story

Why do human females live decades after they stop reproducing?  We take a deep dive with Dr. Ehud Ur into the grandmother hypothesis, a theory that suggests postmenopausal women played a critical role...

14 Apr 21min

The Story of Easter: From Fertility Rituals to Chocolate Eggs

The Story of Easter: From Fertility Rituals to Chocolate Eggs

Why do we celebrate Easter and how did we end up with bunnies, eggs, and chocolate? In this episode of Modern Bodies, we explore the history, symbolism, and human meaning behind Easter — from ancient ...

1 Apr 9min

Spring Equinox: The Science, History and Meaning

Spring Equinox: The Science, History and Meaning

What is the spring equinox and why has it mattered to humans for thousands of years? In this episode of Modern Bodies, we explore the science, history, and meaning behind the spring equinox  Why does ...

18 Mars 17min

Daylight Saving Time: Circadian Rhythms and Human Evolution

Daylight Saving Time: Circadian Rhythms and Human Evolution

In this episode of Modern Bodies, we explore the ancient biological clock that still governs the human body. Long before electricity, cities, and digital clocks, human life was structured by light — t...

11 Mars 13min

How Menopause and Women Shaped Human Evolution

How Menopause and Women Shaped Human Evolution

For decades, the story of human evolution has centered on hunters, weapons, and conquest. But what if the real engine of our survival has been hiding in plain sight? In this episode of Modern Bodies, ...

24 Feb 18min

The Myth of the Hunter

The Myth of the Hunter

For most of human history, we weren't just hunters, we were foragers, scavengers, gatherers, and opportunists. In this episode, we challenge the dramatic hunter narrative and look at what foraging act...

17 Feb 8min

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