Humans Evolved From Tree Climbers

A research from Duke University by Daniel Schmitt, associate professor of evolutionary anthropology, and Tracy Kivell, a post-doctoral research associate, shows that human evolved from tree climbing ancestors, not from knuckle-walkers. Schmitt and Kivell examined and compared the wrist bones of humans and African apes. Their research, "Independent evolution of knuckle-walking in African apes shows...

First Ever Tarsier Study Begins in Sabah, Malaysia.

Photo from Erwin Bolwidt (El Rabbit) on Flickr.com At the Danau Girang Field Center, Lower Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary, a young male tarsier named Jamil was tagged with a small radio collar as part of the first study to better understand the life of this elusive nocturnal primate species. Dr. Benoit Goossens, the director of Danau...

Wild Spider Monkeys use Tools to Scratch Their Body

A Geoffroy's Spider Monkey hanging on the branch. Photo from Primate Info Net. Wild Geoffroy's Spider Monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) or Black-handed Spider Monkeys had been documented using tools to scratch themselves, according to a new publication "Tool use in wild spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi)". Important to note that spider monkeys do not have thumbs, only...

New Branch of Archaeology: Paleoanthropology Meets Primatology

A chimpanzee mother using rocks (hammer and anvil) to break open nuts, an example of tool use in primates. Photo from Duke University. A new branch of archaeology is being introduced by international scientists. Led by University of Calgary archaeologist Julio Mercader and 17 other co-authors of the paper "Primate archaeology", advocate a new "Paleoanthropology...