Benjamin Taub
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Articles by Benjamin Taub
Did Neanderthal-Human Hybrids Really Roam The Middle East 100,000 Years Ago?
Until we find DNA from the remains of these apparent mash-ups, we may never know which species they were, a new report concludes. BENJAMIN TAUB Benjamin holds a Master's degree in anthropology from University College London and has previously worked in the fields of psychedelic neuroscience and mental health.
Human ancestors shared their migration route out of Africa with enormous elephants 700,000 years ago
Hundreds of millennia before our own species left Africa, an archaic hominin related to Homo erectus embarked on its own world tour, eventually reaching eastern Asia. This journey began in the Levant, which connected Africa to Eurasia, and new research indicates that this vital migration corridor was teeming with meaty megafauna.
The Science Of Fever Dreams: When We’re Sick, Our Dreams Can Get Extra Weird – What’s That All About?
Dreams are utterly bonkers at the best of times, yet when we’re feeling a little off-color we can get a glimpse of how deep the rabbit hole really goes. Research has shown that fever dreams tend to be more vivid, more emotionally intense, and considerably weirder than regular visits to the dreamscape – so how do we even begin to make sense of the madness?
Human Ancestors Shared Their Migration Route Out Of Africa With Enormous Elephants 700,000 Years Ago
A prehistoric elephant tooth and tusk help researchers recreate humanity's earliest experiences outside of our ancestral continent. BENJAMIN TAUB Benjamin holds a Master's degree in anthropology from University College London and has previously worked in the fields of psychedelic neuroscience and mental health.
Neanderthals’ Expert Woodworking Skills Revealed By Traces Of “Hidden” Technologies
Researchers say the diversity of wooden items parallels that used by modern hunter-gatherers. BENJAMIN TAUB Benjamin holds a Master's degree in anthropology from University College London and has previously worked in the fields of psychedelic neuroscience and mental health.
Skull Of An Extinct Crocodile Found In The Rocks Used To Build The Sphinx And The Pyramids Turns Out To Be A New Species
The Mediterranean used to be full of crocodiles, until it dried up six million years ago. BENJAMIN TAUB Benjamin holds a Master's degree in anthropology from University College London and has previously worked in the fields of psychedelic neuroscience and mental health.
Prehistoric humans in England started making prettier axes 500,000 years ago – and may have started talking too
The Palaeolithic archaeological record in Britain captures a rather sudden increase in stone knapping skills around half a million years ago, indicating that a major milestone in human evolution may have been reached during this period. Analyzing the craftsmanship seen on handaxes produced before and after this juncture, researchers suggest that the breakthrough may reflect a cognitive upgrade that might also have led to the development of speech in archaic humans.
New theory of consciousness suggests the brain uses analog computing to create awareness and experience
What you'll discover in this article ・Brainwaves act as conductors that choreograph the activity of huge numbers of neurons simultaneously, giving rise to conscious experience. ・Study author Earl Miller told IFLScience that as brainwaves interact, they create new wave patterns, giving rise to a constant ebb and flow of novel brain states. ・In this way, consciousness may resemble analog computation, which is essentially math done by waves coming together.
Ingenious design features that help the Great Pyramid of Giza withstand earthquakes finally revealed
In the four and a half millennia since the ancient Egyptians built the Great Pyramid, numerous significant earthquakes have rattled Giza. That the iconic landmark has withstood these tremors without sustaining significant damage is testament to its design, which incorporates structural features that convey a remarkable degree of earthquake resistance.
Anthropic Says Its AI Has Discovered A CRISPR-Like Enzyme System – But The Company Isn't Yet Certain How It Works
The finding marks a milestone in AI companies' push to become more involved in life science research. BENJAMIN TAUB Benjamin holds a Master's degree in anthropology from University College London and has previously worked in the fields of psychedelic neuroscience and mental health.
Pre-Inca warriors in "the most violent place in the Andes" never bothered inventing the bow and arrow
The bow and arrow have been invented multiple times over the past 70,000 years or so, with prehistoric humans in different parts of the world independently devising this long-range weapon as and when the need arose. Surprisingly, however, the Paracas culture – which existed during a horrifically violent chapter in Peru's history – chose not to adopt the bow and arrow.
Pre-Inca Warriors In “The Most Violent Place In The Andes” Never Bothered Inventing The Bow And Arrow
Other weapons may have formed part of a "warrior-ritual" tradition. BENJAMIN TAUB Benjamin holds a Master's degree in anthropology from University College London and has previously worked in the fields of psychedelic neuroscience and mental health.
Sophisticated Irrigation System Discovered At 7,500-Year-Old Site Hailed By The Sumerians As The World’s First City
In Sumerian mythology, Eridu was the home of the first kings to descend from the heavens. BENJAMIN TAUB Benjamin holds a Master's degree in anthropology from University College London and has previously worked in the fields of psychedelic neuroscience and mental health.
Rope, twine and thread: Invisible technologies of the Stone Age
The Hohle Fels lochstab was made more than 35,000 years ago. Researchers rebuilt the baton by fitting together over a dozen buried fragments. A clue to its function were the spiral grooves carved around the holes, which the team later showed could be used to align, twist and combine plant fibers into rope. The object dates to a period when prehistoric humans began creating more sophisticated tools and artworks.
Archaeologists Are Reconstructing the Invisible Technologies of the Stone Age, From Rope to Thread and Twine
Largely missing from the archaeological record, fiber innovations played a huge role in the lives of early humans. Researchers are weaving together new insights from the traces they left behind When an abstract-looking ivory artifact emerged from the Hohle Fels cave in southern Germany in 2015, archaeologists didn’t know quite what to make of it.
Tutankhamun's tomb may contain hidden chambers housing the body of his predecessor, Queen Nefertiti
The tomb in which Tutankhamun's mummy was discovered in 1922 may originally have been built for a different ruler, before being adapted to house the remains of the Boy King following his untimely death. According to a team of researchers, these modifications included the construction of a series of false walls, beyond which may lie the burial chamber of the tomb's original owner, Queen Nefertiti.
This is the reconstructed face of the earliest Homo sapiens we've ever found
As far as we know, Homo sapiens first appeared in North Africa a little over 300,000 years ago before spreading across the globe. However, these original members of our species possessed some cranial features that weren't quite like ours, and a new facial approximation gives us our best guess yet of what they actually looked like.
Tutankhamun’s Tomb May Contain Hidden Chambers Housing The Body Of His Predecessor, Queen Nefertiti
Researchers hope to finally peek inside later this year. Benjamin Taub Benjamin holds a Master's degree in anthropology from University College London and has previously worked in the fields of psychedelic neuroscience and mental health.
An Unexpected Animal Lived In The Atacama Desert 9 Million Years Ago, Suggesting Earth's Oldest Continuous Dry Region Wasn't Always So Dry
The same creature is now living its best life in the Amazon. Benjamin Taub Benjamin holds a Master's degree in anthropology from University College London and has previously worked in the fields of psychedelic neuroscience and mental health.
The last Neanderthals kept returning to this one cave, until our species took over
A cave in northern Spain was repeatedly occupied by the last Neanderthals to cling on to existence in Iberia, who returned to the same place for generations until they became extinct. Shortly afterwards, the first Homo sapiens to reach the region moved into the same cave, suggesting that the two species occupied the same spaces without ever meeting. Located in the Burgos region, the Prado Vargas cave has been extensively studied by archaeologists for a number of years.
Did Homo erectus speak? Almost certainly, say scientists
Of all the traits that set humans apart from the rest of the animal kingdom, language is arguably the most significant. Despite this, we still don't know when the unique ability for symbolic verbal communication arose, although the authors of a new study suggest that one of our extinct ancestors may have already possessed the gift of the gab 2 million years ago.
Rope, Twine and Thread: Invisible Technologies of the Stone Age Original
This story was originally published by Knowable Magazine. When an abstract-looking ivory artifact emerged from the Hohle Fels cave in southern Germany in 2015, archaeologists didn’t know quite what to make of it. Previously, this same cave had yielded what may be the world’s oldest musical flutes, as well as one of humanity’s earliest pieces of figurative art, the iconic Venus of Hohle Fels.
The Last Neanderthals Kept Returning To This One Cave, Until Our Species Took Over
Neanderthals disappeared in the region around 46,000 years ago. Benjamin Taub Benjamin holds a Master's degree in anthropology from University College London and has previously worked in the fields of psychedelic neuroscience and mental health.
New Theory Of Consciousness Suggests The Brain Uses Analog Computing To Create Awareness And Experience
It's like herding sheep, or performing a Mexican wave. Benjamin Taub Benjamin holds a Master's degree in anthropology from University College London and has previously worked in the fields of psychedelic neuroscience and mental health.
Rope, twine and thread: Invisible technologies of the Stone Age
When an abstract-looking ivory artifact emerged from the Hohle Fels cave in southern Germany in 2015, archaeologists didn’t know quite what to make of it. Previously, this same cave had yielded what may be the world’s oldest musical flutes, as well as one of humanity’s earliest pieces of figurative art, the iconic Venus of Hohle Fels. At first glance, this strange new discovery — a 20-centimeter rod perforated with four small holes — seemed comparatively unspectacular.
Wealthy Owners Of 1,800-Year-Old Roman Villa Had A Cat Called Emerald And Dog Called Ocean - And Immortalized Them Both In A Mosaic
The pets appear alongside a flying horse, a pygmy, and the head of Medusa. Benjamin Taub Benjamin holds a Master's degree in anthropology from University College London and has previously worked in the fields of psychedelic neuroscience and mental health.
25,000-Year-Old "Addict" With A Betel Nut Habit Is The Earliest Evidence Yet Of Drug Use In Humans
This prehistoric nut sucker was looking for pain relief but ended up getting hooked. Benjamin Taub Benjamin holds a Master's degree in anthropology from University College London and has previously worked in the fields of psychedelic neuroscience and mental health.
Up to 13% of your personality comes from your genes – but how it ultimately turns out is down to something else
Up to 13 percent of your personality may be shaped by genetic factors, new research has found. Through their effect on your character, these same genes also appear to influence your chances of becoming a criminal and might even help determine where you choose to live once you hit middle-age. While scientists have long suspected a connection between DNA and personality , teasing out the exact relationship between the two has proven extremely challenging.
There weren't that many Neanderthals – and those that did exist were likely inbred
Despite surviving for hundreds of thousands of years and conquering much of Eurasia, Neanderthals were actually pretty few and far-between. Living in tiny, isolated groups spread out across vast distances, this ancient hominin often had to resort to mating with close relatives, leaving the population highly inbred. Evidence for this somewhat miserable state of affairs comes from two new studies.
Nazi Archaeologists Tried To Prove That Swedish Rock Art Was The “Holy Scripture” Of A Fictional Race From Atlantis
And they tried to build a museum that would inspire Germans to reject capitalism. Benjamin Taub Benjamin holds a Master's degree in anthropology from University College London and has previously worked in the fields of psychedelic neuroscience and mental health.
Prehistoric Teeth Previously Thought To Belong To A Neanderthal Who Was Eaten By Humans Turn Out To Be Something Else
New findings shed light on who was behind the earliest complex artworks in Europe. Benjamin Taub Benjamin holds a Master's degree in anthropology from University College London and has previously worked in the fields of psychedelic neuroscience and mental health.
Up To 13% Of Your Personality Comes From Your Genes – But How It Ultimately Turns Out Is Down To Something Else
It's not a perfect correlation, but it's definitely more accurate than your horoscope. Benjamin Taub Benjamin holds a Master's degree in anthropology from University College London and has previously worked in the fields of psychedelic neuroscience and mental health.
South America was the last continent to be settled by humans, and the early colonizers had links to Australasia
South America was the final stop on humanity's world tour, and wasn't settled until tens of millennia after we'd established ourselves on every other continent (apart from Antarctica, of course). Yet the region wasn't occupied in a neat and orderly fashion, and was inhabited by three successive waves of immigrants – including one previously unknown group that was related to present-day Australasians.
Could Telling Stories Around A Campfire Have Sparked The Evolution Of Human Language?
Researchers have put forward a new hypothesis that could link together two unique aspects of human culture. Benjamin Taub Benjamin holds a Master's degree in anthropology from University College London and has previously worked in the fields of psychedelic neuroscience and mental health.
NASA Can’t Save Its Swift Telescope From Crashing To Earth But It’s Not Going Down Without A Fight
Restarting its science instruments means it can continue to monitor the cosmos until the bitter end. Benjamin Taub Benjamin holds a Master's degree in anthropology from University College London and has previously worked in the fields of psychedelic neuroscience and mental health.
Orangutans, gorillas, chimps, and bonobos all laugh just like humans. That means we've been chuckling this way for 15 million years
Ever wondered what it's like to tickle an ape? Turns out, they bloody love it, and lose their minds laughing just like we do. Yet tickling isn't all fun and games, and can be serious science too. For instance, researchers have just figured out something pretty cool about the evolution of language in humans, and they did it by tickling some of our closest relatives.
The Ancient Civilizations From Greek Mythology Made Bling From Meteorites
You can't set off on an Odyssey without your lucky space ring. Benjamin Taub Benjamin holds a Master's degree in anthropology from University College London and has previously worked in the fields of psychedelic neuroscience and mental health.
Anyone Born After 1939 Is Unlikely To Live To 100
While the number of centenarians may be increasing, new research reveals that statistically, no one alive today should expect to live to 100 years of age. Using six different forecasting methods to predict life expectancy rates for 23 high-income, low-mortality countries, the study authors found that average lifespans for those born between 1939 and 2000 are highly unlikely to reach this landmark.
Fire May Have Transformed Humans From Daytime Creatures Into 24-Hour Animals… Kind Of Like Lemurs
Our prehistoric ancestors may have invented staying up late, but that doesn't mean we should take it to extremes. Benjamin Taub Benjamin holds a Master's degree in anthropology from University College London and has previously worked in the fields of psychedelic neuroscience and mental health.
At 3,200 Years Old, These Painted Ceramics May Be The World’s First Sought After “Brand”
Talk about "legacy brands", this one remained popular from the Bronze Age all the way through to the Iron Age. Benjamin Taub Benjamin holds a Master's degree in anthropology from University College London and has previously worked in the fields of psychedelic neuroscience and mental health.
People Are Buying And Selling Mummies Online, Raising The Possibility They're Spreading The ‘Mummy’s Curse’
It killed ten scientists in 1973, and now it could be in the mail. Benjamin Taub Benjamin holds a Master's degree in anthropology from University College London and has previously worked in the fields of psychedelic neuroscience and mental health.
World's first dogs genetically engineered to remove allergy-causing protein celebrate their second birthday
A pair of genetically altered beagles that don't trigger allergies in humans are approaching their second birthday, and so far they don't appear to be suffering from any unintended health conditions. This suggests that the protein responsible for dog allergies can be safely removed from the canine genome without affecting their development, paving the way for the breeding of hypoallergenic pets. Dog allergies are primarily caused by a protein called canis familiaris allergen 1, or Can f 1.
Pearls May Look Like Gemstones, But They’re Actually Made By Irritated Mollusks
It can take up to five years for a pearl to form. Benjamin Taub Benjamin holds a Master's degree in anthropology from University College London and has previously worked in the fields of psychedelic neuroscience and mental health.
55,000-Year-Old Neanderthal Bones Showing Signs Of Butchery May Hint At Repeated Episodes Of Cannibalism
Neanderthals feasted on their own kind at least three times during a 10,000-year period. Benjamin Taub Benjamin holds a Master's degree in anthropology from University College London and has previously worked in the fields of psychedelic neuroscience and mental health.
World’s First Dogs Genetically Engineered To Remove Allergy-Causing Protein Celebrate Their Second Birthday
Alfie and Bailey won't stimulate your immune system, but they will pull on your heartstrings. Benjamin Taub Benjamin holds a Master's degree in anthropology from University College London and has previously worked in the fields of psychedelic neuroscience and mental health.
Men Evolved A Unique Pelvis That Puts A Spring In Their Step, But Women Have The Same Pelvis As Neanderthals
This upgrade may have helped men become better hunters – but that doesn't mean women didn't hunt too. Benjamin Taub Benjamin holds a Master's degree in anthropology from University College London and has previously worked in the fields of psychedelic neuroscience and mental health.
Homo Erectus And Hobbit Humans May Have Had To Protect Their Helpless Babies From Leopards, Tigers And Komodo Dragons
A new study finds it likely that archaic human infants experienced flat head syndrome, just like our own babies do. Benjamin Taub Benjamin holds a Master's degree in anthropology from University College London and has previously worked in the fields of psychedelic neuroscience and mental health.
Humans once spoke tens of thousands of languages, but now they're mostly extinct thanks to colonialism and imperial expansion
Between the early Holocene and the Age of Empires, the number of languages spoken around the world skyrocketed from just a handful to tens of thousands. However, over the past few millennia, this cacophony of dialects has been largely silenced, with the expansion of political superpowers largely to blame.
Prehistoric Rock Art Has An “Organizational Grammar”, And May Have Been Used For Communicative And Ritual Purposes
But we'll probably never know what the images actually mean. Benjamin Taub Benjamin holds a Master's degree in anthropology from University College London and has previously worked in the fields of psychedelic neuroscience and mental health.
Humans Once Spoke Tens Of Thousands Of Languages, But Now They’re Mostly Extinct Thanks To Colonialism And Imperial Expansion
Linguistic diversity is currently greater than it was at the end of the Ice Age, but this may not be the case for much longer. Benjamin Taub Benjamin holds a Master's degree in anthropology from University College London and has previously worked in the fields of psychedelic neuroscience and mental health.
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