Latest news with #LoyolaUniversityChicago
Japan Times
5 hours ago
- Science
- Japan Times
Humans adapted to diverse habitats before trekking out of Africa
Small bands of Homo sapiens made a few failed forays leaving our home continent before the species finally managed to launch a major dispersal out of Africa roughly 50,000 years ago, going first into Europe and Asia and eventually the rest of the world. So why was this migration successful after the prior ones were not? New research is offering insight. It documents how human hunter-gatherers in Africa began about 70,000 years ago to embrace a greater diversity of habitats such as thick forests and arid deserts, acquiring an adaptability useful for tackling the wide range of conditions awaiting beyond the continent. "Why the dispersal 50,000 years ago was successful is a big question in human origins research. Our results suggest that one part of the reason is that humans had developed the ecological flexibility to survive in challenging habitats," said Loyola University Chicago archeologist Emily Hallett, co-leader of the study published in the journal Nature. Looking at an array of archeological sites in Africa, the study detailed how human populations expanded their range into the forests of Central and West Africa and the deserts of North Africa in the roughly 20,000 years preceding this dispersal. Some examples of archeological sites dating to this time that illustrate the expansion of human niches to harsh deserts include locales in Libya and Namibia, and examples of expansion to forested habitats include locales in Malawi and South Africa. Homo sapiens arose roughly 300,000 years ago, inhabiting grasslands, savannahs and various other African ecosystems. Impalas graze at the Singita Grumeti Game Reserve in Tanzania. | REUTERS "Starting from about 70,000 years ago, we see that they suddenly start to intensify this exploitation of diverse habitats and also expand into new types of habitat in a way we don't see before. They exploit more types of woodland, more types of closed canopy forests, more types of deserts, highlands and grasslands," said archeologist and study co-leader Eleanor Scerri of the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology in Germany. "An Ice Age was coming, which means drier conditions in parts of Africa. It seems possible that humans responded to this squeeze by learning how to adapt to new niches," Scerri added. The increased ecological flexibility of the species appears to have reflected cultural and social advances such as passing knowledge from one generation to the next and engaging in cooperative behavior, the researchers said. "This must have entailed profound changes in their interaction with the natural environment, as it allowed them to occupy not only new environments in Africa, but entirely new conditions in Eurasia as well," said evolutionary biologist and study co-leader Michela Leonardi of the Natural History Museum in London. "Another way to phrase this is that the ability to live in a variety of environments in Africa is not directly the adaptation that allowed a successful out of Africa, but rather a sign that humans by that point were the ultimate generalist, able to tackle environments that went from deep forest to dry deserts," said University of Cambridge evolutionary ecologist and study co-leader Andrea Manica. "This flexibility is the key trait that allowed them, later on, to conquer novel challenges, all the way to the coldest tundras in Siberia." Trekking out of Africa, Homo sapiens encountered not only new environments and unfamiliar animals and plants, but also other human species, including the Neanderthals and Denisovans. The ecological flexibility learned in Africa may have provided an edge when Homo sapiens encountered these other humans, both of whom disappeared relatively soon thereafter, the researchers said. Genetic evidence indicates that today's people outside of Africa can trace their ancestry to the population of humans, numbering perhaps only in the thousands, who engaged in that pioneering migration out of Africa approximately 50,000 years ago. "I think that adaptability and innovation are hallmarks of our species, and that they allowed us to succeed in every environment we encountered," Hallett said. "At the same time, we are almost too good at adapting to different places, to the detriment of most other species on Earth."
Time of India
a day ago
- Science
- Time of India
Homo Sapiens Adaptability: Early humans survived in a range of extreme environments before global migration, study says
WASHINGTON: Humans are the only animal that lives in virtually every possible environment, from rainforests to deserts to tundra. This adaptability is a skill that long predates the modern age. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now According to a new study published Wednesday in Nature, ancient Homo sapiens developed the flexibility to survive by finding food and other resources in a wide variety of difficult habitats before they dispersed from Africa about 50,000 years ago. "Our superpower is that we are ecosystem generalists," said Eleanor Scerri, an evolutionary archaeologist at the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology in Jena, Germany. Our species first evolved in Africa around 300,000 years ago. While prior fossil finds show some groups made early forays outside the continent, lasting human settlements in other parts of the world didn't happen until a series of migrations around 50,000 years ago. "What was different about the circumstances of the migrations that succeeded - why were humans ready this time?" said study co-author Emily Hallett, an archaeologist at Loyola University Chicago. Earlier theories held that Stone Age humans might have made a single important technological advance or developed a new way of sharing information, but researchers haven't found evidence to back that up. This study took a different approach by looking at the trait of flexibility itself. The scientists assembled a database of archaeological sites showing human presence across Africa from 120,000 to 14,000 years ago. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now For each site, researchers modelled what the local climate would have been like during the time periods that ancient humans lived there. "There was a really sharp change in the range of habitats that humans were using starting around 70,000 years ago," Hallet said. "We saw a really clear signal that humans were living in more challenging and more extreme environments ." While humans had long survived in savannas and forests, they shifted into everything from dense rainforests to arid deserts in the period leading up to 50,000 years ago, developing what Hallet called an " ecological flexibility that let them succeed." While this leap in abilities is impressive, it's important not to assume that only Homo sapiens did it, said University of Bordeaux archaeologist William Banks, who was not involved in the research. Other groups of early human ancestors also left Africa and established long-term settlements elsewhere, including those that evolved into Europe's Neanderthals, he said. The new research helps explain why humans were ready to expand across the world way back when, he said, but it doesn't answer the lasting question of why only our species remains today.
India Today
a day ago
- Science
- India Today
Humans adapted to diverse habitats before trekking out of Africa
Small bands of Homo sapiens made a few failed forays leaving our home continent before the species finally managed to launch a major dispersal out of Africa roughly 50,000 years ago, going first into Europe and Asia and eventually the rest of the why was this migration successful after the prior ones were not? New research is offering insight. It documents how human hunter-gatherers in Africa began about 70,000 years ago to embrace a greater diversity of habitats such as thick forests and arid deserts, acquiring an adaptability useful for tackling the wide range of conditions awaiting beyond the the dispersal 50,000 years ago was successful is a big question in human origins research. Our results suggest that one part of the reason is that humans had developed the ecological flexibility to survive in challenging habitats," said Loyola University Chicago archeologist Emily Hallett, co-leader of the study published in the journal Nature. Looking at an array of archeological sites in Africa, the study detailed how human populations expanded their range into the forests of Central and West Africa and the deserts of North Africa in the roughly 20,000 years preceding this examples of archeological sites dating to this time that illustrate the expansion of human niches to harsh deserts include locales in Libya and Namibia, and examples of expansion to forested habitats include locales in Malawi and South sapiens arose roughly 300,000 years ago, inhabiting grasslands, savannahs and various other African ecosystems."Starting from about 70,000 years ago, we see that they suddenly start to intensify this exploitation of diverse habitats and also expand into new types of habitat in a way we don't see before. They exploit more types of woodland, more types of closed canopy forests, more types of deserts, highlands and grasslands," said archeologist and study co-leader Eleanor Scerri of the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology in Germany."An Ice Age was coming, which means drier conditions in parts of Africa. It seems possible that humans responded to this squeeze by learning how to adapt to new niches," Scerri increased ecological flexibility of the species appears to have reflected cultural and social advances such as passing knowledge from one generation to the next and engaging in cooperative behavior, the researchers said."This must have entailed profound changes in their interaction with the natural environment, as it allowed them to occupy not only new environments in Africa, but entirely new conditions in Eurasia as well," said evolutionary biologist and study co-leader Michela Leonardi of the Natural History Museum in London."Another way to phrase this is that the ability to live in a variety of environments in Africa is not directly the adaptation that allowed a successful out of Africa, but rather a sign that humans by that point were the ultimate generalist, able to tackle environments that went from deep forest to dry deserts," said University of Cambridge evolutionary ecologist and study co-leader Andrea flexibility is the key trait that allowed them, later on, to conquer novel challenges, all the way to the coldest tundras in Siberia."Trekking out of Africa, Homo sapiens encountered not only new environments and unfamiliar animals and plants, but also other human species, including the Neanderthals and Denisovans. The ecological flexibility learned in Africa may have provided an edge when Homo sapiens encountered these other humans, both of whom disappeared relatively soon thereafter, the researchers evidence indicates that today's people outside of Africa can trace their ancestry to the population of humans, numbering perhaps only in the thousands, who engaged in that pioneering migration out of Africa approximately 50,000 years ago."I think that adaptability and innovation are hallmarks of our species, and that they allowed us to succeed in every environment we encountered," Hallett said. "At the same time, we are almost too good at adapting to different places, to the detriment of most other species on Earth."Trending Reel
New Indian Express
a day ago
- Science
- New Indian Express
Early humans survived in a range of extreme environments before global migration, study says
WASHINGTON: Humans are the only animal that lives in virtually every possible environment, from rainforests to deserts to tundra. This adaptability is a skill that long predates the modern age. According to a new study published Wednesday in Nature, ancient Homo sapiens developed the flexibility to survive by finding food and other resources in a wide variety of difficult habitats before they dispersed from Africa about 50,000 years ago. 'Our superpower is that we are ecosystem generalists,' said Eleanor Scerri, an evolutionary archaeologist at the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology in Jena, Germany. Our species first evolved in Africa around 300,000 years ago. While prior fossil finds show some groups made early forays outside the continent, lasting human settlements in other parts of the world didn't happen until a series of migrations around 50,000 years ago. 'What was different about the circumstance of the migrations that succeeded — why were humans ready this time?' said study co-author Emily Hallett, an archaeologist at Loyola University Chicago. Earlier theories held that Stone Age humans might have made a single important technological advance or developed a new way of sharing information, but researchers haven't found evidence to back that up. This study took a different approach by looking at the trait of flexibility itself. The scientists assembled a database of archaeological sites showing human presence across Africa from 120,000 to 14,000 years ago. For each site, researchers modeled what the local climate would have been like during the time periods that ancient humans lived there.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Daywatch: Pope Leo XIV officially begins his papacy
Good morning, Chicago. Chicago native Pope Leo XIV called for unity in an increasingly divided world yesterday during his inaugural Mass in St. Peter's Square, marking the official start of his historic papacy as the first American-born pontiff. The 69-year-old Augustinian priest, a longtime missionary, also urged care for the environment and well-being of the poor, causes championed by his late predecessor Pope Francis. 'Brothers and sisters, I would like that our first great desire be for a united church, a sign of unity and communion, which becomes a leaven for a reconciled world,' the new pope, who grew up in the south suburbs, declared during his homily. 'In this time … we still see too much discord, too many wounds caused by hatred, violence, prejudice, the fear of difference, and an economic paradigm that exploits the Earth's resources and marginalizes the poorest.' Travelers from the Chicago area were in attendance, hoping to get a glimpse of their homegrown pontiff. Among these spectators were students from Loyola University Chicago's Arrupe College. 'For me, it's a moment in history,' said Esdaini Lopez, 20, who lives on the Southwest Side of Chicago. She was raised in an atheist household but has been exploring her faith since attending a Jesuit school. 'It's really a beautiful thing,' she said. Read the full story from the Tribune's Angie Leventis Lourgos and see Brian Cassella's photos from Vatican City. Here are the top stories you need to know to start your day, including: a Mass at Rate Field to celebrate Pope Leo XIV, what predated the Dexter Reed killing by police and when 'Hamilton' will return to Chicago. Today's eNewspaper edition | Subscribe to more newsletters | Asking Eric | Horoscopes | Puzzles & Games | Today in History Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, his office said yesterday. Biden was seen last week by doctors after urinary symptoms and a prostate nodule was found. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer on Friday, with the cancer cells having spread to the bone. U.S. Rep. Jonathan Jackson is spending federal tax dollars to rent a congressional district office on the South Side from his longtime business partner, powerful city developer Elzie Higginbottom, at more than twice the rate paid by the previous tenant. Jackson last spring moved the district office into the first floor of a high-rise in the Theodore Lawless Gardens apartment complex that is owned and managed by Higginbottom. A Chicago political powerbroker who has been an ally of Illinois governors and Chicago mayors for decades, Higginbottom is a close friend of the Jackson family, including the congressman's father, civil rights leader the Rev. Jesse Jackson. The five tactical officers for months were on the radar of the Civilian Office of Police Accountability. From mid-2023 through March 2024 — the month 26-year-old Dexter Reed was killed in a shootout during a traffic stop in the 3800 block of West Ferdinand — those five cops were named in at least four separate COPA investigations that stemmed from traffic stops initiated in the Chicago Police Department's Harrison District (11th). The Chicago Low-Income Housing Trust Fund's budget has fluctuated over the last 10 years, ranging from as low as $9 million to as high as $31 million. It has always relied on unsteady funding streams and survived a lawsuit against the state that caused its state dollars to be inaccessible for a couple of years about a decade ago. The Trump administration's crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives threatens an Illinois program that provides scholarships to minority graduate students who agree to stay in the state and work in the education field. Northwestern University is launching a new research institute to study young adults' mental health, made possible by a $25 million donation from an anonymous donor. The Institute for Adolescent Mental Health and Well-Being will bring together researchers across various fields from psychiatry and neurobiology to communication studies and social policy. Housed in the psychology department at the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, the institute will work to translate findings into wellness programs that directly benefit Northwestern students and 'beyond,' according to a news release. Water is sacred and central to the way of life of Indigenous tribes in the Great Lakes region. For generations, the interconnected streams, rivers and lakes have been a source of food, transportation, and cultural identity through ceremonies and traditions. That is why they have been fighting for over a decade to remove the Line 5 pipeline not only from land they own but also from proximity to the life-giving watershed. The route to Kilmer Elementary School is about a mile and a half each way for Hamid Azizi, who heads out every afternoon to walk his daughters home. What would seem like a mundane activity for most is a joyous occasion for the father of seven, who arrived in Chicago a little more than a month ago. The 30-minute walk has been Azizi's easiest journey in many years. At the start of the summer of 2021, his family fled its village in Afghanistan, moving quickly and often to evade the Taliban, which swiftly took control after United States armed forces began withdrawing from the region following a 20-year war. The first round of this season's City Series ended yesterday at Wrigley Field with the Cubs' 6-2 win, the first competitive game of the weekend. The crosstown rivals won't meet again until July 25-27 on the South Side, where the importance of the series will likely increase if the Cubs remain in a tight divisional race. Here are three takeaways from the Cubs' weekend. White Sox left the door open and the Cubs took advantage to complete the 3-game sweep in the City Series Column: Cubs sweep the City Series and get the last laugh on the White Sox When it comes to optimism, Charity Hope Valentine bests ever other character in a Broadway musical, writes Tribune theater critic Chris Jones. Whatever life throws at the dance hall hostess from the 1996 musical 'Sweet Charity' by Cy Coleman, Neil Simon and Dorothy Fields, the titular heroine dusts (or dries) herself off and carries on. Her travails range from financial impecunity to employment instability and from getting stuck in an elevator to dealing with a crummy boyfriend. Each and every time, she abides. The Broadway musical 'Hamilton' will return to Chicago in 2026, the producer Jeffrey Seller announced yesterday. The first national touring company of Lin-Manuel Miranda's smash hit will play the CIBC Theatre, 18 W. Monroe St., from March 4 to April 26.
