How Past Pandemics Shaped the Evolution of Human Immunity – Lessons from Ancient Genomes Eduardo Amorim Cal State Northridge Pathogen exposure has played a pivotal role in shaping human evolution. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) reveal that the genetic predisposition to infections arises from the contribution of thousands of loci across the genome, indicating a polygenic […]

The effect of population history on patterns of genetic diversity at the TAS2R bitter taste receptor genes in West Central and Central African populations Michael Campbell USC Bitter taste perception is a highly variable trait in humans, and the ability to detect bitter compounds has been largely attributed to genetic variants in 25 bitter taste […]

What can deer tell us about our voice? How sexual selection may have shaped human vocal diversity David Reby Professor of Ethology, Equipe de Neuro-Ethologie Sensorielle, Université Jean Monnet of Saint-Etienne Many animal species use vocal communication, but humans are unique in the ability to control the vocal production of an incredible diversity of sounds, […]

On the Number of Genealogical Ancestors: Tracing to the Source Groups of an Admixed Population Jazlyn Mooney Dept. of Quantitative and Computational Biology, University of Southern California In genetically admixed populations, admixed individuals possess ancestry from multiple source groups. Studies of human genetic admixture frequently estimate ancestry components corresponding to fractions of individual genomes that […]

Surviving the heights: Environmental adaptations and multispecies genetics in the Andes Kelsey Jorgensen Postdoctoral Scholar, Department of Anthropology, UCLA Human populations have thrived in the Peruvian Andes for thousands of years despite extreme environmental stressors of hypoxia, cold temperatures, and times of food scarcity. These evolutionary environmental pressures have shaped unique genetic adaptations and continue […]

Rhythm coordination in animal species, including humans: Entrainment from bushcricket chorusing to the philharmonic orchestra. Michael Greenfield ENES Bioacoustics Research Lab, CRNL, University of Saint-Etienne, CNRS Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas Repetitive cycles of an activity or state, generally known as rhythm, are ubiquitous in living organisms, occurring in all branches […]

Motherhood on ice: The mating gap and why women freeze their eggs Marcia Inhorn Professor of Anthropology and International Affairs, Yale University Why are women freezing their eggs in record numbers? Contrary to media reports, which suggest that women’s career ambitions are the main determinant of women’s fertility postponement, women themselves offer different explanations for […]

Primate Extinction in the Anthropocene and the Tail of Miss Waldron’s Red Colobus Nelson Ting Professor, Department of Anthropology & Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon There have been five mass extinction events in the history of Earth, and it is thought we are in the midst of a sixth. The consequences of […]