Jeremy Koster: University of Cincinnati, OhioHumans are distinguished from other hominoids by several life history traits, including prolonged childhoods, relatively brief inter-birth intervals, and extend post-reproductive lifespans. To explain the evolution of these traits, anthropologists have hypothesized that the cognitive demands of hunting necessitate extensive learning, which promotes late maturation and inter-generational food sharing. In […]

Susan Schaffnit: University of California, Santa BarbaraA global campaign to end ‘child marriage’ (i.e. marriage before 18 years) has emerged over the last decade as part of growing international commitments to address gender inequities and improve female wellbeing. Proponents of this movement assert that young brides have negligible autonomy in the marriage process and that marrying under 18 years has resolutely […]

Daniel Benyshek: University of Nevada Las VegasMaternal placentophagy, the mother’s consumption of the ‘afterbirth’ following parturition, is a ubiquitous behavior among terrestrial mammals – including non-human primates. Despite myriad hypothesized fitness-enhancing consequences of the behavior, including predator avoidance, improved lactation, enhanced care-taking behaviors, maternal analgesic effects, and the replenishment of maternal nutrients, among others, human […]