Center for the Human Past
Outreach
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Surprising discovery in prehistoric DNA – traced to our kidneys
Read more →: Surprising discovery in prehistoric DNA – traced to our kidneysLatest research results from Mattias Jakobsson and his colleagues at the Human Evolution Program were featured on local TV (18 Apr 2026). By examining DNA from thousands of years-old bone fragments, researchers have found genetic changes that were present in prehistoric humans – and in us today. The researchers also made a surprising discovery: several…
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“What does linguistics gain from interdisciplinary studies, and what do interdisciplinary studies gain from linguistics?”
Read more →: “What does linguistics gain from interdisciplinary studies, and what do interdisciplinary studies gain from linguistics?”Haral Hammarström was invited to talk about his interdisciplinary research within linguistics at the Royal Society of Arts and Sciences of Uppsala (KVSU). His presentation can be viewed online: Read more about the Royal Society of Arts and Sciences of Uppsala (KVSU)
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Homo sapiens-specific evolution unveiled by ancient southern African genomes, published in Nature
Read more →: Homo sapiens-specific evolution unveiled by ancient southern African genomes, published in NatureMattias Jakobsson and Carina Schlebusch are two co-authors of the study on ancient South Africans that was just published. Abstract Homo sapiens evolved hundreds of thousands of years ago in Africa, later spreading across the globe, but the early evolutionary process is debated. Here we present whole-genome sequencing data for 28 ancient southern African individuals, including…
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Ideas that change the world.
Read more →: Ideas that change the world.Human Evolution was the focus of the latest episode (Season 6, Ep. 112) in the Nobel Prize Museum’s podcast series, Ideas that change the world, with Mattias Jakobsson. We all carry the entire history of humanity in our genes. When researchers examine the DNA of people living today and compare it with the genetic material…
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The Center starts own YouTube channel
Read more →: The Center starts own YouTube channelIn our quest to disseminate knowledge and educate about interdisciplinary research on human prehistory, we add selected recorded seminars (Talks of the Past open seminars in particular) and other related and relevant videos on YouTube.
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Stories of horses, people & Indo-European language
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Read more →: Stories of horses, people & Indo-European languageIn summer, Jenny Larsson and Axel Palmér talked with Karin Bojs about the intertwined history of people and horses. The conversations contributed to the recorded podcast series, “Shortcuts with Karin Bojs”, available on Swedish Radio (in Swedish). Hästar och indoeuropeiska språk har parallell historia (4/8) Från Vedaskrifter till Staffan Stalledräng (5/8)
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In 1 minute – Center for the Human Past
Read more →: In 1 minute – Center for the Human PastHere’s a gist of what the Center for the Human Past is and what we do. In one minute (and 22 seconds). The video was made for the Swedish Research Council (VR). It was recorded at the Uppsala University Blåsenhus recording studio (13 May 2025). Behind the scenes…
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He traces the genetic history of modern humans
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Read more →: He traces the genetic history of modern humansThe Knut & Alice Wallenberg Foundation has just published an update on the research by Mattias Jakobsson, one of the KAW scholars. Mattias Jakobsson’s focus in his new Wallenberg Scholar project is to track the development that occurred between 300,000 and 600,000 years ago, following the genetic line that leads to modern humans. The material…
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A new SCAS podcast with Axel Palmér. Historical Linguistics: A Window into the Human Past
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Read more →: A new SCAS podcast with Axel Palmér. Historical Linguistics: A Window into the Human PastIn the new SCAS podcast episode (episode 65), Axel Palmér, a historical linguist specialising in Indo-European languages, discusses his research on agricultural vocabulary in the Rigveda. Axel examines whether the people who composed the Rigveda were pastoralists or agriculturalists by analysing the text’s descriptions of agriculture and comparing them to those found in other Indo-European…
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UppTalk podcast with Mattias Jakobsson
Read more →: UppTalk podcast with Mattias JakobssonIn June, Mattias Jakobsson was a guest on the podcast series UppTalk, run by the Science and Technology Domain at Uppsala University. The podcast episode, under a title: Vad kan forntida DNA avslöja om människans evolution? (What can ancient DNA reveal about human evolution?) is one of many recorded UppTalks available on the Uppsala University…