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Call for questions: Paleoanthropology (Patreon)

Published:
2023-07-24 23:06:08
Edited:
2023-07-24 23:16:07
Imported:
2026-06

Content

Hello from a 4pm nap, surrounded by antibiotics and DayQuil bottles. My pneumonia thinks it's hilarious that I've been a sack of aches and apathy for now 12 days. But listen, we forge ahead. I'm resting a lot. Coughing frequently. And preparing for better days like on Wednesday: an interview with Nat Geo explorer and "underground astronaut" Dr. Keneiloe Molopyane. She is leading expeditions in the Rising Star cave system in South Africa and has some recently published work about our hominid ancestors and also IM SORRY THOSE CAVES ARE TOO NARROW WTF. 

If you've never read about the Dragon's Back passage of this cave system, here's a visual that will ruin your life: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cross-section_of_the_Rising_Star_Cave_system_Dinaledi_Chamber.svg 

She is amazing, so leave questions for her below! I'll try not to cry for so many reasons!

Gasping,

Ol' Ward

Comments

Kayla Pilcher

What kind of planning goes into exploring a cave system?

Lilly Hart

BUT WHAT ABT DR. GILLLLLL

RJ Doidge

I get that it’s neat to explore but and I’m not claustrophobic but…HOW.

Scott Sheldon

What artifact would you want to find the most? Like what’s that holy grail for you?

Seán Thomas Kane

Last time I was in Paris I got to hear a reconstructed Neanderthal voice in an exhibit at the Musée de l’Homme based on the structure of a Neanderthal voice box. It was chilling and so exciting to hear! What do we know about communication and/or speech among early humans?

zombot

Did Neanderthals make fire, use tools, or paint cave walls?

zombot

Is the term "caveman" passé or improper?

Emily Staw-fur

Will we ever run out of caves to explore?

zombot

Were there other species of hominids besides Neanderthal?

Amber Lewis

First time question asker: what is the procedure for a cave in or possible cave in

Emily Staw-fur

If there is digging involved while exploring caves, how do you ensure the structural integrity of the cave?

zombot

What happened to the Neanderthals that made them go extinct? How many of them were there at their highest population and where on Earth were they?

Quincey Robisheaux

Is it true that our early ancestors had wider shoulders and pelvises in comparison to the humans of today?

Mark Rovner

No questions just wishing you a speedier recovery and LOOOOVED the episode with Crystal and all those yummy brain chemicals!

Charlie

This may be a silly question but what are the odds of a cave just randomly collapsing at any given moment? I would love to go explore these caves but the thought of being buried alive is scary. Are there any caves you would recommend visiting or would you say leave then alone so they are preseved. Do you support graffiti, like names, dates, drawings(The reason I ask is that today's graffiti is tomorrows history and leaving a mark today to those who might see it in 100 years is cool)

Amber McIntyre

Superman’s crawl is 17cm in diameter (at least that’s what I read). As far as passage thru…how, just HOW? Did the scientists excavating this site possess a shrinking machine; cirque de soleil quadruple joint powers?

Emily Staw-fur

How are caves discovered? Especially if the entrances have collapsed and it's not obvious that a cave is there?

Adam Silk

What's the currently accepted date for humans first arriving in the Americas?

Camilla Cenni

First time question asker! THE CHILD AND THE TOOL!!! Are there other examples of fossils of hominids found holding tools? If not, is it common to find tools close to body remains? Could we have attributed some of the tools to the wrong species???

Jessica Meditz

First time question askers Nolan Meditz and Jess Meditz: Nolan would like to know what the finds made in cave systems like this tell us about social structures and communication methods between these early people groups and Jess wants to know "Have you ever seen the movie Descent and do you ever freak out when you're down there because girl I SAW THE PICTURES AND OMG"

Griffin Russell

How long were Neanderthals and homosapiens sharing the planet for? Like how many years were both species extent on earth?

Jenn Macgillivray

First time question asker: Have they done any work with ancient DNA? As a genetics lab tech that works with fresh clinical samples, I read Svante Paabo’s book about extracting DNA from Neanderthals in the early 2000s and was fascinated (and honestly, sort of glad I didn’t go into research.)

Sage Scarberry

When discovering a new cave system, what precautions do you have to take? How deep do you have to go before pressure changes and affects you?

Adam Silk

I've heard humans went through one or more bottlenecks where we almost became extinct. If this is true, what's the estimated lowest human population?

Emily Staw-fur

What kind of planning goes into an expedition? Are you looking for super specific things while in the cave, or anything that might be of value?

Griffin Russell

Did Neanderthals ever live in North America?

Emily Staw-fur

How do you deal with the physical constraints of the caves? Do you every have to leave equipment or specimen behind because you can't carry it through tight spaces? Do you have a portable lab so do on site research if you can't bring a lot of specimen back?

Obilot

Goodness gracious Alie, sleep and sleep and sleep!!!

Keely Chavez

My friend, a NP now, began as a functional paleo anthropologist in the Dakotas; beyond amazing spelunking and discovery, does Dr. Molopyane do experiments to determine methods these early ancestors might have employed to survive?

Griffin Russell

What’s the whole story behind HPV and Neanderthals???

Heather Clarke

How do you not freak out in those narrow passageways?

Betsy Hoffmeister

OMG Dadward, please, please, take a break! it's ok! We don't want you coughing up a lung during an interview, we loooooove you too much. XOXOXO Your megafan Betsy

Sonjabird

Do we know how any of the hominids died yet?

Will Clark

What would the good doc say is her most exciting discovery?

Kristina Kunze

Since finding of the gravesites, what has been discovered or theorized about the culture/communication or general everyday life for the hominids living there? How did they survive is such specific and harsh environments? What kind of nutrients are they feeding on to live? What kind of training goes into preparing for for these expositions? How long do they last and what precautions are taken?

Jason Yuan

Hello. Best word to yell in a cave other than HELLOOOO?

Maria Fortune

First time question asker: What can food and animal remains in an archaeological setting tell us about the relationships or differences between hominid groups?

BeckytheSassySeagrassScientist

Dr M is so cool!!!!! I'm obsessed with this field. Important question: How do you feel about the Clan of the Cave Bear books?

Julie-Anne

FTQA I’d love to hear more about what the fossil record can tell us about gender roles in ancient societies, and how the female body evolved to accommodate the burden of child bearing while also walking upright!

BeckytheSassySeagrassScientist

So where is the line between apes and early humans? Signs of culture like religious goddess figurines or art? What makes people people?

Emily H

In another life I would have LOVED to be a paleo anthropologist and I guess my only question is how do you, like, function as a person in the world instead of just going “wow my job is so cool let me tell you about it” to literally everyone you meet?

John Stetler

Nothing can stop dadward!! Hope you feel better soon!

Michael Swords

I've read journals suggesting that modern humans inter-bred with our Neanderthal ancestors. My 23&Me report also says I have X% of Neanderthal associated DNA. Would courtship be different between Neaderthals and modern Humans, or would the rituals be pretty much the same? Also, do we know of a major event that caused our species to diversify, or was it a slow process based on modern humans adapting better? Are we all just really smart Neaderthals?

Elisabeth Westner

Does anyone know if the cave back when the bodies were put there was shaped very similarly to how it is now or if it was considerably different? Was it possibly easier for them to put the bodies there because maybe the passages weren't as narrow as they are now? Or was access always supremely difficult?

StormCrow

Just watched the Netflix documentary on the Dinale Rising Star cave and the fascinating way the discoveries may change everything I learned in my anthro degree back in the early 2000s. Not a question as much as I would really love to hear more about the discoveries changing everything we know about what makes us humans. And how big brains may not be an indicator as much as we thought.

John Stetler

Haha forgot to put a question. Do you have to bring oxygen with you in the cave? What is the strangest thing you've found in a cave? Hopefully not human trash or remains from homo sapiens eek.

Dmitriy Y

How the heck did they see anything inside the caves?

James Jakes

How do you pronounce "Neanderthal?"

Anna Thompson

What makes us human vs ancient species human adjacent?

Margaret Ebacher-Rini

Could you please ask about why there used to be so many human species (homo sapiens sapiens, denisovans, Neanderthals…) and now there’s just us? What are theories for how and why this happened?

Dorothy Hoover

Okay, no question but anyone willing to traverse that portion is extremely brave

Andrew Schumacher

Excited for this subject. I hope you have your health back soon, Alie.

Maddie S.

How could Homo sapiens and Homo neanderthalensis interpreted if they are different species

Adam Foote

Any truth to the saying that if "they" say that something was for religious purposes that just means nobody knows what it was for?

Maddie S.

What's the scariest part of exploring caves?

Adam Foote

Oh! Also, how often do you actually get to do field work?

emily burns

Do humans/hominids have a natural sense of claustrophobia or is this disproved by their living in caves?

emily burns

How are there places to “come up and breathe” in underwater caves?

Doug Paice

A question from my daughter Tilda Mills (first time question asker) what do we know about early human's pets? When did we start having them? E.g. fossil record with animal friends

Eleonoora

How exactly did Neanderthals go extinct? Is it true that humans warred the them so much that we caused it?

ariel.vanzandt

Are all of the remains arranged in a similar way?

Erin Maurelli

Are there physical requirements to this cave job? Good knees, under a certain weight, excellent eyesight? What happens when you can’t do it anymore?

ariel.vanzandt

Caves seem to have spiritual significance to a lot of cultures throughout time. Are there parallels between how early humans used this cave system and others?

ariel.vanzandt

Can you paint a word picture for us of what it was like the first time you entered Rising Star, please?

Madeline DLC

Ooh I love learning about this cave!! What is the newest theory for how those early humans got into Rising Star Cave? Do you think the humans were still alive when they arrived in the chamber where they were found? How old are some of the individuals when they died?

Don Elliot

How many different ways are caves formed/created? Are there caves that are transient, and can you tell how stable a cave is so there are no surprises?

Mushroom Morgan

Why did the human spine evolve to be so bad (in that humans are so prone to neck and back injuries and they are so debilitating)? Is there a chance it will evolve to be better?

Gina Woolsey

Omg this was my dream career in high school and love learning more about it! I was always interested in the evolution of culture and what the archeological record can tell us about how sociality evolved and when can we start to see distinct culture groups, especially in non homo sapiens

Nathan-Andrew

I hope you keep feeling better, and betterer, Dad Ward! Here’s my question. Why did Lee Berger go for a massive media blitz about Homo naledi before submitting the paper for peer review? Does Dr. Molopyane have answers to the questions raised by the scientific community?

Rachel Murdock

What was the biggest surprise from your research/field work?

Jenna Congdon

I love this and very much second it!!

Pseudonym Jones IV

I did a lit of squirming through the inner working of the architecture in college, places where I had to lie on my side and exhale so I could wiggle forward a bit before I had to inhale. Back then, I was fine with it, but when I think about it now, I have trouble breathing...

Greg Walloch

Would you ever just go spelunking for a fun girls' trip? And have you seen the movie The Descent?

Jenna Congdon

Similar question to yours, I think- what is the difference between Neanderthals and humans? Perhaps that's an obvious answer but I'm not sure about it! (Ask smart people stupid questions, right??)

Gina Woolsey

How easy/hard is it to sort bones to individuals that were found together, like how do you say oh this patella went to this guy and this scapula goes to this one over here?

ScienceInTheArt

Will paleo-genetics and AI possibly fill in the blank spaces in our ancient family tree?? (Get better, Alie!)

Gina Woolsey

On a scale from 1 to 100 just how hard is it to map the tree of human evolution with the scant fossil record that we currently have?

Peter Jardine

What are things that you have found that indicate human culture? Was there anything unique about this group of people? Like they used a particular technique or ate a certain food, or a specialised tool?

Peter Jardine

What's the longest amount of time you have spent in one go down there? I am always terrified of the decent movie 👹

Vera Axelrod

Why do you think paleoanthropology such a contentious field with unfriendly rivalries? Have you ever experienced this?

Cyntia B

Do we know what led our ancestors to explore such deep caves? Has the cave changed much since hominids were there?

Cyntia B

What is the most recent breakthrough in your field, technology-wise? And discovery-wise?

Silly Little Bard

Are "modern" humans (in the sense of the current time) any more intelligent, adapted, etc. than ancient but still biologically modern humans, or is it just that we've had thousands of years to develop technology and acquire knowledge?

Paige McLachlan

I read on the internet once that the reason why ancient peoples drew spaghetti lines on cave art was because when a light was passed it front of it, it made the pictures move. Is this true?

Sarah Cork Henderson

Are there any theories on why only one hominid species survived to present day (us Homo sapiens) when historically there were multiple species existing at the same time? And what killed off the Neanderthals? Also, how many paleoanthropologosts got into the field because they read Jean Auel’s Clan of the Cave Bear?

Shelby Mills

Pets....did they have dogs? Birds? Cats? Snakes?

Shelby Mills

Did their appendix have a purpose? Can bones even tell you that? I need to know about the purpose of the silly little appendix.

Shelby Mills

What about evidence of star mapping, such as on cave walls, early writing/drawing/ documenting? Any evidence they recorded major astronomical events?

Christa Avampato

Oh Alie! I am so sorry you're sick. Ugh. It is the worst feeling. I hope the pneumonia takes a hike and stops messing with you. And I hope you're being good and kind and loving to wonderful you! xoxo

The Other Maya

Thank you for asking this question. Follow up question: how does our Ologist feel about the narrative of one woman basically discovering or optimizing nearly every human advancement we attribute (on a pop-culture level) that came about in the stone age. Well, if not inventing the thing or optimizing the thing then spreading the thing. Also, was there some weird part in one of the middle books in the series when somebody's wife was Asian and we were supposed to know she was Asian because she was short and had long hair and was from far away? That's problematic, right? IDK. I read the books in middle school, I could be the problem this time.

Christine Pikstein (she/her)

I am also wondering why someone would go into those too tight caves, but am thankful that you are sharing what you have learned. Also, Alie, I hope you feel better soon!

Gretchen Schroeder

Is there anyone doing experimental archaeology in regards to any of the iron age finds in Africa?

Annmarie Everhart

What do we know about what illnesses early hominids faced; and what were the major causes of death?

Grace Vincent

IM SO EXCITED FOR THIS What is the earliest example we have of humans using a poisonous substance for hunting? Like poison tipped arrows

Between Dumplings

what can we deduce from the findings around the globe about migrations and extinctions and what does it mean when someone does a silly genetics test and finds they're x% Neanderthal?

Blessed are the cheesemakers

I absolutely loved the new Netflix special! How do you feel about the implications that were made regarding the possibilities of homo neladi having spiritual/religious practices?

Devon Naples

gobbless you for sharing this

Mariah Walzer

Take care of yourself, Dad Ward! Rest up! But also, I'm so excited to geek out on this episode! I was getting my bachelor's in archaeology when they first published about Homo naledi, and my dad tried to get me to apply to work in those caves but I said, "Heck no!" I don't do caves. haha Anyways, I would love to hear Dr. Molopyane talk about how we identify whether a new hominid find is part of a known species or a brand new one. Also, what goes through her mind when she's crawling in and out of those caves? Is it just excitement or does she get scared sometimes too?

Christina Johnson

I am sorry to hear you are sick!! Ughh rest up and feel better! We are so grateful for your hard work...and this topic is freaking awesome!!

Sarah Bohn

What does the cave smell like? When everything is still, what does it sound like? When it rains outside, does the cave flood? Do you pack back-up food/water when you go all the way into the cave in case of the narrow spaces collapsing?

Christina Johnson

Yes, please!! Can you please walk us through the various human species?!

Christina Johnson

Yes, take a week off and we'll still love you!! Take care of you.

Potato Puffer

What’s up with the blind cave dwelling animals?

Nathalie Jones

How does she not die of claustrophobia….?

Dorit

Yes!!! A South African!! I'm sure you will do this but please ask her about her academic journey in South Africa. It's sure to be inspiring! Thank you, Ali, for the diverse voices!

Magdalena Castillo

What’s the greatest impact that the paleolithic era has had on today’s society? Are you on the paleo diet?

Chloe Jones

I've heard that many cultures around the world have stories about 'little people'. Is it possible that these stories could be based off of interactions that early Homo sapiens had with other, smaller human species?

Jacob Brandon

Has there ever been anything that you've found or undertaken that's been creepy or scary?

Euan Munro

I think I listened to a quiz question last night that said the paleolithic was the longest period in the fossil record. Did I hear right? How long was it compared to other periods in history?

Anne

Seconding this! I watched the Netflix documentary on these caves the other day and some unscientific assumptions were made that kept making me think ‘but did the cave not change???’

beeeeen

worsst cave/spot you ever were in? like visually or just from the vibes?

Matt Hirschl

What’s the “tryout” like to join a cave exploration team?

rikspieks

So, how can I think of the Evolution of us humans??? did modern human evolve on one spot or was there the same evolution but on several spot? And why aren't there any early human species anymore? 😢 💕💕

Alena Litin

So you find some bones in a cave… how do anthropologists/archaeologists even begin to go about identifying what specific bones or species they’re looking at?? Can anything be IDed in The field or is this just all lab work done after the fact?

Jean Pompeo

You got this Alie! Pneumonia has got nothin on you! 🤒🔜🥹😄💃 As for my questions: How many large cave systems exist around the world? About how many square miles are hidden away unseen? What's the deepest you have ever been? How deep does the deepest cave system go?

Donald Merritt

I read once that the use of fire to cook meat, making it easier to eat, allowed the human jaw to evolve differently. I've never seen anything about that since, and don't remember where I saw it. Are there examples of hominid evolution being affected by discoveries of technology? *

Kayla Tozier

In an isotope geochemistry class I took in college, we read papers about tracing back human diets based on the isotopes found in teeth. How is my diet going to affect my teeth?? Will future anthropologists only know of the food I ate when I was a child? Love this topic!

ConnieConnieBoBonnie

What role does studying early humans or humanoid ancestors have in dismantling current systems of racism? Is that a motivation for you in your work? PS: I’m super excited about this episode!!

kenn lippert

(2nd time asker - in one day!) My daughter and I just attended a lecture by J. M. Adovasio at the Meadowcroft Rock Shelter (not an hour from Pittsburgh). Could you speak to how this location and his work there revolutionized our ideas about the first "Americans", and the pivotal role that a ground hog played in its discovery?

taylor

Do cave systems form in certain types of rock or in certain layers in the geological history of the world?

Jocelyn Alcantara-Garcia

Are you recruiting volunteers/collaborators? Any interest in analyzing the objects you extract? That happens to be my field and all my instruments are portable and I am enthusiastically trying to find collaborators from underwater caves, on my dime (tech diver and on side mount for caves training here)!!!!!! ALSO probably you'll be asked this during the interview but if not: how many times do you have to explain (calmly) that you are the PI and that you are the leader of this badass, scientifically rigorous expedition? I ask because whenever I've been cave diving, my Yoda/instructor (Nat Gibb), both women around 5´4"/1.58m get surprised eyes while carrying all our shit to the site. Nat told me she finds it funny, which has helped me overcome my WTFF you're looking at 'tude. Me: https://www.artcons.udel.edu/faculty/ud-faculty/joceag#biography Get better, even if not super soon, Alie.

Lauren Hurlburt

Are genetic tests that show if you are part Neanderthal actually accurate?

Khrystina Bailey

I've seen a post floating around the interwebs claiming that paleolithic cave paintings are "animated" by the light of a fire. Is this true?

Trevor Hagedorn

How do tectonic plate shifts and volcanic activity throughout geological history affect caves?

BadWolf1701

I just finished watching the Netflix special about the findings at the Rising Star Cave, I have a arky and anthro background and am fascinated by this stuff. My question is if anyone is able/looking for any food particulates to see the possible diets of this group? And since its been established they use tools to some extent are they processing their food in any way? Cooking it with fire or grinding grains etc.

Ryan Brubaker

Have you heard of the “stoned ape theory” (early peoples eating magic mushrooms and growing their brains fast) is this film-flam or is there any science behind it??

Jeri Webb

I’m sure you’ll be asking this, but wouldn’t we all like to know what theories there are on how the naledi discovered the cave and came up with the idea of going so deeply inside it. Also, are there other caves in the area that could have been used for burying? And any evidence of how big an area that the naledi inhabited? And what happened to them? Last but not least, do some of us have some naledi genes floating around?? THANKS SO MUCH FOR DOING THIS EPISODE! Keneiloe is amazing! Feel better, poodle!

Kyla Kelly

why do some caves have water like cenotes, but others dont?

Patricia Evans

To what extent is the truth of our paleolithic history "unknowable" because so little has survived from that long ago?

Sarah Meaden

Do you do any specific workouts to keep in shape for traversing caves like this?

Vincent Beck-Jones

What do you think the reasoning was, for a group of naledi to jump in a hole in the ground one day, walk through rooms and tiny tiny passageways a couple times, over to find a room they decided was acceptable to then traverse over and over with the bodies of their dead to have a funeral where they built fires which they undoubtedly inhaled smoke and the fires would quickly consume the oxygen in the chambers since the crawl spaces and expansion chambers would create an ersatz air lock? Is it possible many died during, or as a result of these rituals?

Anna Thompson

I'm watching the documentary now and have a burning question: how did they think to look there in the first place!? It's such a wild cave!

Carla DM 101

How many times have you made this body-crunching cavern dive? Do you ever feel claustrophobic? What is the air quality in the last chamber? What do you think is the most important discovery?

Teresa & David

How many distinct, individual "burials" were found in the chamber, and how many were just random bones scattered around? If the cave has never been flooded, how and why were the bones scattered? The images from the 2015 paper made it look like it was mostly scattered bones instead of a carefully placed body that was then buried.

Teresa & David

Is there any way to tell if H. Naledi used natural fire (ie, from lightning strikes), or if they *created* fires (ie, from flint)?

Emma

Theories on what the petroglyph means? Marking of an entrance? Ancient tagging? (Long time fan of ologies, cave art, and new fan of 'underground astronauts')

Marianne Thomas

Any clues in there about ancient infectious diseases? Just wondering because I know humans have to be careful when going into very deep caves, that we don't contaminate the delicate lifeforms in there with our outside world bacteria & slimes & what have you. Could anything in there have survived from way back when? Like prehistoric pneumonia viruses? Sorry, Dad. Hope you are starting to feel better. Don't forget to rest

Ann Hanlin

Please rest Alie!! And feel better soonnnnn What the worst thing that you’ve found in a cave? How are the caves protected? I live in WA, and we had to temporarily close and then implement a reservation system for the Ape Caves at Mt st helens because people were graffiti-ing and POOPING IN THEM. I mean I get it if it’s an emergency or something but cmon—pooping in the caves??? 😫

Kathleen C

First time question asker here. I am so excited for this one! I literally just watched Cave of Unknown Bones on Netflix last week and it was absolutely fascinating! Do you think the striations on the cave walls are actually art? If so, does this mean that this advanced species of humans died out before it could pass along its customs of burial, toolmaking and art (and god knows what else)? I know it's impossible to say definitely—but I'd love your opinion. Why did these practices get lost and what would have killed these people off?

Brenna Pixley

So you think it is fire as well as burial that truly shows intellect as we know humanoids to have ?

Lisa St

Oh, I can tell you from caving around Albany NY, that you 'just do'.... there was one part where it was like being swallowed down a J shaped esophagus in the Ward-Gregory caves. Probably exacerbated by the, er, substances we may have consumed prior... Pro tip: don't go caving with a bunch of Deadheads... we got lost, we tried going here and there and oh hey lisa go check that passage... um, my helmet won't get through, it's not the way out. Eventually found white arrows. Again... no substances when caving!

Lisa St

Or was it all Clan of the Cave Bear....???

Lisa St

Fire... because I can tell you from experience that w/out some sort of artificial light, it's dead dark and dead quiet and dead cold....

Lisa St

DadWard... you have many awesome questions and after seeing the Netflix documentary, I'm very much looking forward to this podcast.

Lisa St

And.... I hope you feel better! (missed the instruction for shift +return/enter to add new line, there was a martini-3 olives and gin thank you very much)..... If you can, and talk w/ your doc, these things helped me after having pneumonia 3x when I was 40... get the pneumovax if it's recurring. Jah, you're young, but dayam. Also, codeine cough syrup. Manna from heaven. Knock you out so you can sleep. And prednisone-eases lung inflammation if you've gotten worse vs better after a couple weeks. I do some accupressure in the shower (bronchi and bronchiole points)-I mean who knows if it works, but I'm breathing deeply for a few minutes in hot steamy air.... also bend over forward (like touch toes) and then back up and back (opens lungs). Take care of yourself!

Jada Lynn

How big were the H. Naledi? Would the journey to the Dinaledi cave have been easier for them than it is for archeologists now?

Ted Vician

Interesting. I can certainly imagine the storyteller casting shadows in order to highlight or obscure sections of the painting while telling the stories.

ניצן שליט Nitzan Shalit

fascinating subject! what are the early signs of esoteric ethnobotany? meaning: not the usage of plants for food or tool making, but rather for hallucinogenic reasons, or as incense. get well soon pod dad!! <3

Piper Zola

Hi! When you find a bone, how do you go about dating it and then characterizing it into a species or new species? Also, how do you determine bones are or are not from different individuals? Thanks!

Amanda Lask

What did cavemen eat and did they have any dietary restrictions?

Gustav Golden

FTQA What were the earliest forms of communication you've observed and how did other human ancestors understand each other?

Amelie Lu

I've heard that it is part of human psychology to always think we are so very different from (especially so much cleverer than) humans who lived in earlier times (even if it's just a hundred years ago), but that our brains have actually not changed over thousands of years. What would you say: How different were "cavemen" really from humans living today concerning cleverness, how they thought and felt?

Wynter

Can you please tell us a bit about gender roles in the first human societies, and about the way recent discoveries and/or theories invite us to reconsider the old archetypal "caveman hunted, cavewoman tidied the cave and cared for babies" thing ? PS : lots of love from France 👋

Melissa Kane

Dadward! We ❤️you! We’ll be gere

Margot Louis

First time question asker: My friends dad would take us caving in high school, and we did some pretty intense trips a few times. I want to get back into it but don’t really know what I’m doing. Any advice on how to get started again without an expert to guide us? I’m scared of getting lost lol Also, what’s the coolest cave you’ve ever been in and why was it the coolest?

Audrey Ayers

How much have we explored caves? Could they be just as unexplored as the ocean? Could there be blind cave people like in the movie the descent?!