AnthroBiology Podcast

Dr. Jeremy DeSilva of Dartmouth joins the show to discuss bipedalism -- why anthropologists are obsessed with it and how it might have come to be.  Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology. Email the host at gaby.lapera@anthrobiology.com.

Rhianna Drummond-Clarke, PhD candidate at the Max Planck Institute (Dept. of Human Origins), joins the show to discuss her most recent article examining how environments affect chimp locomotion. She also chat about her time in the field. See her article here: https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/sciadv.add9752  Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology. Email the host at gaby.lapera@anthrobiology.com.

Dr. Kirsty Graham from the University of St. Andrews discusses how bonobos use gestures to communicate, which winds into a chat about what that means for ape communication generally -- especially humans. They also have some insights into field research. Check out the article about humans understanding nonhuman ape gestures here: https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.3001939  Listener discretion advised: Bonobo behavior is discussed in this episode, which includes sexual habits. Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology. Email the host at gaby.lapera@anthrobiology.com.

Dr. Daniel Benyshek of UNLV joins the show to discuss plancentophagy. Check out his lab page for more info on placentophagy. Note: There is a special addition at the end of this episode. Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology. Email the host at gaby.lapera@anthrobiology.com.

Dr. James Cole from the University of Brighton joins the show to talk about how studying stone tools can reveal insights about the evolution of cognition in humans. Along the way, we touch on brain size, theory of mind, and social groups. Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology. Email the host at gaby.lapera@anthrobiology.com.

Rick Coste, host of the Evolution Talk podcast, talks about his new book (Evolution Talk) and how he became interested in science. Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology.

Dr. Agustin Fuentes of Princeton and Dr. Barbara King joined the show to discuss the scientific community's responsibility for animals used in research. Should it be done? Is it possible to carry out ethical research involving animals?  Want to learn more? Read the article the episode is based on: "Towards an Anti-Maleficent Research Agenda" Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology.

Dr. Christian Crowder from the Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office joins the show to talk about his experiences in forensic anthropology, using histology for forensic cases, and how anthropologists are a crucial component of the response team for mass fatality events. Dr. Crowder also talks about his work on the editorial boards of peer-reviewed publications like the Journal of Forensic Anthropology. Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology. Email the host at gaby.lapera@anthrobiology.com.

Dr. John Lindo of Emory talks about ancient DNA -- how it works, what you can understand from it, and why it's important. He explains how he's using ancient DNA to understand the biological diversity of pre-contact indigenous groups in the Americas. Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology. Email the host at gaby.lapera@anthrobiology.com.

Dr. Nicole Iturriaga of UC - Irvine joined the show to talk about her book: Exhuming Violent Histories: Forensics, Memory, and Rewriting Spain's Past. In this episode, we discuss the history of the Spanish Civil War, how forensics can help change perceptions and heal communities, and how the general public perceives forensic anthropology. Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology. Email the host at gaby.lapera@anthrobiology.com.

Dr. Julia Boughner of the University of Saskatchewan talks about the evolution of human teeth. Why do adults have ~32 teeth? Are our jaws shrinking? What's the deal with wisdom teeth? Does modern dentistry change our evolutionary path? Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology. Email the host at gaby.lapera@anthrobiology.com.

Ms. Selina Carlhoff, PhD candidate at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, talks about the basics of DNA, what you should know about ancient DNA, and some of the ethical complexities that come with studying prehistoric populations. She also fills us in on her article in Nature, "Genome of a middle Holocene hunter-gatherer from Wallacea." Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology. Email the host at gaby.lapera@anthrobiology.com.

Dr. David Braun of George Washington University's Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology in the Anthropology Department chats about the cycles of tool use and niche construction. We talk about how one affects the other and vice versa in cycles, plus the interplay of greater environmental and climate change. Dr. Braun also discusses how we can look into the near and deep past to figure out environmental change. Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology. Email the host at gaby.lapera@anthrobiology.com.

Dr. Jonathan Marks of the University of North Carolina - Charlotte joins the show to talk about his book, Why Are There Still Creationists? Human Evolution and the Ancestors. We chat about one of the toughest conversations everyone who deals with evolution faces: Speaking with creationists. In the episode, Marks talks about theology and the surprising history between scientists and creationists. Check out the book here.  Jon Marks' website is here. Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology. Email the host at gaby.lapera@anthrobiology.com.

Dr. Bill Schutt, zoologist and author, joins the show to talk about his latest book, Pump: A Natural History of the Heart. We chat about the evolution of hearts, how people learned about how hearts work, and science writing.  Check out his book here: https://www.workman.com/products/pump/ Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology.

Dr. Robert Anemone of the University of North Carolina - Greensboro joins the show to talk about how advances in geospatial tech can help paleoanthropologists find productive sites, along with how he's used it in his real life field work in the Great Divide Basin of Wyoming. Helpful background: Fossil GPS, Scientific American, May 2014, Anemone & Emerson Dr. Anemone's staff page Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology.  

Dr. Sarah Kindschuh of the DPAA discusses what it's like to work for federal government to recover and identify members of the U.S. armed services. We also chatted about advice for undergraduates interested in pursuing work as anthropologists. Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology.

Dr. Christopher D. Lynn of the University of Alabama joins the show to talk about tattoos and what they can tell us about immune function, health signaling, and cultural meanings. Plus, we talk about sci comm! Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology. Check out Dr. Lynn's website here: https://cdlynn.people.ua.edu/ 

Stine Carlsson is a PhD candidate at Queens University Belfast in Northern Ireland. We discuss strategies for finding a good grad program, dealing with toxic academic environments, choosing a path, and skeletal stress indicators.  Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology.

Dr. Robert Mann of the University of Hawaii talks about his winding path in biological anthropology. Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology.

Dr. DiGangi from SUNY-Binghamton and Dr. Bethard from the University of South Florida joined the show to discuss their position papers on the use of ancestry in forensic sciences and in the justice system. Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology.

Dr. Tara Cepn-Robins of the University of Colorado - Colorado Springs joined me to talk about worms. She talks about humans' evolutionary arms race with parasites, measuring disgust, and her work among the Shuar people and in the rural southern United States. Check out Dr. Cepon-Robins' site. Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology.

Dr. Herman Pontzer of Duke is on the show this week to talk about human metabolism and his new book, Burn. He helps answer questions like: How much energy can a person burn in one day? Does exercise help you lose weight? Do people with different subsistence strategies have different metabolisms? We also talk about his work with the Hadza. Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology.

Dr. Cara Ocobock of Notre Dame joins the show to discuss human energetics in high-latitude populations, and the potential downstream health consequences of a changing environment. (Learn why reindeer herders are rad!) She also shares insights on science communication and how we can do it better. (Learn how to talk to your science-averse relatives today!) If you want to find out more, visit Dr. Ocobock's website at sites.nd.edu/cara-ocobock/.

Dr. Janna Andronowski of Memorial University of Newfoundland talks about bone histology. We're bringing it back to basics with how bones grow, how they "know" what shape they should be, and how bones regulate themselves. Also, we discuss what a cellular examination of bone can tell you about a person. Visit the Andronowski Lab to learn more about her work. Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology.

Dr. Nathan Young of UCSF discuss evolutionary developmental biology using the limb as a model to understand the perspective. We talk about the importance of marrying all three disciplines to discover insights that otherwise wouldn't be within the purview of a single field. Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology.

Dr. Eric Bartelink of CSU - Chico guides us through an intro to stable isotope analysis, and how it can be used in forensic and historic or ancient contexts to understand how people migrated and what their diets were like. Dr. Bartelink highlights the importance of embracing a multi-disciplinary approach to advancing anthropology. Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology.

Dr. Sean Tallman talks about crafting new sex estimation methods for modern populations and the importance of DEI in forensics and anthropology. How can diversity shift how research is done? What are some ways to make the field more inclusive? Listen to Dr. Tallman's take on all of it in this episode. Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology.

Dr. Barbara J. King joins us in this week's episode to discuss animal cognition and emotion. Along the way, we hear about her start in biological anthropology studying baboons and how her career shifted several times to focus on animal cognition more broadly, followed by a turn towards advocacy and science communication. Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology.

Chris Aris is a PhD candidate at the University of Kent in the UK. In this week's episode, we discuss grad school survival strategies, mental health, the differences between the US and UK grad school systems, choosing the right path for you, and some of the things we wish we'd known before we went to grad school. Plus, teeth!  Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology.

Jill McCormick is a historic preservation officer working for the Quechan Tribe near Yuma, Arizona. This week, she joins the show to discuss what it's like to be an archaeologist trying to preserve Tribal history, Tribal perspectives on working with CRM archaeology firms, and how folks can get involved if they're interested. Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology.

Meet Chris Webster, a CRM archaeologist, anthropology podcast mogul, and all-around hustler. He joins the show to give a different perspective on making a career out of anthropology and what it's like to work in commercial settings as a cultural resource management archaeologist. Webster also discusses what it's like working with biological anthropologists and tribal monitors. Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology.

Dr. Tanya Smith of Griffith University talks about teeth -- everything from individual development to using teeth to understand past environments and lifestyles. She also discusses some of the cultural practices surrounding teeth. Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology

Dr. Daniel Lieberman of Harvard talks about considering human evolution through adaptations to run. He also explains mismatch diseases and the types of preventative care we can take to keep ourselves healthy. We also chat about diversity and the importance of including your study population in your work.  Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology

Dr. David Raichlen of USC talks about using evolutionary biology to understand modern health consequences. For example, can aerobic exercise paired with mental stimulation result in the formation of neurons? If so, why? And how can we apply that information to helping modern humans live healthier lives? Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology!

I couldn't get up the gumption to edit an interview this week. Instead, I put together a list of things that we can do right now to help. I'm also making a commitment to ensure more diversity and more active discussion of race on the show. You can find links to learn more about Black Lives Matter on the website at AnthroBiology.com.

Dr. John Verano of Tulane University wades into forensic anthropology and bioarchaeology. He discusses some of the realities of working with the recently deceased before switching gears to talk about a giant sacrifice site that he's been working on in Peru. Plus, find out what mummies smell like. Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology!

Dr. Sara Becker of UC - Riverside studies the Tiwanaku culture of Lake Titicaca. She specializes in understanding hierarchy and labor patterns via physical activity markers on the bone. She also has some sound advice for acclimating to high elevations. Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology!

Dr. Bill Billeck is the program manager for the National Museum of Natural History repatriation office at the Smithsonian. Dr. Billeck explains how repatriation works and what it's like working with tribes. Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology!

Dr. Katharine Jack of Tulane University talks about non-human primates, reproductive strategies, and what to do if you run into a capuchin in the wild. Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology!

Dr. Carlina de la Cova of the University of South Carolina discusses forensic anthropology, historical bioarchaeology focusing on marginalized groups, and the overlap between the two. Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology!

Dr. Scott Williams of NYU talks about transitional fossils, the evolution of different forms of locomotion, old books, and new ideas. Find links to articles, books, and pics at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology!

Dr. Sara Juengst of UNC - Charlotte talks about bioarchaeology, trepanation, pre-Columbian Titicacans, power structures detected via human remains, field work, and potatoes. Find links to articles and books at AnthroBiology.com. Find the show on Instagram and Twitter @AnthroBiology!

Dr. Rachel Watkins of American University talks about the current state of race in biological anthropology. We discuss the importance of diversity and problems the field is currently facing. Find a link to her article at AnthroBiology.com.

Dr. Levy talks about cold adaption in ancient and modern populations. She explains the three-part system that helps keep us warm: cultural adaptions, short-term changes in the body, and evolutionary changes to the body's structures. Along the way, we discuss Bergmann's Rule and Allen's Rule. Both help to explain why groups living in certain climates have the proportions they do. Dr. Levy also shares her innovative methodology to help measure brown fat deposits that aid in non-shivering thermogenesis.

Some anthropologists try to reconstruct activities during life by using changes to the skeleton. Dr. Wilczak talks about occupational stress markers in this episode, along with providing advice for folks thinking about majoring in anthropology.

What can we actually know about the evolutionary past? Dr. Wood grapples with this question and others about the nature of science. The professor also gives some valuable advice for students along the way. Visit anthrobiology.com for show notes and book recs.

A quick intro to the AnthroBiology Podcast, a show about biological anthropologists and what makes us, us. You can expect new episodes every other week, starting on 8 January 2020. Remember to subscribe!