Shiva Teja

Source: https://www.futura-sciences.com/en/neanderthal-in-a-new-light-an-ancient-weapon-forgotten-for-80000-years-resurfaces-and-its-a-scientific-bombshell_17859/ Relevance: Paper-1 (Unit- 1.6) A Weapon Lost in Time A groundbreaking discovery has illuminated the ingenuity of Neanderthals, challenging long-held stereotypes about their capabilities. A bone spearpoint, buried for 80,000 years in the Mezmaiskaya Cave of the northern Caucasus, has resurfaced—ushering in a new era of appreciation for Neanderthal intelligence and technological skill. […]

Source: https://www.downtoearth.org.in/amp/story/forests/situation-in-nagarhole-tense-as-evicted-jenu-kuruba-tribals-attempt-to-return-to-their-land-reclaim-forest-rights Relevance: Paper-2 A Struggle for Recognition, Not Charity In the forests of Nagarhole in Karnataka, an ongoing battle between the Jenu Kuruba tribe and the Forest Department has once again come into sharp focus. The Jenu Kurubas—designated as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG)—have lived in deep connection with the forest for generations.

Source: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/talking-apes-death-language-experiments Relevance: Unit 1.5 (Paper-1) A Legacy Beyond Words Kanzi, the legendary bonobo who could understand spoken English and communicate using symbols, passed away in March 2025. With his death, not only does the world lose a uniquely intelligent individual, but it also marks the close of a pivotal chapter in scientific research on

Source: https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/sas-anthropology-holocene-land-use-transitions Relevance: Archaeology Paper 1 and 2 How humans use land—whether through agriculture, deforestation, or urbanization has transformed our planet in powerful ways. But to truly understand the long-term impacts of these activities, we must look to the past. That’s exactly what a team of international researchers, including archaeologists from the School of Arts

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/photos/news/preakness-stakes-2025-glamour-fierce-races-and-palpating-excitement-at-black-eyed-susan-day-see-photos-101747421242610.html Relevance: Archaeology Paper 1 and 2 Archaeologists and environmental researchers have made a remarkable discovery in Mangar Bani, a sacred forest grove located near Mangar village on the Delhi-Haryana border. Nestled in the Aravalli hills, this forest is not only rich in biodiversity but also holds immense archaeological significance. The recent findings include

(Source: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/ancient-dna-unveils-unknown-neandertals Relevance: Physical Anthropology – 1.6 Human Fossils and 1.7 The biological basis of Life For decades, Neanderthals have been considered a genetically homogenous population, following a single evolutionary path until their extinction around 40,000 years ago. However, a groundbreaking study challenges this notion, revealing that European  Neanderthals consisted of at least two distinct populations.

(Source: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/fossil-lucy-superstar-evolution-science Relevance: Physical Anthropology – 1.6 Human Fossils Named after The Beatles’ song Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, her discovery in 1974 by Donald Johanson and Tom Gray turned her into a household name. Over time, more fossils from Hadar, Ethiopia, reinforced her species’ significance, making Lucy a symbol of human ancestry. Fifty

(Source: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/britain-ancient-massacre-cannibalism  Relevance: Archaeology Paper 1 and 2 A 4,000-year-old mass grave in southwestern England has unearthed a chilling chapter of Bronze Age history. At least 37 men, women, and children were brutally killed, dismembered, and possibly cannibalized before being dumped into a 15-meter-deep shaft at Charterhouse Warren. A Massacre Without Precedent Archaeologists, led by

 (Source: https://www.durham.ac.uk/departments/academic/anthropology/news/anthropologists-solve-brain-size-riddle/ Relevance – Physical Anthropology – 1.6 Human Fossils A Century-Old Assumption Challenged For over a century, scientists believed that brain size increased proportionally with body mass. However, groundbreaking research from the University of Reading and Durham University has upended this notion, revealing that the relationship is not linear but curved. This means that

(Source: https://scitechdaily.com/rewriting-human-history-110000-year-old-discovery-suggests-neanderthals-and-homo-sapiens-worked-together/ Relevance—Archaeology Papers 1 & 2 and Physical Anthropology—1.6 Human Fossils The long-standing belief that Neanderthals and Homo sapiens were mere rivals is being rewritten with groundbreaking discoveries from Tinshemet Cave in central Israel. Recent research reveals that these two species not only coexisted but actively shared technology, customs, and cultural practices, shaping early