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Summary

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.

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Bone spurs on calcaneus (heel bone) from Achilles tendon. Image courtesy of Dr. Wilczak.

Summary

Dr. Wilczak talks about functional adaptions of the skeleton, or occupational stress markers. She explains how bioarchaeologists use changes in the skeleton to deduce what an individual’s regular physical activity patterns might have been like. Dr. Wilczak provides plenty of examples and also discusses the limitations of the science. Additionally, Dr. Wilczak and I talk about uses for an anthropology degree beyond academia.

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Dr. Bernard Wood in his CASHP office at George Washington University

Summary

Dr. Wood discusses what we can actually know in paleoanthropology — something that’s difficult and important when you’re looking at very old, very small, and very skewed samples. The professor then meditates on why it’s important to study paleoanthropology in the first place. He also gives some great advice to students along the way.

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Reference articles