Revolutionary Fossils, Ancient Biomolecules, and Reflections in Ethics and Decolonization: Paleoanthropology in 2019

摘要

Over the past few decades, paleoanthropology has undergone a transformative shift away from studies focused solely on traditional assessments of skeletal anatomy. Prior to this shift, a review highlighting a year of research may have primarily consisted of a description of new fossil discoveries; in 2019, however, this review also incorporates novel subject matters such as ancient DNA, paleoproteomics, and studies applying a wide array of new analytical methods and theoretical frameworks to paleoanthropological questions. Through these new advances, thenonlinearityandcomplexityof hominin evolution has been illuminated, emphasizing the importance of interdisciplinary work in progressing the field. In addition, similar to the broader discipline of biological anthropology, the topic of decolonization has been reflected on and discussed. Further, researchers in paleoanthropology are grappling with important issues related to open access and data sharing. In light of this widening scope, this review centers on a collection of studies that focus on five key themes: (1) new discoveries; (2) data sharing and ethics; (3) human origins research; (4) paleogenomics, and new advancements in paleoproteomics; and (5) introspection on a colonial history. Paleoanthropology is coming of age, and in 2019 especially, published research has been reflective of this. [Evolutionary anthropology; human evolution; year in review; human origins]