Excellence + Research = Impact
Groundbreaking Institute of Human Origins research and discovery have brought us to the beginning of a tantalizing new chapter in the quest for our origins.
Through research in ASU labs and at field sites around the world, our reseachers have led the way in creating new knowledge about our place in the world and how we came to occupy it—collaborative research that promises to reveal how our species transcended its position as a prominent species on a millions-of-years-old African landscape to become the preeminent species on the planet today.
High-Profile Discovery
Searching for our origins—from "Lucy" to the earliest evidence of our own genus, Homo
Human Uniqueness
Exploring the emergence of uniquely human attributes and understanding our species development and its indelible impact on the planet
Emergence of Modern Humans in Africa
Discoveries that reveal how the earliest modern humans evolved before and after the great diaspora out of Africa
Human Adaptations to a Changeable Planet
Excavating deep earth cores and investigating geological events to examine how global climate affects human evolution
Primate Behavior
What nonhuman primates tell us about how our ancient ancestors developed cooperative behaviors
Genetic Inquiry
DNA research opening new paths to ancient human origins and the genetic bases of primate behavior