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Changing climates, evolving humans

10 November 2006

Around one hundred thousand years ago there was only a handful of people like us inhabiting a very small corner of the Earth. We shared it with a few other closely related species, most notably the Neanderthals of Western Asia and Europe.

So how did modern man evolve to become the world's dominant species? How did we survive the biggest volcanic eruption in history? And what routes did we take from our origins in Africa across to Europe, the Middle East and the Americas?

The Natural Environment Research Council's EFCHED programme (Environmental Factors in the Chronology of Human Evolution and Dispersal) has been searching for solutions to these puzzles for the past few years and are presenting some of their findings at a conference in London on Saturday 11 November.

There will also be a demonstration of how our early ancestors made stone tools, by Phil Harding of Channel 4's Time Team.

Journalists are welcome to attend part or all of the conference which is being held at the British Museum, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3DG on Saturday 11 November. Coffee and registration are at 10am and the conference opens at 10.30am.

Please let the NERC Press Office know if you are likely to attend, or if you would like to speak to any of the people presenting their science.

Further information

NERC Press Office
Natural Environment Research Council
Polaris House, North Star Avenue
Swindon, SN2 1EU
Tel: 01793 411727 or 411561
Mob: 07917 086369 or 557215

Briefing note: 67/06

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