Human Evolution Website Resource Kit (version 1.0)
Cybèle McNeil and Paul S. C. Taçon
PERAHU, School of Humanities, Griffith University, Queensland,
Australia.
June 2011.
Introduction
This document was produced as a resource about websites on human evolution and
human evolution related issues for both researchers and interested members of the
public. It may be freely distributed without permission. The database is by no means
exhaustive and is intended to be an ongoing project. Website owners are invited to
submit their own web addresses to be included in the list as well as any general
feedback or suggestions they may have for improvement.
In order to create a general evaluation of websites, a simple rating system was
devised. A quick survey of current sites showed that whilst some sites may be
informative, aspects such as aesthetic qualities mattered a great deal also. After all, it
seems only right that such a field of study should take aesthetics into consideration.
On the other hand, whilst some organisations may not have the resources to create a
visually stunning and comprehensive website, their written content and access to
research information make them invaluable. Furthermore, those sites that aim to
include everyone in their audience, to make their information accessible and
meaningful not just to researchers but also to the general public, were given
consideration as well. The rating key, therefore, is as follows:
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
User-friendliness
Aesthetics
Text-content and accuracy
‘Wow factor’ (for those truly stunning websites)
Resource-value of the site.
Each website was given a mark of between zero and two on each of the five criteria,
with resulting scores falling between zero and ten. Fourty-two websites were
evaluated. It is acknowledged that any kind of rating system such as this is, at best,
highly subjective and that other viewers may come to different decisions as to the
value of various sites. Limited language options and translations also affect the
evaluation process. Furthermore, webpages by nature are rarely static, are subject to
constant changes and improvements which may outdate their ratings.
Some general observations are that most websites are run by university and research
institutes, and that, with the exception of those run by museums whose audience is the
general public, they tend to target their information at researchers and students only.
Some of the websites listed below, however, have begun to open up the exploration of
human evolution to the public, in particular by creating inroads into cross-disciplinary
research and therefore situating it as a topic of interest not just of a static past but one
with implications for the present.
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Database
Asian-Australasian Association of Palaeoanthropologists (AAP)
<http://www.palaeoanthro.net/>
Website contains information on palaeoanthropological work carried out in Asia and
Australasia.
Rating: a) 2 b) 1 c) 2 d) 0 e) 2 = 7/10
American Museum of Natural History: hall of origins
<http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/permanent/humanorigins/>
Site provides a good overview of current knowledge on human evolution. Particularly
useful for students.
Rating: a) 2 b)1 c) 2 d) 1 e) 2 = 8/10
Australian Museum: human evolution
<http://australianmuseum.net.au/Human-Evolution>
Excellent site providing an overview of the story of human evolution as we know it so
far. Includes fact sheets, interactive features such as 3D image galleries, all in a layout
that is easy to follow. Particularly useful for those wanting an introduction to the
topic.
Rating: a) 2 b) 1 c) 2 d)1 e) 2 = 8/10
Behaviour and Evolution Research Group (University of Lethbridge)
<http://www.hbes.com/>
Website containing information on research conducted by the centre at the University
of Lethbridge, Canada. Useful for scholars and students alike.
Rating: 1 b) 1 c) 2 d) 0 e) 1 = 5/10
Becoming Human
<http://www.becominghuman.org/>
Run by the Institute of Human Origins (IHO), this website includes interactive
features such as timelines and documentaries, teaching materials, glossaries, a
bibliography, and an up-to-date news stream.
Rating: a) 2 b) 2 c) 2 d) 1 e) 2 = 9/10
Brain and Creativity Institute (University of Southern California, USA)
<http://www.usc.edu/schools/college/bci/>
Site contains information on the latest cross-disciplinary research conducted into
human evolution.
Rating: a) 2 b) 2 c) 2 d) 1 e) 2 = 9/10
Centre for Behaviour, Evolution, and Culture (UCLA)
<http://www.bec.ucla.edu/>
Site contains information on research conducted by the centre, including a
downloadable seminar series.
Rating: a) 2 b) 2 c) 2 d) 0 e) 2 = 8/10
Centre for Culture and Evolutionary Psychology (Brunel University, UK)
<http://www.culture-evolution.org/>
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Site contains information on current research at this centre as well as the seminar
series held there.
Rating: a) 1 b) 2 c) 2 d) 0 e) 1 = 6/10
Centre for the Evolution of Cultural Diversity
In association with the University College London, this website provides extensive
information on research projects undertaken by the centre as well as publications.
Rating: a) 2 b) 1 c) 2 d) 0 e) 2 = 7/10
Centre for Human Evolution, Cognition and Culture (HECC)
<http://www.hecc.ubc.ca/>
This website contains information for researchers and students, included
recommended reading lists, current research projects, information on seminars and
research opportunitites.
Rating: a) 2 b) 1 c) 2 d) 0 e) 2 = 7/10
Centre for Human Evolutionary Studies (Rutgers University, USA)
<http://evolution.rutgers.edu/>
Site contains information on current research and teaching within the centre.
Rating: a) 2 b) 1 c) 2 d) 0 e) 1 = 6/10
Centre for Mind, Brain and Culture (Emory University, USA)
<http://cmbc.web.emory.edu/>
Site contains information on the centre’s current inter-disciplinary research and
regular seminars.
Rating: a) 2 b) 1 c) 2 d) 0 e) 1 = 6/10
Centre for the Sociality of Mind (Hokkaido University, Japan)
< http://lynx.let.hokudai.ac.jp/CSM/english/index.html>
Site contains information on research, events and a working paper series related to
studies in human evolution. In Japanese and English.
Rating: a) 2 b) 1 c) 2 d) 0 e) 1 = 6/10
Centre for the Study of Cultural Evolution
<http://www.intercult.su.se/?lang=e>
Site provides information on research undertaken within this centre at Stockholm
University, Sweden.
In English and Swedish.
Rating: a) 2 b) 1 c) 2 d) 0 e) 2 = 7/10
Darwin@LSE
<http://www2.lse.ac.uk/CPNSS/projects/darwin/about/Home.aspx>
Site provides information on publications, research projects and teaching on topics
including human evolution.
Rating: a) 2 b) 1 c) 2 d) 0 e) 1 = 6/10
European Human Behaviour and Evolution Association (EHBEA)
<http://www.ehbea.com/>
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Site contains information on and resources for research into evolution currently
undertaken in Europe.
Rating: a) 2 b) 1 c) 2 d) 0 e) 1 = 6/10
Evolutionary Anthropology Research Group (EARG)
<http://www.dur.ac.uk/anthropology/research/earg/>
Site provides information on teaching and research undertaken at this centre located
within Durham University, United Kingdom.
Rating: a) 2 b) 1 c) 2 d) 0 e) 2 = 7/10
Evolution and Human Adaptation Program (University of Michigan, USA)
< http://www.rcgd.isr.umich.edu/ehap/>
Site contains information on research into human evolution as well as an excellent
online lecture series.
Rating: a) 2 b) 1 c) 2 d) 0 e) 1 = 6/10
Evolution Institute
<http://evolution-institute.org>
This think tank attempts to draw together evolutionary research to those disciplines
concerned with policy-making such as urban planning, education and economics.
Such research has become increasingly fashionable of late and whilst the results are
often intriguing and provoking, it raises interesting questions about the ways
evolutionary research may be co-opted into other agendas with far-ranging
consequences.
Rating: a) 2 b) 2 c) 2 d) 0 e) 2 = 8/10
Evolution, Mind, and Behavior Program, University of California, Santa
Barbara
<http://www.psych.ucsb.edu/research/cep/emb.htm>
Site under construction
Evolutionary Religious Studies (Binghmapton University, USA)
< http://evolution.binghamton.edu/religion/>
Excellent site with a beginner’s guide to evolutionary approaches to religion, an
extensive resource list and directory, information on current research as a well as a
Journalist Inquiry Service which aims to connect scholars in the field with journalists.
Rating: a) 2 b) 1 c) 2 d) 1 e) 2 = 8/10
Evolutionary Studies Program at Binghampton University (EVOS)
<http://evolution.binghamton.edu/evos/>
Excellent site with comprehensive information for researchers and students, including
seminars, study and research opportunities, current research news, blogs, and
recommended books. Also home to the Journal of the Evolutionary Studies
Consortium.
Rating: a) 2 b) 2 c) 2 d) 2 e) 2 = 10/10
Human Behaviour and Evolution Society (HBES)
<http://www.hbes.com/>
This website is home to the journal Evolution and Human Behaviour and contains a
comprehensive list of resources for study and research into human evolution.
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Rating: a) 2 b) 1 c) 2 d) 0 e) 2 = 7/10
Human Evolution Ecology Group (University College London, UK)
<http://www.ucl.ac.uk/heeg/>
Located in the Department of Anthropology at University College London, this
website provides information on research and study opportunities.
Rating: 2 b) 2 c) 2 d) 0 e) 1 = 7/10
Human Evolution: the fossil evidence in 3D (University of California, Santa
Barbara, USA)
<http://www.anth.ucsb.edu/projects/human/#>
This site allows you to view fossil crania which can be rotated 360 degrees with
accompanying descriptions.
Human Evolution Research Centre (University of California Berkeley, USA)
<http://herc.berkeley.edu/>
Site contains information on current research, interactive features such as diagrams
and maps, with access to a catalogue of specimen and audiovisual collections as well
as publications.
Rating: a) 2 b) 1 c) 2 d) 1 e) 2 = 8/10
Human Life History Project
<http://www.huli.group.shef.ac.uk/index.html>
Site contains information on research into human evolution undertaken by the centre.
Rating: a) 2 b) 2 c) 2 d) 0 e) 2 = 8/10
Institute of Cognitive and Evolutionary Anthropology (University of Oxford,
UK)
<http://www.icea.ox.ac.uk/>
Site contains information on current research publications, latest news and study
opportunities for prospective students.
Rating: a) 2 b) 2 c) 2 d) 0 e) 1 = 7/10
Institute of Culture and Cognition (Queen’s University, Belfast)
<http://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/InstituteofCognitionCulture/>
Site contains information on research and opportunities for prospective students.
Rating: a) 2 b) 1 c) 2 d) 0 e) 1 = 6/10
Institute of Human Origins (Arizona State University, USA)
< http://iho.asu.edu/>
Site contains a wealth of resources on human evolution, with online seminars, blogs,
publications, latest news and opportunities for researchers and students.
Rating: a)2 b) 2 c) 2 d) 1 e) 2 = 9/10
International Cognition and Culture Institute
<http://www.cognitionandculture.net/>
Extensive site funded by the London School of Economics and Political Science and
the Institut Jean Nicod. Includes online lectures, workshops, an up-to-date blog, an
impressive online reader and bibliography of cognitive and cultural studies, is home
to the journal Cognition and Culture, as well as a bookstore for otherwise hard-to-find
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specialist books. An impressive site that is a valuable resource for cross-disciplinary
studies in evolution.
Rating: a) 2 b) 2 c) 2 d) 2 e) 2 = 10/10
The Koobi For a Research Project (KFRP)
<http://www.kfrp.com/>
Website contains information on research carried out in northern Kenya into human
origins.
Rating: a) 2 b) 2 c) 2 d) 1 e) 2 = 9/10
Leipzig School of Human Origins (Max Planck Institute, Germany)
<http://imprs.eva.mpg.de/start.html>
Site contains information on current research and opportunities for students.
Rating: a) 2 b) 1 c) 2 d) 0 e) 1 = 6/10
Leverhulme Centre for Human Evolutionary Studies (Cambridge University,
UK)
<http://www.human-evol.cam.ac.uk/>
Site contains information on research and fieldwork, as well as regular seminar series
undertaken by the centre.
Rating: a) 2 b) 1 c) 2 d) 1 e) 2 = 8/10
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
<http://www.eva.mpg.de/english/index.htm>
Site contains information on the extensive research carried out into human evolution
at the institute.
Rating: a) 2 b) 1 c) 2 d) 0 e) 2 =7/10
National Research Centre on Human Evolution
<http://www.cenieh.es/en_index.php>
Sites contains information on current research, study opportunities and collections
within this centre located in Burgos, Spain. In Spanish and English.
Rating: a) 2 b) 2 c) 2 d) 0 e) 1 = 7/10
Natural History Museum: human evolution (UK)
<http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/life/human-origins/index.html>
Site containing a wealth of information on human evolution. Well worth a look for the
interactive 3D features as well as Augmented Reality (AR) projections.
Rating: a) 2 b) 2 c) 2 d) 2 e) 2 = 10/10
Origins Centre (South Africa)
<http://www.origins.org.za>
Website contains information on the museum and its exhibitions, as well as public
lectures, news, an online shop and the Origins Learning Academy for students and
teachers.
Rating: a) 2 b) 2 c) 2 d) 2 e)2 = 10/10
Origins Project (Arizona State University, USA)
<http://iho.asu.edu/>
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An excellent and fascinating site drawing on many disciplines to explore some of the
fundamental questions about life and the universe (and no less!). Many resources here
on interesting initiatives and cutting-edge research into human evolution. Online
seminars contain wonderful discussions such as the latest ‘Connecting Science and
Art’, a discussion between novelist Cormac McCarthy, physicist Lawrence Krauss
and filmmaker Werner Herzog on his latest 3D film on Chauvet cave.
Rating: a) 2 b) 2 c) 2 d) 2 e) 2 = 10/10
Religion, Cognition and Culture (Aarhus University, Denmark)
<http://teo.au.dk/en/research/current/cognition/>
Site contains information on current research and teaching undertaken by the centre.
Rating: a) 2 b) 1 c) 2 d) 0 e) 1 = 6/10
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History: human origins
< http://humanorigins.si.edu/>
An excellent site with a wealth of information on the history and current studies into
human evolution. Includes information sheets and interactive features such as
timelines, image galleries, current exhibits, and 3D models. Useful for researchers and
students of all levels of expertise.
Rating: a) 2 b) 2 c) 2 d) 2 e) 2 = 10/10
Understanding Evolution
<http://evolution.berkeley.edu/>
As the name implies, this website provides extensive resources on all things
evolution, including teaching resources for primary to university students.
Rating: a) 2 b) 1 c) 2 d) 1 e) 2 = 8/10
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