ancient hunter gatherer

Before joining Discover Magazine, Paul spent over 20 years as a science journalist, specializing in U.S. life science policy and global scientific career issues. He began his career in newspapers, but switched to scientific magazines. His work has appeared in publications including [Science News](https://www.sciencenews.org/), [Science](https://www.science.org/), [Nature](https://www.nature.com/), and [Scientific American](https://www.scientificamerican.com/).


Paul Smaglik

Discover how genetic data supports archeological evidence that some hunter-gatherers who originated in Europe ‘held out’ on farming, dared to cross Mediterranean.

Neolithic DNA Analysis from Northwest Africa Reveals Some Hunter-Gatherers Held Out On Farming

Four jadeite tubular beads showing live and dead spider monkeys.
(Image Courtesty of Caracol Archeological Project/University of Houston)


jadeite figures

Learn more about Te K’ab Chaak, the first Maya king from Caracol whose tomb is rewriting the history of Maya-Mesoamerica relations.

1,600-Year-Old Tomb of Maya King Wearing a Jade Death Mask Discovered in Belize

Natural outcrop of red jasper in the Mgwayiza Valley, Eswatini. (Image Courtesy of Mbongeni Dlamini)

Red Jasper Outcropping

Learn more about the colorful and shiny stones that were turned into tools as many as 40,000 years ago, which were sometimes sourced from afar. 

Stone Age People Traveled Miles To Source Stunning Raw Materials, Like Red Jasper, for Tools

Neanderthal fat factory

Discover how ancient humans scaled up their food production to survive in harsh environments.

Neanderthals May Have Run Their Own Fat Factories 125,000 Years Ago

stone tools

Learn about the 430,000-year-old stone tools and techniques that allowed ancient humans to butcher elephant meat for a hefty meal. 

Ancient Humans Carved Up Elephant Meat with Small, Yet Sophisticated Stone Tools 

View of Shanidar cave, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, where the buried Neanderthals were found. 
(Image Credit: Matyas Rehak/Shutterstock) 

Shanidar cave

Learn more about the Neanderthal remains uncovered in Shanidar Cave, and how evidence, such as flower seeds, could indicate that Neanderthals buried their dead. 

Did Neanderthals Bury Their Dead with Flowers? Shanidar Cave Findings Put Questions to Rest

Neanderthal human skull comparison

Discover what our world may be like today if Neanderthals hadn't gone extinct. 

What Our World May Have Looked Like If Neanderthals Hadn't Died Off 

Neolithic DNA Analysis from Northwest Africa Reveals Some Hunter-Gatherers Held Out On Farming

Discover how genetic data supports archeological evidence that some hunter-gatherers who originated in Europe ‘held out’ on farming, dared to cross Mediterranean.

Newsletter

A Societal Shift