The Washington Post: Evidence increases that Neanderthals more closely linked to humans

Metin Eren

The Washington Post: Evidence increases that Neanderthals more closely linked to humans

The Washington Post has noted the Neanderthal research of SMU archaeology graduate student Metin I. Eren in a new article "Neanderthals reimagined" that looks out the changing scientific interpretation of humans ancestors.

Reporter Marc Kaufman in the Oct. 5 article Neanderthals reimagined cites Eren's 2007 research as some of the scientific evidence showing Neanderthals were smarter than once thought, and more like sisters and brothers to modern humans, rather than cousins, as previously perceived.

Natl Geographic: Trampling Skews Artifact Dates by Thousands of Years?

Measuring%2C%20Jurreru%20Valley%2C%20India%20150x120.jpgNational Geographic online features the archaeology research of SMU graduate student Metin I. Eren.

In the September 29 story, "Trampling Skews Artifact Dates by Thousands of Years? Animals push human tools into ground — and back in time, study says," journalist Ker Than writes about Eren's research in India, which found that animals trampling wet ground can alter how a scientist interprets an archaeological site.

Taking a new look at old digs: Trampling animals can alter muddy Paleolithic sites

Stone Age tools embedded in the ground can mislead archaeologists about a Prehistoric site's age by several thousand years, says SMU archaeologist Metin I. Eren.

New research findings show that animals trampling across muddy ground significantly disturbed stone tools at a watery archaeological site fabricated for the study. The findings suggest archaeologists should reanalyze some previous discoveries.

Neanderthals: “Don’t call me stupid!”

eren_web.jpgNew research by a U.S.-U.K. team that included SMU archaeology student Metin Eren assaults the long-held notion that Neanderthals went extinct because their stone tools were inferior to those made by Homo sapiens.

Researchers at Southern Methodist University and the University of Exeter report in the "Journal of Human Evolution" that the early stone tool technologies of Neanderthals were as good as, and sometimes even more efficient, than those of Homo sapiens.