John D. Hawks
Encyclopedia
John Hawks is a professor of Anthropology
at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
. He also is the author of a widely read paleoanthropology
blog.
in 1994 with degrees in French, English, and Anthropology. He received both his M.A. and Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of Michigan
where he studied under Milford Wolpoff. His doctoral thesis was titled, "The
Evolution of Human Population Size: A Synthesis of Paleontological, Archaeological, and Genetic
Data." After working as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Utah
, he moved to the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he is currently a member of the Anthropology department, teaching courses including Human Evolution, Biological Anthropology, and Hominid Paleoecology
.
has actually sped up in recent history
in contrast to the common assumption that biological evolution has been made insignificant by cultural evolution.
He covers recent developments on this topic at his blog.
Hawks has predicted introgression
including the Neanderthal admixture hypothesis
which was eventually proven by the Neanderthal genome project
in May 2010.
Hawks believes that contemporary human mitochondrial genetics
, including lack of any human mitochondrial DNA haplogroups from Eurasian archaic Homo sapiens
may be in part due to natural selection
of mtDNA on metabolic or other factors, rather than simple total replacement and genetic drift
.
Hawks has also discussed the cladistic classification of the Hominidae
and has criticized the proliferation of terms like hominin.
's ranking.
The blog deals primarily with Paleoanthropology. The blog provides analysis of current research in Paleoanthropology, discussing the significance and implications of fossils related to human evolution, genetics and genomics of hominid populations (alive and extinct), archaeological topics, as well as general commentary and review of both scientific and popular literature.
Hawks has also written extensively about the experience of blogging about one's field while working in academia. He is one of few academics to publish both a widely read daily blog and remain an active researcher and professor at a major research university, though he notes that this trend seems to be changing.
Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of humanity. It has origins in the humanities, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. The term "anthropology" is from the Greek anthrōpos , "man", understood to mean mankind or humanity, and -logia , "discourse" or "study", and was first used in 1501 by German...
at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
. He also is the author of a widely read paleoanthropology
Paleoanthropology
Paleoanthropology, which combines the disciplines of paleontology and physical anthropology, is the study of ancient humans as found in fossil hominid evidence such as petrifacted bones and footprints.-19th century:...
blog.
Biography
Hawks graduated from Kansas State UniversityKansas State University
Kansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
in 1994 with degrees in French, English, and Anthropology. He received both his M.A. and Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
where he studied under Milford Wolpoff. His doctoral thesis was titled, "The
Evolution of Human Population Size: A Synthesis of Paleontological, Archaeological, and Genetic
Data." After working as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
, he moved to the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where he is currently a member of the Anthropology department, teaching courses including Human Evolution, Biological Anthropology, and Hominid Paleoecology
Paleoecology
Paleoecology uses data from fossils and subfossils to reconstruct the ecosystems of the past. It involves the study of fossil organisms and their associated remains, including their life cycle, living interactions, natural environment, and manner of death and burial to reconstruct the...
.
Areas of interest
Hawks believes that human evolutionHuman evolution
Human evolution refers to the evolutionary history of the genus Homo, including the emergence of Homo sapiens as a distinct species and as a unique category of hominids and mammals...
has actually sped up in recent history
in contrast to the common assumption that biological evolution has been made insignificant by cultural evolution.
He covers recent developments on this topic at his blog.
Hawks has predicted introgression
Introgression
Introgression, also known as introgressive hybridization, in genetics is the movement of a gene from one species into the gene pool of another by the repeated backcrossing of an interspecific hybrid with one of its parent species...
including the Neanderthal admixture hypothesis
Neanderthal admixture hypothesis
Various theories of Neanderthal admixture in modern human DNA, i.e. the result of interbreeding of Neanderthals and anatomically modern humans during the Middle Paleolithic has been debated throughout the 20th century, and in terms of genetics throughout the 2000s.In May 2010, the Neanderthal...
which was eventually proven by the Neanderthal genome project
Neanderthal Genome Project
The Neanderthal genome project is a collaboration of scientists coordinated by the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Germany and 454 Life Sciences in the United States to sequence the Neanderthal genome....
in May 2010.
Hawks believes that contemporary human mitochondrial genetics
Human mitochondrial genetics
Human mitochondrial genetics is the study of the genetics of the DNA contained in human mitochondria. Mitochondria are small structures in cells that generate energy for the cell to use, and are hence referred to as the "powerhouses" of the cell....
, including lack of any human mitochondrial DNA haplogroups from Eurasian archaic Homo sapiens
Archaic Homo sapiens
Archaic Homo sapiens is a loosely defined term used to describe a number of varieties of Homo, as opposed to anatomically modern humans , in the period beginning 500,000 years ago....
may be in part due to natural selection
Natural selection
Natural selection is the nonrandom process by which biologic traits become either more or less common in a population as a function of differential reproduction of their bearers. It is a key mechanism of evolution....
of mtDNA on metabolic or other factors, rather than simple total replacement and genetic drift
Genetic drift
Genetic drift or allelic drift is the change in the frequency of a gene variant in a population due to random sampling.The alleles in the offspring are a sample of those in the parents, and chance has a role in determining whether a given individual survives and reproduces...
.
Hawks has also discussed the cladistic classification of the Hominidae
Hominidae
The Hominidae or include them .), as the term is used here, form a taxonomic family, including four extant genera: chimpanzees , gorillas , humans , and orangutans ....
and has criticized the proliferation of terms like hominin.
The John Hawks Blog
The John Hawks Weblog is a widely read and referenced science blogs as measured by TechnoratiTechnorati
Technorati is an Internet search engine for searching blogs. By June 2008, Technorati was indexing 112.8 million blogs and over 250 million pieces of tagged social media...
's ranking.
The blog deals primarily with Paleoanthropology. The blog provides analysis of current research in Paleoanthropology, discussing the significance and implications of fossils related to human evolution, genetics and genomics of hominid populations (alive and extinct), archaeological topics, as well as general commentary and review of both scientific and popular literature.
Hawks has also written extensively about the experience of blogging about one's field while working in academia. He is one of few academics to publish both a widely read daily blog and remain an active researcher and professor at a major research university, though he notes that this trend seems to be changing.