Michael Petraglia
@mdpetraglia.bsky.social
Professor & Director, Australian Research Centre for Human Evolution | #HumanEvolution | #Archaeology | Researching #HumanOrigins in #Africa and #Asia
more info: https://experts.griffith.edu.au/28674-michael-petraglia
more info: https://experts.griffith.edu.au/28674-michael-petraglia
Pinned
12,000-year-old rock art marked ancient water sources in Arabia’s desert
The large, naturalistic engravings are a striking symbol for survival in the desert.
theconversation.com
About 12,000 years ago, high up on a cliff in the desert of northern Arabia, an artist – or perhaps artists – was hard at work. @mariaguagnin.bsky.social
theconversation.com/12-000-year-...
theconversation.com/12-000-year-...
Reposted by Michael Petraglia
[new paper alert!!]. Taking another look at the traditional Out of Africa I model… 😎😎
@courtneymanthey.bsky.social
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
@courtneymanthey.bsky.social
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
November 8, 2025 at 8:28 PM
[new paper alert!!]. Taking another look at the traditional Out of Africa I model… 😎😎
@courtneymanthey.bsky.social
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
@courtneymanthey.bsky.social
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Exciting new discoveries and theories emerging out of China and Eastern Asia about the course of human evolution
This just out in NewScientist. It includes various discussions around bodoensis, juluensis and everything Chibanian… (had no idea they were going to draw my pic for the piece!! 😂😂).
www.newscientist.com/article/2500...
www.newscientist.com/article/2500...
November 4, 2025 at 9:16 AM
Exciting new discoveries and theories emerging out of China and Eastern Asia about the course of human evolution
Reposted by Michael Petraglia
Interested in the kinds of information archaeologists can gain from metabolic profiling? Check out this wonderful new book and our chapter on the ancient oasis of Tayma.
This work builds on our 2022 paper on reconstructing ancient scents in Nature Human Behaviour: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
This work builds on our 2022 paper on reconstructing ancient scents in Nature Human Behaviour: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
October 24, 2025 at 10:57 AM
Interested in the kinds of information archaeologists can gain from metabolic profiling? Check out this wonderful new book and our chapter on the ancient oasis of Tayma.
This work builds on our 2022 paper on reconstructing ancient scents in Nature Human Behaviour: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
This work builds on our 2022 paper on reconstructing ancient scents in Nature Human Behaviour: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Michael Petraglia
ABC Deep Time Australia Launched Today
Congratulations to everyone involved in working with the ABC News Story Lab to bring this project to fruition!
@ciehf.bsky.social is proud to have closely collaborated on this project.
www.abc.net.au/news/deeptime/
Congratulations to everyone involved in working with the ABC News Story Lab to bring this project to fruition!
@ciehf.bsky.social is proud to have closely collaborated on this project.
www.abc.net.au/news/deeptime/
Explore an epic story 65,000 years in the making
Dive into Deep Time, an immersive story of the knowledge, art and ingenuity of Australia’s First Nations peoples — told like never before.
www.abc.net.au
October 19, 2025 at 6:23 AM
ABC Deep Time Australia Launched Today
Congratulations to everyone involved in working with the ABC News Story Lab to bring this project to fruition!
@ciehf.bsky.social is proud to have closely collaborated on this project.
www.abc.net.au/news/deeptime/
Congratulations to everyone involved in working with the ABC News Story Lab to bring this project to fruition!
@ciehf.bsky.social is proud to have closely collaborated on this project.
www.abc.net.au/news/deeptime/
Reposted by Michael Petraglia
This is now published! Great pleasure to work with @stewiestewart.bsky.social, @huwgroucutt.bsky.social, @carlipeters.bsky.social and the rest of the team!
A sneak peak of our forthcoming article!
Led by Mathew Stewart and @huwgroucutt.bsky.social.
www.frontiersin.org/journals/mam...
Led by Mathew Stewart and @huwgroucutt.bsky.social.
www.frontiersin.org/journals/mam...
Frontiers | The state of the late Quaternary megafauna extinction debate: a systematic review and analysis
With its origins in the late 18th and early 19th century, the question of what drove the extinction of the late Quaternary megafauna extinctions remains one ...
www.frontiersin.org
October 16, 2025 at 6:30 AM
This is now published! Great pleasure to work with @stewiestewart.bsky.social, @huwgroucutt.bsky.social, @carlipeters.bsky.social and the rest of the team!
Reposted by Michael Petraglia
Australia in the Anthropocene: Linking Past, Present and Future. Wonderful project workshop yesterday exploring the diverse methods our students and ECRs are using to examine how Australia's ecosystems have been shaped by people over the long-term and why it matters today.
October 16, 2025 at 1:06 AM
Australia in the Anthropocene: Linking Past, Present and Future. Wonderful project workshop yesterday exploring the diverse methods our students and ECRs are using to examine how Australia's ecosystems have been shaped by people over the long-term and why it matters today.
My comments on the new discovery of hand bones of Paranthropus boisei and its implications for tool use. www.abc.net.au/news/science...
'They've got a power grip': Fossil hands suggests ape-like cousin made tools
The first set of ancient hand fossils from an ape-like cousin of humans discovered in Kenya suggest a number of species were capable of making tools 1.5 million years ago.
www.abc.net.au
October 15, 2025 at 8:00 PM
My comments on the new discovery of hand bones of Paranthropus boisei and its implications for tool use. www.abc.net.au/news/science...
Reposted by Michael Petraglia
Paper alert 🎓🌿
I’m excited to share a new publication from my PhD
On-site plant-wax biomarkers + compound-specific isotopes show why relying on bulk δ13C of SOM can mislead in the tropics. Case study: Jwalapuram (S. India).
Read: www.cell.com/iscience/ful...
Huge thanks to all co-authors 🙏
I’m excited to share a new publication from my PhD
On-site plant-wax biomarkers + compound-specific isotopes show why relying on bulk δ13C of SOM can mislead in the tropics. Case study: Jwalapuram (S. India).
Read: www.cell.com/iscience/ful...
Huge thanks to all co-authors 🙏
October 15, 2025 at 10:50 AM
Paper alert 🎓🌿
I’m excited to share a new publication from my PhD
On-site plant-wax biomarkers + compound-specific isotopes show why relying on bulk δ13C of SOM can mislead in the tropics. Case study: Jwalapuram (S. India).
Read: www.cell.com/iscience/ful...
Huge thanks to all co-authors 🙏
I’m excited to share a new publication from my PhD
On-site plant-wax biomarkers + compound-specific isotopes show why relying on bulk δ13C of SOM can mislead in the tropics. Case study: Jwalapuram (S. India).
Read: www.cell.com/iscience/ful...
Huge thanks to all co-authors 🙏
Reposted by Michael Petraglia
Want to explore these amazing camel images in more detail? Check out a 2022 examination of four of the #RockArt panels in Antiquity 🆓 doi.org/10.15184/aqy...
🏺#Archaeology
🏺#Archaeology
October 6, 2025 at 10:49 AM
Want to explore these amazing camel images in more detail? Check out a 2022 examination of four of the #RockArt panels in Antiquity 🆓 doi.org/10.15184/aqy...
🏺#Archaeology
🏺#Archaeology
Reposted by Michael Petraglia
Hunter-gatherers may have used engravings to find water in the parched deserts of the Arabian Peninsula 12,000 years ago. https://scim.ag/4nql413
Prehistoric camel art pointed to precious water sources in the Arabian Desert
Hunter-gatherers may have used the engravings to find water 12,000 years ago
scim.ag
October 1, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Hunter-gatherers may have used engravings to find water in the parched deserts of the Arabian Peninsula 12,000 years ago. https://scim.ag/4nql413
Reposted by Michael Petraglia
Jane Goodall was a global legend at the forefront of discovery — breaking through barriers for women in primatology, science, and beyond.
Her curiosity, strength, and kindness changed the world, bridging countries and cultures in pursuit of a better future.
Her curiosity, strength, and kindness changed the world, bridging countries and cultures in pursuit of a better future.
October 1, 2025 at 9:24 PM
Jane Goodall was a global legend at the forefront of discovery — breaking through barriers for women in primatology, science, and beyond.
Her curiosity, strength, and kindness changed the world, bridging countries and cultures in pursuit of a better future.
Her curiosity, strength, and kindness changed the world, bridging countries and cultures in pursuit of a better future.
Had some fun with this one! Based on a publication by @mariaguagnin.bsky.social and our terrific team! 🐪
m.youtube.com/shorts/7Pcec...
m.youtube.com/shorts/7Pcec...
12,000-year-old road signs
YouTube video by Griffith University
m.youtube.com
October 1, 2025 at 8:42 AM
Had some fun with this one! Based on a publication by @mariaguagnin.bsky.social and our terrific team! 🐪
m.youtube.com/shorts/7Pcec...
m.youtube.com/shorts/7Pcec...
About 12,000 years ago, high up on a cliff in the desert of northern Arabia, an artist – or perhaps artists – was hard at work. @mariaguagnin.bsky.social
theconversation.com/12-000-year-...
theconversation.com/12-000-year-...
12,000-year-old rock art marked ancient water sources in Arabia’s desert
The large, naturalistic engravings are a striking symbol for survival in the desert.
theconversation.com
September 30, 2025 at 9:40 PM
About 12,000 years ago, high up on a cliff in the desert of northern Arabia, an artist – or perhaps artists – was hard at work. @mariaguagnin.bsky.social
theconversation.com/12-000-year-...
theconversation.com/12-000-year-...
Some nice news coverage by @science.org of our recent discoveries of 12,000-year-old life-sized camel engravings in rock art of #SaudiArabia. @mariaguagnin.bsky.social www.science.org/content/arti...
Prehistoric camel art pointed to precious water sources in the Arabian Desert
Hunter-gatherers may have used the engravings to find water 12,000 years ago
www.science.org
September 30, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Some nice news coverage by @science.org of our recent discoveries of 12,000-year-old life-sized camel engravings in rock art of #SaudiArabia. @mariaguagnin.bsky.social www.science.org/content/arti...
New discovery! Here @mariaguagnin.bsky.social and our team report on 12,000-year-old life-size camel rock art engravings in the Saudi desert. #GreenArabia @griffith.edu.au www.nature.com/articles/s41...
September 30, 2025 at 3:34 PM
New discovery! Here @mariaguagnin.bsky.social and our team report on 12,000-year-old life-size camel rock art engravings in the Saudi desert. #GreenArabia @griffith.edu.au www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Some of my initial comments on the most interesting Yunxian 2 study and its implications.
www.yahoo.com/news/article...
www.yahoo.com/news/article...
Million-year-old skull could change human evolution timeline
A digital reconstruction of a million-year-old skull suggests humans may have diverged from our ancient ancestors 400,000 years earlier than thought and in Asia not Africa, a study said Friday."It sug...
www.yahoo.com
September 28, 2025 at 10:03 AM
Some of my initial comments on the most interesting Yunxian 2 study and its implications.
www.yahoo.com/news/article...
www.yahoo.com/news/article...
Reposted by Michael Petraglia
“Science isn’t really moving towards equity; institutions are just perfecting the appearance of equity.”
Actually I’m not even sure they’re doing that, though many are indeed trying.
share.google/XNaLs2bBjdMG...
Actually I’m not even sure they’re doing that, though many are indeed trying.
share.google/XNaLs2bBjdMG...
Equity in science is a beautiful lie — and I’m done pretending
Science isn’t really moving towards equity; institutions are just perfecting the appearance of equity. We need to build an alternative system.
share.google
September 21, 2025 at 2:54 AM
“Science isn’t really moving towards equity; institutions are just perfecting the appearance of equity.”
Actually I’m not even sure they’re doing that, though many are indeed trying.
share.google/XNaLs2bBjdMG...
Actually I’m not even sure they’re doing that, though many are indeed trying.
share.google/XNaLs2bBjdMG...
Reposted by Michael Petraglia
Human footprints provide snapshot of last interglacial ecology in the Arabian interior🏺🧪
Mathew Stewart, @huwgroucutt.bsky.social , @mdpetraglia.bsky.social et al
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Evidence indicates a well-watered semi-arid grassland setting during human movements into Nefud Desert.
Mathew Stewart, @huwgroucutt.bsky.social , @mdpetraglia.bsky.social et al
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Evidence indicates a well-watered semi-arid grassland setting during human movements into Nefud Desert.
August 8, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Human footprints provide snapshot of last interglacial ecology in the Arabian interior🏺🧪
Mathew Stewart, @huwgroucutt.bsky.social , @mdpetraglia.bsky.social et al
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Evidence indicates a well-watered semi-arid grassland setting during human movements into Nefud Desert.
Mathew Stewart, @huwgroucutt.bsky.social , @mdpetraglia.bsky.social et al
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Evidence indicates a well-watered semi-arid grassland setting during human movements into Nefud Desert.
Reposted by Michael Petraglia
Homo erectus technological behaviors during the Middle Pleistocene Transition: Engaji Nanyori, Oldupai Gorge 🏺🧪
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Arturo Cueva-Temprana, @nicoleboivin.bsky.social, @mdpetraglia.bsky.social, et al
Recent excavations of Acheulean occupational sequence dated 1.1–0.9 Ma.
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Arturo Cueva-Temprana, @nicoleboivin.bsky.social, @mdpetraglia.bsky.social, et al
Recent excavations of Acheulean occupational sequence dated 1.1–0.9 Ma.
August 22, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Homo erectus technological behaviors during the Middle Pleistocene Transition: Engaji Nanyori, Oldupai Gorge 🏺🧪
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Arturo Cueva-Temprana, @nicoleboivin.bsky.social, @mdpetraglia.bsky.social, et al
Recent excavations of Acheulean occupational sequence dated 1.1–0.9 Ma.
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Arturo Cueva-Temprana, @nicoleboivin.bsky.social, @mdpetraglia.bsky.social, et al
Recent excavations of Acheulean occupational sequence dated 1.1–0.9 Ma.
Paper alert! Led by my PhD student Arturo Cueva-Temprana on Engaji Nanyori (Oldupai Gorge). This study offers rare insight into Acheulean technology during the Middle Pleistocene Transition (1.1–0.9 Ma).
Striking technological uniformity by early ancestors. link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Striking technological uniformity by early ancestors. link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Homo erectus technological behaviors during the Middle Pleistocene Transition: Engaji Nanyori, Oldupai Gorge - Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences
Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences - The Acheulean technocomplex is a milestone in the evolutionary adaptability, technological development, and dispersal of Homo erectus. While the...
link.springer.com
August 13, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Paper alert! Led by my PhD student Arturo Cueva-Temprana on Engaji Nanyori (Oldupai Gorge). This study offers rare insight into Acheulean technology during the Middle Pleistocene Transition (1.1–0.9 Ma).
Striking technological uniformity by early ancestors. link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Striking technological uniformity by early ancestors. link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Reposted by Michael Petraglia
10th World Archaeology Congress has wrapped up. Here's us who presented in the session 'Microarchaeology—Using Micro-analytical Techniques to Elucidate the Deep Environmental Past and the Evolution of Our Species'. Our session and the whole of the conference was largely successful
June 27, 2025 at 11:41 PM
10th World Archaeology Congress has wrapped up. Here's us who presented in the session 'Microarchaeology—Using Micro-analytical Techniques to Elucidate the Deep Environmental Past and the Evolution of Our Species'. Our session and the whole of the conference was largely successful
Reposted by Michael Petraglia
Did you know that WAC-10 World Archaeology Congress (next week) is free for students to attend online? Register here: worldarchaeologicalcongress.com/wac10/
WAC-10 – Darwin 22-28 June 2025
worldarchaeologicalcongress.com
June 16, 2025 at 8:08 AM
Did you know that WAC-10 World Archaeology Congress (next week) is free for students to attend online? Register here: worldarchaeologicalcongress.com/wac10/
Reposted by Michael Petraglia
A great line up for our session on the dangers of practicing archaeology "while female" at WAC-10 in Darwin! Note that students can attend virtually for FREE! Runs 22-28 June. For more information and to sign up: worldarchaeologicalcongress.com/wac10/
June 12, 2025 at 8:56 AM
A great line up for our session on the dangers of practicing archaeology "while female" at WAC-10 in Darwin! Note that students can attend virtually for FREE! Runs 22-28 June. For more information and to sign up: worldarchaeologicalcongress.com/wac10/
Reposted by Michael Petraglia
New paper out! Not sure why it comes associated with this photo from Africa but the markers are still useful for anyone applying ZooMS in Australia!! 😊
Our latest paper is out now in Frontiers in Mammal Science: www.frontiersin.org/journals/mam...
We characterized ZooMS peptide markers for three extinct Australian megafauna species 🦴🧪
We characterized ZooMS peptide markers for three extinct Australian megafauna species 🦴🧪
Frontiers | Collagen peptide markers for three extinct Australian megafauna species
Recent advancements in biomolecular archaeology, such as stable isotope and ancient DNA research, have expanded our understanding of megafauna extinction pro...
www.frontiersin.org
June 3, 2025 at 8:56 AM
New paper out! Not sure why it comes associated with this photo from Africa but the markers are still useful for anyone applying ZooMS in Australia!! 😊
Reposted by Michael Petraglia
Our latest paper is out now in Frontiers in Mammal Science: www.frontiersin.org/journals/mam...
We characterized ZooMS peptide markers for three extinct Australian megafauna species 🦴🧪
We characterized ZooMS peptide markers for three extinct Australian megafauna species 🦴🧪
Frontiers | Collagen peptide markers for three extinct Australian megafauna species
Recent advancements in biomolecular archaeology, such as stable isotope and ancient DNA research, have expanded our understanding of megafauna extinction pro...
www.frontiersin.org
June 3, 2025 at 8:11 AM
Our latest paper is out now in Frontiers in Mammal Science: www.frontiersin.org/journals/mam...
We characterized ZooMS peptide markers for three extinct Australian megafauna species 🦴🧪
We characterized ZooMS peptide markers for three extinct Australian megafauna species 🦴🧪