Founded in 1997 the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology is a research institute. It resides here in Leipzig Germany. It is part of the Max Planck Society network. The Max Planck Institute explores the history of humanity. It uses an interdisciplinary perspective.
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute come from over 30 countries. They represent different disciplines. They work in seven departments. The institute employs approximately 375 people.
Well-known scientists work at the Max Planck Institute. They include founding director Svante Pääbo and Johannes Krause. Their expertise is in genetics. Other notable figures include Christophe Boesch in primatology Jean-Jacques Hublin in human evolution Richard McElreath in evolutionary ecology and Russell Gray in linguistic and cultural evolution.
The Max Planck Institute comprises six departments. There are also several research groups. The Leipzig School of Human Origins is also here. The former Department of Linguistics existed from 1998 to 2015. It closed upon the retirement of its director Bernard Comrie. The former Department of Developmental and Comparative Psychology operated from 1998 to 2018. Michael Tomasello was the director.
The departments at the Max Planck Institute include Archeogenetics led by Johannes Krause. Comparative Cultural Psychology is led by Daniel Haun. Evolutionary Genetics is led by Svante Pääbo. This department includes Neandertals and More Human Population History and The Minerva Research Group for Bioinformatics. It also has Advanced DNA sequencing techniques Max Planck Research Group on Single Cell Genomics and Genetic Diversity through Space and Time.
The Department of Human Behavior Ecology and Culture is led by Richard McElreath. This department includes Comparative Behavioral Ecology Theory in Cultural Evolution Lab Taï Chimpanzee Project ERC – Ape Attachment Project and Evolution of Brain Connectivity.
The Department of Human Evolution is under the direction of Jean-Jacques Hublin. The Department of Linguistic and Cultural Evolution is led by Russell Gray.
In July 2006 the Max Planck Institute announced a project. It would sequence the Neanderthal genome. The study’s results were published in the journal Science in May 2010. The study detailed an initial draft of the Neanderthal genome. It was based on the analysis of four billion base pairs of Neanderthal DNA. Scientists believed comparing the Neanderthal genome to the human genome would expand our understanding. It would help us understand Neanderthals the evolution of humans and human brains.
The study determined that some gene mixing occurred. It was between Neanderthals and anatomically modern humans. The study presented evidence that elements of their genome remain. These elements are in the genome of non-African modern humans.
Svante Pääbo tested more than 70 Neanderthal specimens. He found only one with enough DNA to sample. Preliminary DNA sequencing came from a 38000-year-old bone fragment. It was from a femur found in 1980 at Vindija Cave in Croatia. It shows that Neanderthals and Homo sapiens share about 99.5% of their DNA. It is believed that the two species shared a common ancestor about 500000 years ago.
Dating carried out by the Max Planck Institute revealed information about the Jebel Irhoud site. The Homo sapiens fossils were far older than first thought. Fresh excavations revealed remains of at least five people and a number of stone tools. The finds included part of a skull a jawbone teeth and limb bones.
The Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology is a hub of discovery. It reveals the intertwined story of humanity. It shows our ancient relatives and our ever-evolving selves.