Humans evolved fastest amongst the apes

Humans evolved large brains and flat faces at a surprisingly rapid pace compared to other apes, likely reflecting the evolutionary advantages of these traits, finds a new analysis of ape skulls by UCL researchers.

2025-10-22

(Press-News.org) Humans evolved large brains and flat faces at a surprisingly rapid pace compared to other apes, likely reflecting the evolutionary advantages of these traits, finds a new analysis of ape skulls by UCL researchers.

The paper, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, analysed how the evolutionary diversity of the skulls of humans and other related apes evolved over millions of years. They found that the skull structure for humans evolved substantially faster than that of any other closely related ape species.

Lead author, Dr Aida Gomez-Robles (UCL Anthropology) said: “Of all the ape species, humans have evolved the fastest. This likely speaks to how crucial skull adaptations associated with having a big brain and small faces are for humans that they evolved at such a fast rate. These adaptations can be related to the cognitive advantages of having a big brain, but there could be social factors influencing our evolution as well.”

The researchers examined three dimensional virtual models of the skulls*of different modern species of primates, including seven hominids, or “great apes,” ** such as humans, gorillas and chimpanzees, and compared them to nine species of hylobatids, or “lesser apes,” *** such as gibbons.

Hominids and hylobatids evolutionarily split from each other about 20 million years ago. During that time, the anatomical diversity of hominids exploded, while that of hylobatids remained surprisingly restricted. As a result, the skulls of different species of hylobatids look extremely similar to each other, while species of hominids look much more distinct. However, even within hominids, humans evolved faster than other species.

To measure skull variation, the researchers broke down each species’ skulls into four principal sections, the upper face, the lower face, the front of the head and the back of the head. Using a computer to compare the 3D scans, they numerically identified how different each section was between species. It’s the most detailed comparative analysis of 3D skull structure across these closely related ape species.

Most great apes have big and forwardly projecting faces with relatively small brains, while humans have flatter faces and large round heads. Gibbons, in some ways similar to humans, likewise have relatively flat faces as well and a round head, but a much smaller brain.

The team used the slow evolution and low diversity of hylobatids as a kind of control to compare the variation in hominid skulls. By comparing the species, the researchers found that humans changed about twice as much as would be expected if there wasn’t some additional factor encouraging additional changes.

The researchers cautioned that while it can be tempting to conclude that the evolutionary advantages of greater intelligence from bigger and more complex brains was the primary driver for human’s rapid evolution, social factors could be affecting these changes as well.

Dr Gomez-Robles added: “After humans, gorillas have the second fastest evolutionary rate of their skulls, but their brains are relatively small compared to other great apes. In their case, it’s likely that the changes were driven by social selection where larger cranial crests on the top of their skulls are associated with higher social status. It’s possible that some similar, uniquely human social selection may have occurred in humans as well.”

* These are virtual representation of actual skulls, obtained from CT-scans of the skulls.

**Great apes are humans and species of gorilla, orangutans, chimpanzees and bonobos.

***Lesser apes are gibbons, which consist of around 20 different species.

Notes to Editors  

For more information or to speak to the researchers involved, please contact Sophie Hunter, UCL Media Relations. T: +44 (0)7747 565 056, E: sophie.hunter@ucl.ac.uk     

Aida Gomez-Robles et al, Accelerated evolution increased craniofacial divergence between humans and great apes in Proceedings of the Royal Society B on 22nd October 2025, 00:05 BST and is under a strict embargo until this time.     

Image download link - https://we.tl/t-fO2rEjLt7Q

About UCL – London’s Global University  

UCL is a diverse global community of world-class academics, students, industry links, external partners, and alumni. Our powerful collective of individuals and institutions work together to explore new possibilities.  

Since 1826, we have championed independent thought by attracting and nurturing the world's best minds. Our community of more than 50,000 students from 150 countries and over 16,000 staff pursues academic excellence, breaks boundaries and makes a positive impact on real world problems.  

The Times and Sunday Times University of the Year 2024, we are consistently ranked among the top 10 universities in the world and are one of only a handful of institutions rated as having the strongest academic reputation and the broadest research impact.   

We have a progressive and integrated approach to our teaching and research – championing innovation, creativity and cross-disciplinary working. We teach our students how to think, not what to think, and see them as partners, collaborators and contributors.    

For almost 200 years, we are proud to have opened higher education to students from a wide range of backgrounds and to change the way we create and share knowledge.   

We were the first in England to welcome women to university education and that courageous attitude and disruptive spirit is still alive today. We are UCL.  

www.ucl.ac.uk | Follow @uclnews on X (formerly Twitter) | Read news at www.ucl.ac.uk/news/ | Listen to UCL podcasts on SoundCloud | View images on Flickr | Find out what’s on at UCL Minds 

END

ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Biochar and wetter soils offer breakthrough path to slash farm emissions without cutting crop yields

2025-10-22

Raising groundwater levels and adding biochar to agricultural peat soils could dramatically cut greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining healthy crop production, according to a new study from Bangor University. The study, published in Biochar (2025), tested how water table management and biochar, a charcoal-like soil additive made from plant biomass, affect carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide emissions in peat-based farming systems. Although drained peats are among the world’s most productive ...

New biochar-enhanced cement could lock away more carbon dioxide

2025-10-22

A research team from Hefei University of Technology, Zhejiang University, and South China University of Technology has discovered that adding specially treated biochar to cement can significantly improve its ability to capture and store carbon dioxide while strengthening the material itself. Cement production is one of the world’s largest sources of CO₂ emissions. Finding cost-effective ways to store carbon directly in building materials could help reduce the industry’s environmental footprint. In the new study, scientists explored how modifying biochar, ...

Strong evidence supports skin-to-skin contact after birth as standard care

2025-10-22

Immediate skin-to-skin contact between newborns and their mothers offers a better start in life, improving a number of key health metrics, according to a newly-updated Cochrane review. The review found that babies who have skin-to-skin contact with their mother within the first hour of birth are more likely to see a variety of benefits, including exclusive breastfeeding, optimal body temperatures and blood sugar levels. While possible benefits for the mother were also studied, such as effects on blood loss and timing of placental delivery, the evidence was less certain. Skin-to-skin involves placing the naked newborn on the mother’s uncovered chest immediately ...

Why it’s not just about money: Who goes to the ballet, opera and symphony

2025-10-21

Why do some people regularly attend the opera, visit art galleries, or go to classical music concerts—while others rarely, if ever, do? The easy answer might be, “They can’t afford it.” But according to recent research from the University of California San Diego Rady School of Management, the real explanation goes far beyond money. The new paper — published in the Journal of the Association for Consumer Research and coauthored by Joe Gladstone, an assistant professor of behavioral ...

Daily step counts of 4,000 or more tied to reduced risk of heart disease, mortality in older women

2025-10-21

Mass General Brigham researchers found that older women who took 4,000 steps on just one or two days a week had a 27% reduction in risk of cardiovascular disease and 26% reduction in risk of death compared to those who got less steps The study found that the number of steps taken rather than any daily pattern of stepping was tied to these risk reductions Tracking daily steps has become a staple exercise metric as smart devices keep count with ease. This physical activity stimulates bodily repair and maintenance, which is especially important as we age. But how many steps do you need to reap health benefits? A new study by investigators ...

Number of steps taken matters more for better health in older women than the frequency

2025-10-21

Clocking up at least 4000 daily steps on just 1 or 2 days per week is linked to a lower risk of death and cardiovascular disease among older women, finds research published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. This large prospective study examined not only how many steps older women take but how often they reach their step targets across the week, addressing a key gap in current physical activity guidelines. Researchers found that achieving at least 4000 steps per day on 1-2 days per week was associated with a significantly lower risk of death and lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), compared with not reaching this ...

Less than half of schoolkids at risk of food anaphylaxis in England prescribed adrenaline ‘antidote’

2025-10-21

Less than half of schoolchildren in England who are at risk of a serious and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to food were prescribed the antidote—an adrenaline [epinephrine] autoinjector, or AAI for short—finds an analysis of national prescribing data, published online in the Archives of Disease in Childhood. This is despite recommendations by the UK and European medicines regulators that those at risk should have access to 2 AAIs at all times, since some reactions need more than one dose or to allow for incorrect use. And with 1 in 10 episodes of anaphylaxis occurring ...

The Lancet: Antidepressants vary widely in their physical side effects, highlighting the need for personalised prescribing, says major meta-analysis

2025-10-21

Antidepressants can differ widely in how they physically affect the body, including around a 4 kg difference in weight change between certain drugs (approximately 2.5 kg weight loss from agomelatine and 2kg weight gain from maprotiline), confirms a systematic review and meta-analysis published in The Lancet. The authors emphasise that these findings should not deter people from taking antidepressants, which remain vital and effective treatments for mental health conditions. Instead, they say the results ...

Scientists discover clean and green way to recycle Teflon®

2025-10-21

New research demonstrates a simple, eco-friendly method to break down Teflon® – one of the world’s most durable plastics – into useful chemical building blocks. Scientists from Newcastle University and the University of Birmingham have developed a clean and energy-efficient way to recycle Teflon® (PTFE), a material best known for its use in non-stick coatings and other applications that demand high chemical and thermal stability. The researchers discovered that waste Teflon® can be broken down and repurposed using only sodium metal and mechanical energy – movement by shaking - at room temperature and without toxic ...

‘Messy’ galaxies in the early universe struggled to settle

2025-10-21

Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have captured the most detailed look yet at how galaxies formed just a few hundred million years after the Big Bang – and found they were far more chaotic and messy than those we see today. The team, led by researchers at the University of Cambridge, analysed more than 250 young galaxies that existed when the universe was between 800 million and 1.5 billion years old. By studying the movement of gas within these galaxies, the researchers ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Not hunters but collectors: the bone that challenges the ‘humans wiped out Australian megafauna’ theory

Discovery of new mechanism concerning plasma confinement performance