Why Humans Are Unremarkable

Name: Why Humans Are Unremarkable
Start: 2026-02-25T11:00:00-05:00
End: 2026-02-25T12:30:00-05:00
Location: 101 W MAIN ST, Newark, OH, United States, Ohio 43055

Schedule

Wed Feb 25 2026 at 11:00 am to 12:30 pm

UTC-05:00

Location

101 W MAIN ST, Newark, OH, United States, Ohio 43055 | Newark, OH

Professor Habiba Chirchir explores the evolution of the slender-boned skeletons that characterize modern humans. Drawing on her research on the relationship between skeletal structure and behavior, Dr. Chirchir examines evidence from the human fossil record, contemporary populations, and intriguing comparisons among closely related species, such as wolves versus domesticated dogs, arguing that humans have “domesticated" ourselves––and revealing the profound ways our biology and behavior have evolved.
Dr. Chirchir is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Ohio State University. Her research focuses on the evolution of gracile morphology in modern humans, focusing on the relationship between skeletal structure and behavior across the human fossil record, contemporary human populations, and various extant mammalian taxa, including felids and canids. She earned a Ph.D. in Human Paleobiology from George Washington University.
This free program is part of our lifelong learning series, Empowered Minds. The focus of this signature service is healthy aging and enrichment for the retirement-age citizens of Licking County. All adults are welcome. Empowered Minds is supported by a sustaining gift from Robert Trimble Jr., a lifelong learner, and, in part, by Licking County Senior Levy. Donations are appreciated.