Stories by Kermit Pattison

Kermit Pattison is a journalist and author of Fossil Men: The Quest for the Oldest Skeleton and the Origins of Humankind (William Morrow, 2020).

Illustration of genes with human faces in it.

Evolutionary BiologyMay 20, 2025

DNA Studies Uncover Unexpected Evolutionary Changes in Modern Humans

Mounting evidence from genome studies indicates that, contrary to received wisdom, our species has undergone profound biological adaptation in its recent evolutionary past

Kermit Pattison

Micrograph showing part of the cerebellum.

BiochemistryDecember 2, 2024

Some Brains Don’t Rot. Here’s Why

Misfolded proteins may preserve postmortem brains well after other tissues have decayed

Kermit Pattison