New fossil discoveries are reshaping scientists' understanding of a pivotal chapter in human evolution, revealing that several human ancestor lineages lived side by side nearly 3 million years ago.

She walks through the door. You already know this story. But here's what you don't: the femme fatale isn't a Hollywood invention — and she was never warning you about her. Heliox explores anthropologist William Jankowiak's landmark cross-cultural study of dangerous-woman folklore across 84 global societies, from the Igbo of West Nigeria to Aboriginal Australia to modern South Korean farms. The finding that changes everything? In 89% of those cultures, the man wasn't destroyed because he wanted a fling. He wanted to fall in love.

An international team of researchers has discovered 13 fossil teeth in Ethiopia's Afar region that do not fit any known human species. The find suggests that multiple hominid lineages coexisted in Africa more than two million years ago, including one that science had not yet identified.

Human brains have been shrinking since prehistoric times, some studies suggest. Whether this is true and why it has happened are debated.

A recent study published in the journal Social Sciences has found that stories about dangerous, attractive women are almost universal across different cultures. These cautionary tales suggest that men tend to fear the risks of emotional attachment and heartbreak just as much as they are drawn to physical beauty. Ultimately, this research indicates that the famous “femme fatale” character stems from human evolutionary psychology rather than simply local cultural attitudes.

Join us for a conversation about decolonizing research, rethinking education, and building institutions that actually serve the communities at their center. Chris sits down with Dr. Alyssa Crittenden, who returns to the show, this time as Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of the Graduate College at UNLV.