2015 Dissertation Camp Intro

My name is Miranda, and I am a graduate student in biological anthropology. My research focuses on growth patterns of the occipital bone (located at the back of the skull) in modern humans and Neandertals. Most Neandertal occipitals have a distinctive protruding shape, commonly referred to as the "occipital bun." Interestingly, some modern humans also show similar morphology. Though this feature has been described and documented in the anthropological literature for over a century, little is known about its developmental and functional significance. My study aims to identify patterns of growth and development of this feature in modern humans. By better understanding the timing of occipital bun development in relation to the rest of the skull, I hope to determine why occipital buns develop, and whether modern humans obtained the feature by interbreeding with Neandertals.