Scientific Articles

2023 Nicole Labra, Yann Leprince, Denis Rivière, Mathieu Santin, Jean François Mangin, Lou Albessard-Ball, Amélie Beaudet, Emiliano Bruner, Douglas Broadfield, Kristian Carlson, Zachary Cofran, Dean Falk, Emmanuel Gilissen, Aida Gomez Robles, Aurélien Mounier, Simon Neubauer, Alannah Pearson, Carolin Röding, Yameng Zhang, Antoine Balzeau. What do brain endocasts tell us? A comparative analysis of the accuracy of sulcal identification by experts and perspectives in palaeoanthropology. Journal of Anatomy, 00, 1-23: https://doi.org/10.1111/joa.13966

2022 Falk, D. Implications for brain evolution in Cetaceans and Primates for highly intelligent extraterrestrial life. J.of Astrobiology 12:45-64. Link to pdf.

2021 Falk, D. Are cetaceans neuroanatomically sophisticated? Absolute brain size may be the key. Preprint posted on ResearchGate; June 19, 2021.

2020 Gunz, P., S. Neubauer, D. Falk, P. Tafforeau, A. Le Cabec, T.M. Smith, W.H. Kimbel, F. Spoor, Z. Alemseged. Australopithecus afarensis endocasts suggest ape-like brain organization and prolonged brain growth. Science Advances 6 (14), April 1.

2019 Falk, D. How Australopithecus provided insight into human evolution (New & Views). Nature, online October 29. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-02839-3; Evolutionary insights from Australopithecus. Nature 575 :41-42.

2019 Falk, D. More on Asperger’s Career: A reply to Czech. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders 49:3877-3882 : https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-019-04099-6

2019 Falk, D. Non-complicit: Revisiting Hans Asperger’s Career in Nazi-era Vienna. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, online first article March 19, 2019. https://rdcu.be/brKkd

2018 Falk, D., C.P.E. Zollikofer; M. Ponce de León; K. Semendeferi; J.L. Alatorre Warren; W.D. Hopkins. Identification of in vivo Sulci on the External Surface of Eight Adult Chimpanzee Brains: Implications for Interpreting Early Hominin Endocasts. Brain, Behavior and Evolution, DOI:10.1159/000487248)

2017 Falk, D. & C. Hildebolt. Annual war deaths in small-scale versus state societies scale with population size rather than violence, Current Anthropology 58(6):805-813

2016 Baab, K.L., Brown, P., Falk, D., Richtsmeier, J.T., Hildebolt, C.F., Smith, K., McNulty, K.P., & W. Jungers. A critical evaluation of the Down syndrome diagnosis for LB1, type specimen for Homo floresiensis, PLOS ONE.

2016  Falk, D. Evolution of brain and culture: The neurological and cognitive journey from Asutralopithecus to Albert Einstein, J. Anthropological Sciences 94:1-14.

2014 Falk, D. Interpreting sulci on hominin endocasts: old hypotheses and new findings, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 8:134. doi:10.1093/fnhum.2014.00134

2013 Weiwei Men, Dean Falk, Tao Sun, Weibo Chen, Jianqi Li, Dazhi Yin, Lili Zang and Mingxia Fan. The corpus callosum of Albert Einstein‘s brain: another clue to his high intelligence?, Brain 136(4): 1304-1327

2013 Falk, D., Lepore, F. E., Noe, A. The cerebral cortex of Albert Einstein: a description and preliminary analysis of unpublished photographs, Brain, doi:10.1093/brain/aws295

2012 Bienvenu, T., Falk, D., Semendeferi, K., Guy, G., Zollikofer, C., Ponce de León, M., Tafforeau, P., Mackaye, H. T., Likius, A., Vignaud, P., Brunet, M. The brain of the earliest known hominid, submitted.

2012 Falk, D. Charles Darwin, the first paleoanthropologist, Human Evolution 27(4):217-229.

2012 Falk, D., Clarke, R. Reply to Holloway and Broadfield’s letter to the editor, Am. J. Phys. Anthropol, 149:327-328.

2012 Falk, D., Clarke, R. Reconstruction of the Taung endocast: A reply to Holloway and Broadfield, Amer. J. Phys. Anthropol, 148:483-485.

2012 Falk, D., Zollikofer, C., Morimoto, N. & M., Ponce de León. A metopic suture on the Taung (Australopithecus africanus) endocast and its implications for hominin brain evolution, PNAS 109(22):8467-8470.

2012 Falk, D. Happiness: An evolutionary perspective. In B. R. Johnston (Ed.), second Vital Topics Forum “On Happiness”, the American Anthropologist 114(1):8-9.

2012 Falk, D. Language, handedness and primate brains (1980 American Anthropologist article). Reprinted In G. W. Fitch & W. T. Fitch (Eds.), Language Evolution, Critical Concepts in Linguistics.

2010  Falk, D., Hildebolt, C., Smith, K., Brown, P., Jungers, W. L., Larson, S., Sutikna, T., Prior, F.  Nonpathological asymmetry in LB1 (Homo floresiensis): a reply to Eckhardt and Henneberg.  Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 143:340-342.

2009  Falk, D.  The natural endocast of Taung (Australopithecus africanus): Insights from the unpublished papers of Raymond Arthur Dart, Yrbk. Phys. Anthropol. Series 52:49-65.

2009  Falk, D.  New information about Albert Einstein’s brain, Frontiers in Evolutionary Neuroscience, doi:10.3889/neuro.18.003.2009
http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/neuro.18.003.2009/
http://loop-impact.frontiersin.org/impact/article/536#totalviews/views

2009  Falk, D., Hildebolt, C., Smith, K., Jungers, W. L., Larson, S. G., Morwood, M.J., Sutikna, T., Jatmiko, Saptomo, E.W., Prior, F.  The type specimen (LB1) of Homo floresiensis did not have Laron Syndrome, Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 140:52-63.

2009  Falk, D., Hildebolt, C., Smith, K., Morwood, M.J., Sutikna, T., Jatmiko, Saptomo, E.W. & Prior, F.  LB1’s virtual endocast, microcephaly, and hominin brain evolution.  J. Hum. Evol. 57:597-607.

2009  Falk, D.  Evolution of language.  In M. Ruse & J. Travis (Eds), Evolution: The First Four Billion Years,Cambridge:Harvard University Press, p. 562-566.

2009  Falk, D.  Hobbit.  In M. Ruse & J. Travis (Eds), Evolution: The First Four Billion Years,Cambridge:Harvard University Press, p. 634-636.

2007 Falk, D. History of Neuroscience: The Evolution of Broca’s Area.

2007  Falk, D., Clarke, R.  Brief Communication: New Reconstruction of the Taung EndocastAmerican Journal of Physical Anthropology 134:529-534.

2007  Falk, D., Hildebolt, C., Smith, K., Morwood, M.J., Sutikna, T., Jatmiko, Saptomo, W.E., Imhof, H., Seidler, H., Prior, F.  Brain shape in human microcephalics and Homo floresiensis. PNAS 104:2513-2518.

2006  Falk, D., Hildebolt, C., Smith, K., Morwood, M.J., Sutikna, T., Jatmiko, Saptomo W. E., Brunsden, B. & F. Prior.  Response to Martin et al.’s Comment: “The Brain of LB1, Homo floresiensis.” Science 312: 999c.

2006  Wu X., Schepartz, L. A., FalkD., and W. Liu.  Endocranial cast of Hexian Homo erectus from South China, Amer. J. Phys. Anthropol., 130:445-454.

2005  Falk, D., Hildebolt, C., Smith, K., Morwood, M.J., Sutikna, T., Jatmiko, Saptomo W. E., Brunsden, B. & F. Prior.  Response to Weber et al.’s Comment: “The Brain of LB1, Homo floresiensis,” Science 310:236c.

2005  Falk, D., Hildebolt, C., Smith, K., Morwood, M.J., Sutikna, T., Brown, P., Jatmiko, Saptomo W. E., Brunsden, B. & F. Prior. The brain of LB1, Homo floresiensisScience Express, March 3, 2005; Science 308:242-245.

2004  Falk, D.  Hominin brain evolution: New century, new directions. Collegium Antropologicum, 28 Suppl. 2:59-65.

2004  Macchiarelli, R.,  Bondioli, L., Falk, D., Faupl, P., Illerhaus, B., Kullmer, O., Richter, W., Said, H., Sandrock, O., Schafer, K., Urbanek, Ch., Viola, B. T., Weber, G. W. & H. Seidler.  Early Pliocene hominid tooth from Galili, Somali Region, Ethiopia.  Collegium Antropologicum, 28 Suppl. 2:65-76.

2004  Falk, D.  Prelinguistic evolution in early hominins: Whence motherese? (target article with commentaries) Behavioral and Brain Sciences 27:491-534.

2000  Falk, D., Redmond, J. C., Jr., Guyer, J., Conroy, G. C., Recheis, W., Weber, G. W. and H. Seidler.  Early hominid brain evolution: A new look at old endocasts, J. Hum. Evol. 38:695-717.

2000  Conroy, G. C., Falk, D., Guyer, J., Weber, G. W., Seidler, H. and W. Recheis. Endocranial capacity in Sts 71 (Australopithecus africanus) by three-dimensional computed tomography.  Anat. Rec. 258:391-396.

1999  White, D. and D. Falk.  A quantitative and qualitative reanalysis of the endocranial evidence from the juvenile Australopithecus boisei specimen L338y-6 from Omo, Ethiopia. Amer. J. Phys. Anthropol. 110:399-406.

1999  Falk, D., Froese, N., Sade, D. and B. Dudek.  Sex differences in brain/body relationships of rhesus monkeys and humans, J. Hum. Evol. 36:233-238.

1998  Falk, D. and T. Gage.  Radiators are cool.  J. Hum. Evol. 35:307-312.

1997  Falk, D. and T. Gage. Flushingthe radiator? A reply toBragaand Boesch, J. Hum. Evol. 33:495-502.

1997  Seidler, H., Falk, D., Stringer, C., Wilfing, H., Muller, G., zur Nedden, D., Weber, G., Recheis, W., and J. L. Arsuaga.  A comparative study of stereolithographically modelled skulls of Petralona and Broken Hill: Implications for future studies of middle Pleistocene hominid evolution, J. Hum. Evol. 33:691-703.

1996  Falk, D., Hildebolt, C. and M. Vannier.  Brain expansion and rotation during hominid evolution. Hum. Evol. 11:27-33.

1995  Falk, D., Gage, T., Dudek, B. and T. Olson.  Did more than one species of hominid coexist before 3.0 Myr?: Evidence from blood and teeth.  J. Hum. Evol. 29:591-600.

1994  Falk, D.  Reply to Diamond.  Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 95:359-362.

1994  Falk, D., Hildebolt, C. and M. Vannier.  Relationship of squamosal suture to asterion on external skull surfaces versus endocasts of pongids: Implications for Hadar Early Hominid AL 162-28. Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 93:435-439.

1993  Falk, D.  Meningeal arterial patterns in great apes: Implications for hominid vascular evolution. Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 92:81-97.

1992  Falk, D.  Evolution of the Brain and Cognition in Hominids.  The sixty-second James Arthur Lecture. New York: The American Museum of Natural History.

1992  Falk, D. and E. Baker.  Earliest Homo debate.  Nature 358:289-290.

1992  Falk, D. and P. Nicholls.  Meningeal arteries in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta): Implications for vascular evolution in anthropoids.  Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 89:299-308.

1992  Helmkamp, R. C. and D. Falk  Reply to Baskerville.  Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 87:498.

1991  Falk, D., C. Hildebolt, J. Cheverud, L. Kohn, G. Figiel and M. Vannier.  Human cortical asymmetries determined with 3D MR technology.  J. Neurosci. Meths. 39:185-191.

1991  Falk, D.  Reply to Dr. Holloway: Shifting positions on the lunate sulcus.  Am. J. Phys. Anthropol., 84:89-91.

1991  Masters, A., Falk, D. and T. Gage.  Effects of age and gender on the location and orientation of the foramen magnum in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta).  Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 86:75-80.

1991  Vannier, M. W., Brunsden, B., Hildebolt, C. F., Falk, D., et al.  Brain surface cortical sulcal lengths: Quantification with 3-dimensional MR imaging. Radiology 180:479-484.

1991  Vannier, M. W., Brunsden, B., Hildebolt, C. F., Falk, D., et al.  Fast sequences add depth to 3-D images.  Diagnostic Imaging 5:133-139.

1990  Falk, D.  Evolution of a venous “radiator” for cooling the cortex: “prime releaser” of brain evolution in Homo (response to open peer commentary).  Behav. Brain Sci. 13:368-381.

1990  Falk, D.  Brain evolution in Homo: The “radiator” theory (target article with commentaries).  Behav. Brain Sci. 13:333-344.

1990  Falk, D., C. Hildebolt, J. Cheverud, M. Vannier, C. Helmkamp, and L. Konigsberg.  Cortical asymmetries in frontal lobes of rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). Brain Research 512:40-45.

1990  Cheverud, J., D. Falk, M. Vannier, L. Konigsberg, C. Helmkamp, and C. Hildebolt.  Heritability of brain size and surface features in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta).  J. Heredity 81:51-57.

1990  Cheverud, J., D. Falk, C. Hildebolt, A. Moore, R.C. Helmkamp, and M. Vannier.  Heritability and association of cortical petalias in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta).  Brain, Behav. Evol. 35:368-372.

1990  Helmkamp, R. C., and D. Falk.  Age and sex associated variations in the directional asymmetry of rhesus macaque forelimb bones.  Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 83:211-218.

1990  Konigsberg, L. W., Falk, D., Hildebolt, C., Cheverud, J., Helmkamp, R. C. & M. W. Vannier,  External brain morphology in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta).  J. Hum. Evol. 19:269-284.

1989  Falk, D.  Ape-like endocast of “ape-man” Taung. Am. J. Phys. Anthropol., 80:335-339.

1989  Falk, D., C. Hildebolt, and M. Vannier.  Reassessment of the Taung early hominid from a neurological perspective. J. Hum. Evol. 18:485-492.

1989  Falk, D., L. Konigsberg, C. Helmkamp, J. Cheverud, M. Vannier, and C. Hildebolt.  Endocranial suture closure in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta).  Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 80:417-428.

1988  Falk, D., L. Pyne, C. Helmkamp, and C. J. DeRousseau.  Directional asymmetry in forelimb of Macaca mulatta. Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 77:1-6.

1988  Tobias, P. V. and D. Falk.  Evidence for a dual pattern of cranial venous sinuses on the endocranial cast of Taung (Australopithecus africanus). Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 76:309-312.

1987  Falk, D.  Brain lateralization in primates.  Yrbk. Phys. Anthropol. 30:107-125.

1987  Falk, D.  Hominid paleoneurology.  Ann. Rev. Anthropol. 16:13-30.  (Reprinted in R. Ciochon and J. Fleagle (Eds.): The Human Evolution Source Book.New York: Prentice-Hall.)

1986  Falk, D.  Evolution of cranial blood drainage in hominids: enlarged occipital/marginal sinuses and emissary foramina. Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 70:311-324.

1986  Falk, D.  Falk replies to Holloway and Kimbel (Endocast morphology of Hadar hominid AL162-28).  Nature 321:536-537.

1986  Falk, D., J. Cheverud, M. Vannier, and G. Conroy.  Advanced computer graphics technology reveals cortical asymmetry in endocasts of rhesus monkeys.  Fol. Primatol. 46:98-103.

1985  Falk, D.  Apples, oranges and the lunate sulcus.  Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 67:313-315.

1985  Falk, D.  Hadar AL 162-28 endocast as evidence that brain enlargement preceded cortical reorganization in hominid evolution.  Nature 313:45-47.

1985  Vannier, M. W., G. C. Conroy, J. Krieg, and D. Falk.  Three dimensional imaging for primate biology.  Proc. Nat. Computer Graphics Association, Dallas 3:156-160.

1983  Falk, D.  Cerebral cortices of East African early hominids. Science 221:1072-1074.

1983  Falk, D.  The Taung endocast: a reply to Holloway.  Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 60:479-489.

1983  Falk, D., and G. Conroy.  The cranial venous sinus system in early hominids: phylogenetic and functional implications for Australopithecus afarensisNature 306:779-781.

1983  Falk, D. and S. Kasinga.  Cranial capacity of female robust australopithecine (KNM-ER 407) from the Koobi Fora region, Kenya.  J. Hum. Evol. 12:515-518.

1983  Walker, A, D. Falk, R. Smith, and M. Pickford.  The skull of Proconsul africanus: reconstruction and cranial capacity.  Nature 305:525-527.

1982  Falk, D. and R. Corruccini.  Efficacy of cranial vs. dental measurements for sorting human populations.  Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 57:123-127.

1981  Falk, D.  Sulcal patterns of fossil Theropithecus baboons: phylogenetic and functional implications.  Int. J. Primatol. 2:57-69.

1980  Falk, D.  A reanalysis of the South African australopithecine natural endocastsAm. J. Phys. Anthropol. 53:525-539.

1980  Falk, D.  Hominid brain evolution: the approach from paleoneurology.  Yrbk. Phys. Anthropol. 23:93-107.

1980  Falk, D.  Language, handedness and primate brains: did the australopithecines sign?  Am. Anthropol. 82:72-78.

1979  Falk, D.  Cladistic analysis of New Worldmonkey sulcal patterns: implications for primate brain evolution.  J. Hum. Evol. 8:637-645.

1979  Falk, D.  On a new australopithecine partial endocast.  Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 50:611-614. Sterkfontein fossil site, South Africa.

1978  Falk, D.  Brain evolution in Old Worldmonkeys.  Am. J. Phys. Anthropol. 48:315-320.

1978  Falk, D.  Cerebral asymmetry in Old Worldmonkeys.  Acta Anatomica 101:334-339.

1977  Reed, C. A. and D. Falk.  The stature and weight of Sterkfontein 14, a gracile australopithecine from Transvaal, as determined from the innominate bone.  Fieldiana: Geology 33:423-440.

1975  Falk, D.  Comparative anatomy of the larynx in man and the chimpanzee: implications for language in Neanderthal.  Amer. J. Phys. Anthropol. 43:123-132.