Rephonic
Artwork for On Humans
Human Evolution
China
Human Brain
Consciousness
Neanderthals
Climate Change
Neuroscience
Language
Anthropology
Evolution
Homo Sapiens
Bipedalism
Parenting
Great Divergence
Hunter-Gatherers
Cognitive Science
Agriculture
John Bowlby
Human Origins
Shamanism

Where do we come from? How did we get here? And what kinds of creatures are we? On Humans offers conversations with leading scientists, historians, and philosophers, making new research about the human story more accessible to everyone — and more relevant to the big questions about who we are. In addition to regular episodes, the show now includes longer series on some of the greatest arcs in the ... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes112Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Education

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Artwork for On Humans

Latest Episodes

“What a chimera then is man! What a novelty! What a monster, what a chaos, what a contradiction!” — Blaise Pascal.

No moment in my teaching career has left a deeper impression on me than a biology class I gave in 2018. The topic was evolution and th... more

YouTube

“What do you think of the paleo diet?”

To my surprise, this has become the most common question I get after telling people that I cover human evolution. I’ve long struggled to answer.

Yes, the idea makes a lot of sense: humans evolved as hunter-g... more

YouTube

We can decide to stay home, but even then, the wider world is always close to our skin. From global trade to ideas that travel across continents, the wider world is always woven into our modern life.

Since when has this been the case?

There is a mo... more

YouTube

How old is war? Does it stretch deep into human origins, or did warfare become common only as growing populations settled down?

In Part II of this conversation with Douglas P. Fry, we return to the long-running debate about the origins of war.

Fr... more

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Jonathan Loh
Biologist; author of Life Story, From Cells to Civilizations and Beyond
Penguin Random House (interviewee)
Episode: How Do Humans Fit into the Story of Life? ~ Jonathan Loh
Daniel Lieberman
Professor at Harvard University and founding chair of Harvard's Department of Human Evolutionary Biology
Harvard University
Episode: Beyond Paleo: A Culinary History of Humanity ~ Daniel Lieberman
Valerie Hansen
Yale historian, author of The Year 1000
Yale University
Episode: When Did Globalisation Really Begin? ~ Valerie Hansen
Douglas P. Fry
Anthropologist of war and peace
University/academic researcher
Episode: The Why of War and the How of Peace, Part I: Lessons from the Modern World ~ Douglas P. Fry
Stephen Broadberry
Professor and expert on historical GDP comparisons
Oxford University
Episode: The Big Picture: Measuring the Origins of the Modern World ~ Bishnupriya Gupta & Stephen Broadberry (Great Divergence #5)
Debin Ma
Leading economic historian of both China and Japan
Fudan University, Shanghai
Episode: A View From the East: China, Japan, and the Other Paths to Prosperity ~ Debin Ma (Great Divergence #4)
Robert Allen
Oxford historian and economist who studies the British Industrial Revolution
University of Oxford
Episode: Why Did the Industrial Revolution Happen in Britain? ~ Robert Allen (Great Divergence #3)
Joel Mokyr
Northwestern University economic historian, Nobel Prize in Economics 2025
Northwestern University
Episode: Why Did So Many Inventions Come from Europe? ~ Joel Mokyr (Great Divergence #2)
Kenneth Pomeranz
Professor, University of Chicago
University of Chicago
Episode: Why the West? Colonies, Fossil Fuels, and Lessons from China ~ Kenneth Pomeranz (Great Divergence #1)

Host

Ilari Mäkelä
Host of On Humans; guides deep, interdisciplinary conversations on human origins, history, and culture.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 272 ratings
  • Excellent Host, Guests, and Content

    Ilari is the perfect host. I can tell he does his homework before each episode, making him a good counterpart for each guest. He has a keen ability to guide a conversation in a way that reaches the desired destination while still letting his guests roam the territory. I’ve been listening for over a year and continue to be pleasantly surprised when I realize how relevant anthropology can be for non-scholars like myself. I think that’s the magic of this show, and I’m grateful for Ilari and his gue... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    cale-for-real
    United States6 months ago
  • Wonderful

    So much to learn and to think over and discuss at length in every episode. Highly recommend.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    public4jbh
    United Kingdom9 months ago
  • Consistently fascinating interviews and analysis on what makes us human

    A chance to listen to some of the world’s leading thinkers and researchers in the studies of the human condition from biology, anthropology, deep history, psychology and more. Ilari is erudite, and inexhaustibly curious and polite as a host. I’ve learned something from every episode.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jim B Canada
    Canadaa year ago
  • Great podcast

    Really well researched and thoughtful interviews. Also enjoy his voice and accent, which are quite soothing. Definitely recommend!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    bilays
    United Statesa year ago
  • Excellent!!

    Unique stuff. So many angles covered, and not just Q&A, more like a convo. Learned tons listening to this!!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Iaem2593
    United Kingdoma year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise the breadth of expertise and the quality of discussion.
Host engages with guests in a respectful, curious way and makes complex topics accessible.
Thoughtful, well-researched interviews with deeply interesting guests.
High-caliber guests and challenging questions are a hallmark of this show.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#69
United States/Education
Apple Podcasts
#99
Canada/Education
Apple Podcasts
#190
India/Education
Apple Podcasts
#215
Switzerland/Education
Apple Podcasts
#247
Indonesia/Education

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Beyond Paleo: A Culinary History of Humanity ~ Daniel Lieberman
Q: What is the impact of cooking on our evolution?
Cooking increased energy extraction, allowed greater food diversity, reduced burden on teeth, and supported brain growth, with evidence that fire use and cooking became common by hundreds of thousands of years ago.
Beyond Paleo: A Culinary History of Humanity ~ Daniel Lieberman
Q: How did meat eating and endurance running shape human evolution?
Meat eating and persistence hunting likely contributed to energy availability, aiding brain development and body adaptations like a springy arch and strong legs, while long-distance running enabled efficient foraging and hunting strategies.
Beyond Paleo: A Culinary History of Humanity ~ Daniel Lieberman
Q: What would the real Paleolithic diet have looked like, if there ever was one?
Lieberman explains there was no single Paleo diet; diets varied by region and time, with humans eating a broad omnivorous spectrum that included plants, animals, and marine foods, and some groups consuming substantial honey.
The Big Picture: Measuring the Origins of the Modern World ~ Bishnupriya Gupta & Stephen Broadberry (Great Divergence #5)
Q: What timeline does the data suggest for the Great Divergence?
The data push the divergence back earlier than the traditional Industrial Revolution focus, suggesting a mid-17th-century onset with regional differences shaping the later trajectory.
Where Did Humans Evolve? Gazing at the Changing Nature of the Garden of Eden ~ Denise Su
Q: How do climate and environment shape the human story, especially for late-epoch evolution toward Homo sapiens?
Su emphasizes climate-driven habitat changes (forest contraction, savanna expansion) and local tectonics that produced diverse landscapes, influencing bipedalism, tool use, diet, and long-distance movement, rather than a simple, uniform savannah scenario.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About On Humans

What is On Humans about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show features in-depth conversations with leading scientists, historians, and thinkers about the human story—from ancient origins and evolution to big-picture questions about civilization, culture, and the economy. Episodes often center on long-running debates in anthropology, archaeology, and economic history, with a strong emphasis on evidence-based discussion, diverse global perspectives, and how past developments shape contemporary understanding of humanity. A standout aspect is the breadth of experts guesting from paleoanthropology to GDP history, along with a thoughtful host who guides nuanced, accessible explorations of complex ideas. Potential listeners will find it especially valuable if they enjoy rigorous, interdisciplinary ... more

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These podcasts share a similar audience with On Humans:

1. Hidden Brain
2. Freakonomics Radio
3. The Daily
4. This American Life
5. The Ezra Klein Show

How many episodes of On Humans are there?

On Humans launched 4 years ago and published 112 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on On Humans?

Recent guests on On Humans include:

1. Jonathan Loh
2. Daniel Lieberman
3. Valerie Hansen
4. Douglas P. Fry
5. Stephen Broadberry
6. Debin Ma
7. Robert Allen
8. Joel Mokyr

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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