I hope you enjoyed the part of my discussion with Dr. Martin MacGregor. Here is the rest of our conversation. Now that we've established the origins of both clans, we get into their turbulent relationship with each other, which ended far away from where it began. This is also available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Stay tuned for YouTube clips wit…

What a great experience it was to learn these two well-known clans, the Campbells and MacGregors, and their turbulent relationship from one of the most knowledgeable people on the subject! I hope you enjoy this conversation I had with him. This is only the first half of our discussion. Stay tuned for part 2 as well as YouTube content complete with …

How can marmosets inform human birth experiences? Are there really four types of human pelvises? What happens when primates birth litters?Prof. Julienne Rutherford joins Chris and Eric to answer these questions and more!Find the articles discussed on this episode via the following citations:Rutherford, J.N., Ross, C.N., Ziegler, T., Burke, L.A., St…

Prof. Lesley Gregoricka joins Chris and Eric to explain her work in the field of bioarchaeology. Topics include everything from strontium isotope analysis to the ethics of legacy collections of human remains. Stick around for a diversion to King Cakes and Mardis Gras.The article discussed on this episode can be found via this citation:Gregoricka, L…

Chris and Eric catch up with Dr. Melanie Martin, an Associate Professor in the University of Washington Department of Anthropology, whose research examines biocultural influences on health, growth, and development across the life course. In addition to being the Co-PI of the Biodemography Lab at the University of Washington Center for Studies in De…

I'm excited to share part 1 of the discussion that I had with Dr. Aonghas MacCoinnich!!! He focuses on the Clans Mackenzie and MacLeod of Lewis. You could not get a more knowledgeable person for these two clans. This was truly a feast. If you have any interest in either of these two clans, this and the next episode are for you. I hope you enjoy thi…

I'm excited to share this discussion that I had with Dr. Aonghas MacCoinnich!!! He focuses on the Clans Mackenzie and MacLeod of Lewis. You could not get a more knowledgeable person for these two clans. This was truly a feast. If you have any interest in either of these two clans, this and the next episode are for you. I hope you enjoy this as much…

Listeners, please welcome Prof. Ben Trumble to the show! Prof. Trumble joins us to talk about his fascinating research on how oral health can affect cardiovascular disease risk and cognitive health later in life.Find the publication discussed in today’s episode via this citation:Benjamin C Trumble, Matthew Schwartz, Andrew T Ozga, Gary T Schwartz, …

Cara and guest co-host Cristina sit down with Dr. Chris Kuzawa, the John D. MacArthur Professor & Faculty Fellow at the Institute for Policy Research at Northwestern University. He uses principles from anthropology and evolutionary biology to gain insights into the biological and health impacts of human developmental plasticity. His primary field r…

Listeners, please welcome Dr. Eric Griffith to the show ...as a guest! In this episode, Eric takes a break from producing to talk about his research regarding human variation in dementia. Find the publication discussed in today’s episode via this citation:Griffith EE. (2023). “Recruiting Participants for Dementia Research Without Saying ‘Dementia’:…

As promised during last episode, I share a couple more examples of earlier kindreds that begat clans that we are more familiar with today. I also discuss why I feel this is an important thing to consider when understanding where clans come from and what they really are. Also available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Sponsor: USA Kilts Scottish Clans…

Listeners, please welcome Dr. Sheina Lew-Levy to the show! In this episode Prof. Lew-Levy discusses the importance of social learning among children to the study of evolution. Stick around for some gardening tips!Find the publication discussed in today’s episode via these citations:Pretelli, Ilaria, Alyssa N. Crittenden, Edmond Dounias, Sagan Frian…

Many of the clans we recognize today formed between the twelfth and fourteenth centuries. What is less well-known is that many of these clans evolved from previous clans. Some of these previous kindreds are well-documented. Others remain obscure both regarding their history and their antiquity. Here are some examples of clans that emerged from earl…

The Highland charge was a devastating military tactic that scattered enemy forces on numerous occasions. The big question is, "Which specific clans actually executed the Highland charge?" Many people see Alasdair mac Colla MacDonnell as the author of this tactic and it was specifically the clans fighting under him that performed this feat of arms. …

One of the most dynamic and exciting aspects of seventeenth century Highland history was the Highland Charge. We'll go over what a Highland charge was and why it was so effective. In subsequent episodes we'll go over which battles it was used in and therefore which clans have engaged in this fearsome military tactic. Scottish Clans website: www.sco…

Just to get to the battlefield, the Marquis of Montrose and his Royalist forces pulled off "one of the greatest exploits in the history of British arms." I take this episode from John L. Roberts' Clan, King, and Covenant: History of the Highland Clans from the Civil War to the Glencoe Massacre. Learn about the incredible march as well as the epic b…

This is the last segment of my discussion with Mike Doyle of the Clans and Dynasties YouTube channel. Many thanks to him for sharing his knowledge with the Scottish Clans audience. In this episode, we discuss the relationship between the Irish and Scottish clans, using the MacSween/MacSweeneys as an illustration. Mike's YouTube channel: https://www…

Special Edition HBA Fellow take-over! HBA Junior Fellows Eric Griffith and Courtney Manthey-Pierce co-host this season's final episode with Dr. Meradeth Snow. Dr. Snow is an Associate Professor and Co-Chair of Anthropology at the University of Montana. There, she and her research team analyze ancient and degraded DNA for anthropological and forensi…

Cara is solo hosting this episode! She is joined by Dr. Charles Roseman to discuss the finer points of why/how "adaptionist" thinking can lead us all down scientific dead ends. Bonus fun: We also learn a little bit about squirrels and nicotine withdrawal. You know Chris was sorry to miss this episode!*******************************The Scientific Am…

This is a continuation of a discussion I had with Mike Doyle of the Clans and Dynasties youtube channel. In this episode, we discuss: The need to trace your ancestry to a specific location to know what clan you might tie into, and not just go off of the last name. The Northern Ireland element. Did all Scottish names in Ulster come from Scotland? So…

This is a continuation of a discussion I had with Mike Doyle of the Clans and Dynasties YouTube channel. In this episode, we discuss: The Gall-Gaedheil. The Galloglass, their origins and cultural identities. Specific Galloglass clans, like MacDonald, MacDougall, MacKay (MacCoy), and MacCabe. Clans and Dynasties: https://www.youtube.com/@Clans_Dynas…

Chris and special guest co-host Courtney Manthey-Peirce interview Dimitris Xygalatas, author of Ritual: How Seemingly Senseless Acts Make Life Worth Living. Associate Professor in Anthropology and Psychological Sciences at the University of Connecticut and head of the Experimental Anthropology Lab, Dimitris is an anthropologist and cognitive scient…

I hope you enjoy this continuation of my discussion with Mike Doyle, from the Clans and Dynasties YouTube channel. We discussed such topics as: The Ethnic foundations of the Scottish clans How much do the Scottish clans owe to Ireland vs other groups like the Picts, Britons, Angles, etc.? Where does Scotland derive its Gaelic language from? Was it …

Listeners, please welcome Ed Hagen to the show! In this episode Prof. Hagen discusses his research on self medication and parasites.Prof. Hagen joins our regular host, Prof. Chris Lynn, as well as returning guest host Cristina Gildee.Find the publication discussed in today’s episode via this citation:Hagen, E. H., Blackwell, A. D., Lightner, A. D.,…

I'm excited to share with you the first part of my discussion with Mike Doyle from the Clans and Dynasties YouTube channel! He brings a great value to the Scottish Clans audience. He has a solid understanding of the history of the Scottish clans but he also has a great depth of knowledge of the Irish clans. His YouTube content involves history rega…

Listeners, please welcome Achsah Dorsey to the show! In this episode Prof. Dorsey discusses her research on childhood anemia in Peru and casually tosses in an excellent airplane turbulence metaphor to describe human physiology. Stick around for the ABBA shout-out.Prof. Dorsey joins our regular host, Prof. Chris Lynn, as well as returning guest host…

This week, Chris and guest co-host Cristina catch up with Georgia Scott, a master's student studying bioarchaeology at the University of Nevada, Reno. Her research interests focus on mortuary practices and treatment of the deceased, both past and present. Georgia received her Bachelor of Science in Anthropology from Montana State University and has…

There are so many misconceptions, misunderstandings, and straight up myths regarding the Scottish clans. For this episode I'm taking comments from Scottish scholar, Prof. Murray Pittock, who teaches at the University of Glasgow. These comments come from an interview he did on the History Extra Podcast. Get ready to have some of your current underst…

Chris and Cristina sit down with Dr. Molly Fox, Associate Professor of Anthropology and of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at UCLA. She studies the evolutionary context of chronic disease and the biosocial relationships between grandmothers, mothers, and children.Her current research projects investigate (1) the biological embedding of immigr…

Dee Jolly, PhD student in anthropology at the University of Oregon, joins Cara and Courtney to discuss how stigma affects the health of trans and gender diverse people.Dee is currently a 2nd year PhD student, working with Prof. Zachary DuBois. They finished their undergraduate studies at the University of Florida in 2016 and then earned a Master's …

Cara and Chris chat with Dr. Rob Tennyson, a Postdoctoral scholar in the Department of Biobehavioral Health at Penn State University and a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Sociology Department at the University of Utah, who received his PhD in Biological Anthropology from the University of Washington in 2022. His research focuses on psychosocial stress, …

Through thick and thin, the MacRaes were there for the Mackenzies. In this episode I discuss what it might have meant that the MacRaes were "Mackenzie's Shirt of Mail." I share one example of this from the battle known as Blar na Pairce. Sources: https://archive.org/details/historyofclanmac00macr for a pdf download https://electricscotland.com/webc…

Welcome to Bizarro World, Sausage of Science listeners! Cara is on the show today ...as a guest! She is joined by Sarah Lacy to discuss their recent American Anthropologist articles "Woman the hunter: The physiological evidence" and "Woman the hunter: The archaeological evidence."Also, please welcome guest host, and HBA webmaster, Courtney Manthey-…

Twice the Caras! Cara and Cristina interview Dr. Cara Wall-Scheffler, professor and co-chair of Biology at Seattle Pacific University and an affiliate professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Washington. Her research focuses on the evolution of human sexual dimorphism, particularly in the context of balancing the pressures o…

I read this story and had to share it with you. It's a story of a man's love for a woman, but it's not romantic. It's two brothers taking care of their sister in a heroic way. Having a sister myself, I love it! Contribute to the Cause! www.scottish-clans.com/team Sponsor: www.usakilts.com Podcast website with other resources: www.scottish-clans.com…

Prof. Liz Mallott of Washington University in St. Louis joins Chris and Cristina to talk about her research on the human microbiome.-----------------------------------------------------------------Dr. Liz Mallott is an assistant professor of Biology at Washington University in St. Louis. Professor Mallott’s research examines how social and environm…

Season 6 premiere. Cara’s back! Chris and Cara chat with Dr. Saige Kelmelis, a biological anthropologist specializing in bioarchaeology, paleodemography, paleoepidemiology, and forensic anthropology. Her research involves the study of human skeletal and dental remains to reconstruct aspects of life, health, disease, identity, and demography. She in…

This is the second part of my discussion with Prof. Ali Cathcart, of the University of Stirling. If you want to know more about the Scottish clans, then this is a must. Sponsor: www.usakilts.com My website: www.scottish-clans.com. You will find links to: my online course on the origins of the Scottish clans. Where you can contribute to the cause. f…

I'm excited to share with you my conversation with Ali Cathcart! We covered such topics as: The Highland/Lowland divide (did clans exist in the Lowlands?), Variety among the Highland clans, information on specific clans like the Mackintoshes, Gordons, MacPhersons, and more! Enjoy Prof. Cathcart's wealth of knowledge in helping us understand the Sco…

For the last episode in this mini-series, I take a look at a few more clans and their claim to have fought at Bannockburn. Did these clans even exist at the time? Is it plausible, if they weren't yet a clan, that their ancestors were still there, stomping the English alongside Robert the Bruce and his allies? This episode was inspired by a video by…

This episode is part 2 of 3 as I go over additional claims of clans that claim to have fought at Bannockburn. Were they even in existence long enough for this claim to be true? Part 3 will be delayed as the next episode I publish will be my interview with Professor Ali Cathcart who teaches at the University of Stirling. I hope you enjoy this episod…

Many clans claim to have fought at the Battle of Bannockburn on 23-24 June, 1314. This battle happened at an interesting time for the clans as we would recognize them. Some of them had taken shape by this point and some hadn't. My goal here is not to proclaim whether they were definitively there or not. Rather, I look at scholarly sources and the a…

The show is currently on summer hiatus as most of our staff work on their research.New episodes will be back in the fall.In the meantime, we have a special bonus episode of the podcast. Prof. Joseph L. Graves Jr. of North Carolina A&T University reads an excerpt from his book A Voice in the Wilderness: A Pioneering Biologist Explains How Evolution …

This second part of the MacNeil episodes is taken from a book called "Highlanders: A History of the Scottish Gaels," by John MacLeod. It focuses on the MacNeils of Barra and their piratical activities. I hope you enjoy! Check out the links below for more great content! Podcast website: www.scottish-clans.com New online course on the origins of the …

This clan only has one chief: Macneil of Barra. Should there be another? This and more on the MacNeils in this episode. Make sure to check out the next episode, a part 2 on the MacNeils, which is already available. Check out the links below for more great content! Online course on the origins of the Scottish Clans: www.scottish-clans.com/origins. P…

Highland clan origin legends were not intended to convey absolute truth to later generations about how the clan started. Well, then what were they intended for? For this episode, I share from a book by Michael Newton, The Everyday Life of the Clans of the Scottish Highlands. We start by learning about some of the purposes of these legends generally…

In this episode, Ethan gets more specific with how the study of DNA helps us understand the history of specific clans, their origins (both in support and in denial of some legends), and their relationships to each other. Among the clans we discussed were Clan Sorley (MacDonalds, MacRorys, and MacDougals), Sìol Ailpein (Grants, MacGregors, MacKinnon…

I'm excited to share with you all a milestone in this podcast's history. Ethan Hunt joins us to teach us how the DNA helps us understand the history of the Scottish clans. This is the first interview that I have run (USA Kilts ran the only other interview I've done for this)! Expect to see more of these in the future. In this Part 1 episode, Ethan …

Anwesha Pan joins Chris and Mallika to talk about her work on famine and fecundability in Bangladesh as well as the connection between neighborhood-level family poverty and ovarian reserve.This is the season finale -- please check back in the fall for new content! Thank you to Mallika for filling in as co-host this season!--------------------------…

Chris welcomes guest co-host, Cristina Gildee, to chat with Sofiya Shreyer, a Ph.D. student in the Anthropology Department at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Sofiya is passionate about increasing research and education on menopause and other understudied women's health issues, such as PCOS, endometriosis, and sexual wellness. Under the gui…