Evolutionary Biology | Human Nature Lab | Human Nature Lab at Yale

Characterization of gut microbiomes in rural Honduras reveals uncharacterized species and associations with human genetic variation

6 | Biomarker , Evolutionary Biology , Genetics , Honduras , LMIC , Microbiome

Citation:

Beghini F, Brito IL, Gerstein M, Christakis NA. Characterization of gut microbiomes in rural Honduras reveals uncharacterized species and associations with human genetic variation. Cell Rep. 2026 Jan 27;45(1):116724. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2025.116724. Epub 2025 Dec 18. PMID: 41420859.

Assortative mating at loci under recent natural selection in humans

7 | Methodology , Behavior Genetics , Evolutionary Biology , Genetics , NAC Favorite , Homophily , Marriage

Citation:

A. Nishi, M. Alexander, J.H. Fowler, and N. A. Christakis, “Assortative mating at loci under recent natural selection in humans,” BioSystems, Volume 187, January 2020, 104040 (Oct 2019) DOI: 10.1016/j.biosystems.2019.104040

Formation of Raiding Parties for Inter-Group Violence is Mediated by Social Network Structure

9 | Evolutionary Biology , LMIC , NAC Favorite , PNAS , Social Network , Sociocentric Network , Indigenous Social Network , Friendship , Violence

Citation:

L. Glowacki, A. Isakov, R. W. Wrangham, R. McDermott, J. H. Fowler, and N. A. Christakis, "Formation of Raiding Parties for Inter-Group Violence is Mediated by Social Network Structure" PNAS: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2016 Oct 25;113(43):12114-12119. 10.1073/pnas.1610961113

Social Connectedness Is Associated with Fibrinogen Level in a Human Social Network

5 | Biomarker , Social Network , Sociocentric Network , NAC Favorite , Evolutionary Biology

Citation:

D.A. Kim, E. Benjamin, J.H. Fowler, and N.A. Christakis, "Social Connectedness Is Associated with Fibrinogen Level in a Human Social Network" Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 283: 20160958 (August 2016) doi: 10.1098/rspb.2016.0958

Friendship and Natural Selection (PNAS, 2014)

6 | Evolutionary Biology , Friendship , Genetics , NAC Favorite , PNAS , Social Network

Citation:

N.A. Christakis and J.H. Fowler, "Friendship and Natural Selection" PNAS: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111 (Supplement 3): 10796-10801 (July, 2014) doi: 10.1073/pnas.1400825111

Evolutionary Origin of the Endowment Effect: Evidence from Hunter-Gatherers

5 | Evolutionary Biology , Indigenous Social Network , Economics , NAC Favorite , Tanzania

Citation:

C.L. Apicella, E.M. Azevedo, J.H. Fowler, and N.A. Christakis, "Evolutionary Origin of the Endowment Effect: Evidence from Hunter-Gatherers" American Economic Review, 104(6): 1793-1805 (2014); 10.1257/aer.104.6.1793

The Evolution of Homophily

5 | Methodology , Evolutionary Biology , Homophily , NAC Favorite , Public Goods

Citation:

F. Fu, M. Nowak, N.A. Christakis, and J.H. Fowler, "The Evolution of Homophily" Nature Scientific Reports, 2: 845 (November 2012); http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/srep00845

Most Reported Genetic Associations with General Intelligence Are Probably False Positives

3 | Methodology , Behavior Genetics , Evolutionary Biology

Citation:

C.F. Chabris, B.M. Hebert, D.J. Benjamin, J. Beauchamp, D. Cesarini, M. van der Loos, M. Johannesson, P.K. E. Magnusson, P. Lichtenstein, C.S. Atwood, J. Freese, T.S. Hauser, R.M. Hauser, N.A. Christakis, D. Laibson, "Most Reported Genetic Associations with General Intelligence Are Probably False Positives" Psychological Science, 23(11): 1314-1323 (November 2012); http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0956797611435528

Evolution of In-Group Favoritism

3 | Evolutionary Biology , Violence , Public Goods

Citation:

F. Fu, C.E. Tarnita, N.A. Christakis, L. Wang, D.G. Rand, and M.A. Nowak, "Evolution of In-Group Favoritism" Nature Scientific Reports, 2: 460 (June 2012); http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/srep00460

Social Networks and Cooperation in Hunter-Gatherers (Nature, 2012)

11 | LMIC , Cooperation , Tanzania , Social Network , Evolutionary Biology , NAC Favorite , Nature , Homophily , Indigenous Social Network , Friendship , Public Goods

Citation:

C.L. Apicella, F.W. Marlowe, J.H. Fowler, and N.A. Christakis, "Social Networks and Cooperation in Hunter-Gatherers" Nature, 481(7382): 497-501 (January 2012)

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