Being a hominid in the late Pleistocene era (125,000 to 10,000 years ago) was a rough gig. In addition to hunting, gathering, and evolving, our ancestors had to deal with a fickle climate. The planet’s mean temperature varied over a range of about 46 degrees Fahrenheit, forcing hominid groups to wander far and wide in search of kinder climes and better grub. As these groups spread over the face of the Earth, they often bumped into each other – to violent effect: Conflicts between…

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Read more stories by Alana Conner.