Fig. 5: The “From Fossils to Mind” framework.

Endocasts provide information about brain anatomy and vasculature in extinct hominin species, and evidence for their behavior can be gleaned from the archeological record. These data can be interpreted by integrating ancient DNA with new experimental methods at multiple scales (e.g., cell biology, anatomy, genetics, and organoids). To accelerate progress, researchers should collaborate in diverse teams and make their data accessible, findable, and reusable. Created with Biorender.com. Chord diagram done with Flourish (https://app.flourish.studio). The photo of the fossil cast in the center was composited from Australopithecus africanus - Cast of Taung child by Didier Descouens, available under CC BY-SA 4.0 at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Australopithecus_africanus_-_Cast_of_taung_child.jpg.