When moms got more help, humans got more social

Grandmas, it turns out, may have been one key to our development as a species: A study of hunter-gatherers in Tanzania found that grandmothers were critical to keeping a family fed. Another researcher says that our ancestors' social skills may have arisen not from coordinating hunts but from babies adapting to multiple caregivers.

CNN Farewell to the globe’s greatest dinner guest Anthony Bourdain wasn't just a gourmand or a TV travel guide, writes NPR critic Linda Holmes, he was the foremost role model for tempering a voracious appetite for exploration with a profound respect for the cultures being explored. The 61-year-old chef apparently killed himself this week, just as suicide is increasingly becoming a public health crisis in the United States. Bourdain had a snarl and a cutting tongue, Holmes writes — but he seemed to treat the world as if around any given corner, one might encounter something amazing. James Yang for NPR In the online marketplace, an NPR survey finds that there is Amazon — and there are the retailers that share the bits left behind What started as an online bookstore has made its offerings encyclopedic. Amazon has captured almost every online shopper: Of Americans who’ve bought anything online, nearly 92 percent have made a purchase on the site and 44 percent buy from there at least once a month. More shoppers start their browsing at Amazon than with a Google search. The company says it’s still smaller than physical retailers; analysts say it has avoided regulation because its bulk hasn’t hurt customers — yet. Andres Gonzalez The impossible weight of American mourning It’s one more aspect of our national ritual around mass shootings: People from across the country add letters, teddy bears and more to memorials and send them to victims. To the senders, it’s comforting, but for recipients, it’s often overwhelming — filling crates, rooms, entire buildings with literally tons of sympathetic gestures. Photographer Andres Gonzalez is documenting the collective memento mori and hopes viewers come to a simple understanding: These condolences aren't enough. Fabio Consoli for NPR Babysitters, tuber-diggers: Studies show the rise of grandmas helped babies thrive — and evolve For decades, a "man the hunter" theory of early humans prevailed, with the image of societies and interactions revolving around bagging big game. But new research suggests that women likely brought home a lot more food. When grandmothers were added to the mix, babies ate better and may have developed better social skills to manage their multiple caregivers. “Human children are adapted for cooperation … in ways that apes aren't," says a psychologist. Fayez Nureldine/AFP/Getty Images Saudi Arabia’s dating scene is loosening up. A little bit. Slowly. As the kingdom begins to permit socializing opportunities such as movies, music and theater, more unrelated men and women are openly mixing in public. Women are becoming more proactive and powerful in pursuit of relationships, some say — though not so powerful that most of these fledgling Tinder users would let NPR use their names. "You can't tell your parents that you're dating someone," one woman says. You received this message because you're subscribed to our Best of NPR emails. |  Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy | NPR 1111 N. CAPITOL ST. NE WASHINGTON DC 20002