New find in Portugal

A 24,500-year-old skeleton found in Portugal shows Neandertals and early modern humans intermixed and produced children, said Erik Trinkaus, Ph.D., professor of anthropology in Arts and Sciences. Trinkaus is the principal paleontologist examining a 4-year-old child's skeleton that was excavated from the Abrigo do Lagar Velho, near Leiria, Portugal, about 90 miles north of Lisbon.

Radiocarbon dating recently confirmed the age of the skeleton, indicating the child lived 4,000 years after the time that Neandertals and early modern humans coexisted on the Iberian Peninsula, said Trinkaus, a renowned paleontologist who has written several books and numerous articles on Neandertals and early modern humans. The discovery challenges the commonly held theory that the Neandertals were not direct ancestors of modern humans.

"This find tells us what it means to be human," said Trinkaus, who is working with João Zilhão, Portugal's director of antiquities and head of the excavation team.

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Clowning around

For Jane Abendschein and Dana Abendschein, Ph.D., time off from work is just an excuse to help clowns-in-training learn to apply makeup at the kitchen sink. Or to moonlight as their own favorite alter egos: Belle and Liberty, white-faced clowns decked in blazing blue, cherry red and white costumes who help bring joy to families hit hard by life's struggles.

The administrative assistant and the medical researcher at the School of Medicine have joined forces for 10 years to visit inmates at nearby prisons, to brighten hosptial patients' days and to teach the artistry and history of clowning. Dana has done it for even longer, sometimes traveling overseas for clown activities. "We go wherever the need for diversion and laughter -- the medicines we provide -- are needed most," said Dana, an associate professor of medicine and of cell biology and physiology.

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Law clinics confront tough issues

Immersing themselves in contested child custody cases, adult and child orders of protection and child support hearings, students in the School of Law's Civil Justice Clinic learn effective lawyering skills -- and make a difference in the lives of neglected children and adult domestic abuse victims.

"The clinic exposes students to people who are living in incredibly dire circumstances," said Jane H. Aiken, J.D., professor of law, who has taught the clinic the last two years.

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Women's Society makes student's dream a reality

Thanks to the Women's Society of Washington University, Sarah Wood, a student at the Meramec Campus of St. Louis Community College, will be attending school here on a full tuition scholarship.

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