Scholars@Duke
Herman Pontzer

Herman Pontzer

Jerry G. and Patricia Crawford Hubbard Professor of Evolutionary Anthropology
Evolutionary Anthropology

Academic Honors

AAAS Fellow

Other American Association for the Advancement of Science · 2025 More about this honor

Outstanding Scholar Alumni Award

University Schreyer Honors College, Penn State University · 2017 More about this honor

40 Under 40 Rising Stars in New York Food Policy,

Scholarly Society New York City Food Policy Center · 2017 More about this honor

Presidential Award for Distinguished Scholarship

University Hunter College, City University of New York · 2016

Earle H. & Suzanne S. Harbison Faculty Fellowship

University Washington University, St. Louis · 2010

Herrnstein Prize

University Harvard University, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences · 2006 awarded annually to the dissertation that "best exhibits excellent scholarship, originality and breadth of thought, and a commitment to intellectual independence."

News Items

Published April 24, 2026
Nine Faculty Named 2026 Bass Chairs
Published March 26, 2026
Two Duke Faculty Elected as AAAS Fellows
Published January 20, 2026
Why Exercise Doesn’t Burn More Calories — and Why That’s Not the Point
Published October 9, 2025
Childhood Stress Linked to Chronic Disease in Adulthood
Published July 15, 2025
Health Lessons From Animal Herders in Kenya
Published June 16, 2025
Summer Reading: Duke Authors’ Hot New Books
Published February 16, 2023
A 36-Hour Stay in a Chamber to Advance Metabolism
Published January 25, 2022
To Save Energy in Extreme Situations, Go Faster
Published January 13, 2022
Risky Food-Finding Strategy Could be the Key to Human Success
Published August 12, 2021
Metabolism Changes With Age, Just Not When You Might Think
Published July 22, 2021
National Public Radio
A Hunter-Gatherer's Guide to a Modern Weight-Loss Diet
Published March 29, 2021
Duke Research Blog
How Human Evolution Busts Myths about Diet and Exercise
Published March 5, 2021
Humans Evolved to Be the Water-Saving Ape
Published September 25, 2020
Seven Million Years of Human Evolution, Captured in 12 Minutes
Published March 3, 2020
Duke Research Blog
Paleo Health Fact and Fiction
Published June 5, 2019
Is There a Limit to Human Endurance? Science Says Yes
Published January 17, 2019
Living Like a Caveman Won’t Make You Thin. But it Might Make You Healthy
Published August 14, 2018
New York Times
How Body Type May Determine Runners’ and Swimmers’ Destinies
Published October 31, 2017
Vox
Why you shouldn't exercise to lose weight, explained with 60+ studies
Published May 4, 2016
The Atlantic
Humans Paid for Bigger Brains With Gas-Guzzling Bodies
Published December 15, 2015
New York Times
The Unexpected Science of Exercise