Growing Up in the Ice Age: Smithsonian Associate Dr. April Nowell
The Not Old Better Show, Smithsonian Associates Interview Series
Welcome to The Not Old Better Show, Smithsonian Associates interview series on radio and podcast. I’m Paul Vogelzang, and today we have an extraordinary episode for you. We’ll be speaking with Smithsonian Associate Dr. April Nowell, a distinguished Paleolithic archaeologist and professor of anthropology, whose groundbreaking work is giving a voice to a forgotten and overlooked population from the Ice Age—children.
In prehistoric societies, children made up nearly half of the population, but until recently, their roles in the ancient world have been largely invisible. When we think of our Ice Age ancestors, we tend to imagine adults—hunting, gathering, crafting tools, and creating art. But what about the infants, toddlers, and adolescents living alongside them? Dr. Nowell’s research challenges us to reframe how we understand the past. Smithsonian Associate Dr. April Nowell will be presesnting at Smithsonian Associates coming up. Please check out our show notes for more details about Dr. Nowell’s presentation titled: Growing Up in the Ice Age.
But we have Dr. Nowell briefly today and we’ll learn that through meticulous analysis of archaeological finds—like tiny, fragile teeth, playful handprints on cave walls, and the novice tools left behind by young hands—Dr. Nowell has unearthed the rich, active lives of prehistoric children. These children didn’t just observe the world around them; they contributed to their communities in profound ways—helping to make tools, gather food, and even participate in early art and play that shaped their cognitive and cultural development.
Dr. Nowell will take us on a journey back in time, as we learn how Ice Age children played, learned, and adapted to a challenging environment, leaving marks—literally and figuratively—that have lasted tens of thousands of years. Their contributions weren’t just crucial to their survival, but to the survival and flourishing of humanity itself. In a time when their small bones and quiet voices have long since disappeared, Dr. Nowell’s research brings these children back into focus, helping us understand how their lives shaped the culture, survival, and innovation of our species.
It’s an honor to have Dr. Nowell here today, and I’m excited to dive into her fascinating work and the compelling stories she’s uncovered about childhood in the Ice Age. So, without further ado, let’s begin our conversation with Dr. April Nowell. Welcome to the show.”
My thanks to Smithsonian Associate Dr. April Nowell. Smithsonian Associate Dr. April Nowell will be appearing at Smithsonian Associates and you’ll find details in our show notes today about her upcoming presentation, titled, Growing Up in the Ice Age. My thanks to the Smithsonian team for all they do for the show. My thanks to executive editor Sam Heninger and my thanks to you our wonderful audience here on radio and podcast. Thanks everybody and we’ll see you next week.