The main instruments to produce the synthesis output is the organisation of collaborative groups of ten to fifteen scholars who can share their views, expertise, and data, to produce scientific contributions that are testing hypotheses and theories at the “meta”-level.
Synthesis groups are functioning on the proposal of two co-leaders who have proposed a theme of research to our annual call; they have developed a coherent work plan to test their hypothesis, and they gathered scholars from all horizons to tackle it. Once a group is accepted, it will receive funds to meet for several 5-day meetings, intercalated with online meetings, until objectives are reached.
Each scientific output will be accompanied with a press release and media outreach. Example of topics of project can be:
- Did Neanderthals have different ethno-cultures?
- Was fire an adaptation against cold during the paleolithic?
- Did crop farming change our foot morphology?
- What is a “fast expansion” out of Africa?
Some synthesis groups can be exclusively composed of researchers, whereas some groups can be made of scholars that are also working in rescue archaeology, administrations, or evolutionary medicine.