Richard Potts

• B.A., Temple University
• Ph.D., Harvard University

Paleoanthropologist Dr. Rick Potts founded and directs the Human Origins Program at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC. In partnership with the National Museums of Kenya, Rick leads ongoing excavations in the Rift Valley of southern Kenya and the Homa Peninsula, Kenya. After receiving his PhD in biological anthropology at Harvard University in 1982, he taught at Yale before joining the Smithsonian in 1985. Rick’s research investigates Earth’s environmental dynamics and the processes that have led to human evolutionary adaptations. His ideas about the significant effect of environmental instability on human evolution have stimulated new studies in Earth sciences, paleontology, and biology. He is also curator of the Smithsonian’s Hall of Human Origins.

Journal Article

• Finestone, Emma M., Plummer, Thomas W., Vincent, Thomas H., Blumenthal, Scott A., Ditchfield, Peter W., Bishop, Laura C., Oliver, James S., Herries, Andy I. R., Palfery, Christopher Vere, Lane, Timothy P., McGuire, Elizabeth, Reeves, Jonathan S., Rodés, Angel, Whitfield, Elizabeth, Braun, David R., Bartilol, Simion K., Rotich, Nelson Kiprono, Parkinson, Jennifer A., Lemorini, Cristina, Caricola, Isabella, Kinyanjui, Rahab N., and Potts, Richard. 2024. "New Oldowan locality Sare-Abururu (ca. 1.7 Ma) provides evidence of diverse hominin behaviors on the Homa Peninsula, Kenya." Journal of human evolution, 190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2024.103498.
• Owen, R. B., Rabideaux, Nathan, Bright, Jordon, Rosca, Carolina, Renaut, Robin W., Potts, Richard, Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Deino, Alan L., Cohen, Andrew S., Muiruri, Veronica, and Dommain, René. 2024. "Controls on Quaternary geochemical and mineralogical variability in the Koora Basin and South Kenya Rift." Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 637. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2023.111986.
• Plummer, Thomas W., Oliver, James S., Finestone, Emma M., Ditchfield, Peter W., Bishop, Laura C., Blumenthal, Scott A., Lemorini, Cristina, Caricola, Isabella, Bailey, Shara E., Herries, Andy I. R., Parkinson, Jennifer A., Whitfield, Elizabeth, Hertel, Fritz, Kinyanjui, Rahab N., Vincent, Thomas H., Li, Youjuan, Louys, Julien, Frost, Stephen R., Braun, David R., Reeves, Jonathan S., Early, Emily D. G., Onyango, Blasto, Lamela-Lopez, Raquel, Forrest, Frances L., He, Huaiyu et al. 2023. "Expanded geographic distribution and dietary strategies of the earliest Oldowan hominins and Paranthropus." Science, 379, (6632) 561–566. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abo7452.
• Chirchir, Habiba, Ruff, Christopher, Helgen, Kristofer M., and Potts, Richard. 2022. "Effects of reduced mobility on trabecular bone density in captive big cats." Royal Society Open Science, 9, (3). https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.211345.
• Fraser, Danielle, Villaseñor, Amelia, Tóth, Anikó B., Balk, Meghan A., Eronen, Jussi T., Barr, W. Andrew, Behrensmeyer, A. K., Davis, Matt, Du, Andrew, Tyler Faith, J., Graves, Gary R., Gotelli, Nicholas J., Jukar, Advait M., Looy, Cindy V., McGill, Brian J., Miller, Joshua H., Pineda-Munoz, Silvia, Potts, Richard, Shupinski, Alex B., Soul, Laura C., and Lyons, S. Kathleen. 2022. "Late quaternary biotic homogenization of North American mammalian faunas." Nature Communications, 13, (1) 3940. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-31595-8.
• Dommain, René, Riedl, Simon, Olaka, Lydia A., deMenocal, Peter, Deino, Alan L., Owen, R. B., Muiruri, Veronica, Müller, Johannes, Potts, Richard, and Strecker, Manfred R. 2022. "Holocene bidirectional river system along the Kenya Rift and its influence on East African faunal exchange and diversity gradients." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 119, (28). https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2121388119.
• Cohen, Andrew S., Campisano, Christopher J., Arrowsmith, J. R., Asrat, Asfawossen, Beck, Catherine C., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Deino, Alan L., Feibel, Craig S., Foerster, Verena, Kingston, John D., Lamb, Henry F., Lowenstein, Tim K., Lupien, Rachel L., Muiruri, Veronica, Olago, Daniel O., Owen, R. B., Potts, Richard, Russell, James M., Schaebitz, Frank, Stone, Jeffery R., Trauth, Martin H., and Yost, Chad L. 2022. "Reconstructing the Environmental Context of Human Origins in Eastern Africa Through Scientific Drilling." Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences, 50, (1) 451–476. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-earth-031920-081947.
• Muiruri, Veronica, Owen, R. B., Potts, Richard, Deino, Alan L., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Riedl, Simon, Rabideaux, Nathan, Beverly, Emily J., Renaut, Robin W., Moerman, Jessica W., Deocampo, Daniel, Faith, J. T., Noren, Anders, Cohen, Andrew S., Shannon, Kristina Brady, and Dommain, René. 2021. "Quaternary diatoms and palaeoenvironments of the Koora Plain, southern Kenya rift." Quaternary Science Reviews, 267. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2021.107106.
• Fraser, Danielle, Soul, Laura C., Toth, Aniko B., Balk, Meghan A., Eronen, Jussi T., Pineda-Munoz, Silvia, Shupinski, Alexandria B., Villasenor, Amelia, Barr, W. Andrew, Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Du, Andrew, Faith, J. Tyler, Gotelli, Nicholas J., Graves, Gary R., Jukar, Advait M., Looy, Cindy V., Miller, Joshua H., Potts, Richard, and Lyons, S. Kathleen. 2021. "Investigating Biotic Interactions in Deep Time." Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 36, (1) 61–75. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2020.09.001.
• Li, Youjuan, He, Huaiyu, Plummer, Thomas W., Ditchfield, Peter W., Deng, Chenglong, Guo, Zhengtang, and Potts, Richard. 2021. "Exploration of apatite (U-Th)/He geochronological analysis of volcanic units in fossil-bearing strata of the Homa Peninsula, southwestern Kenya." Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology, 579. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2021.110599.
• Lupien, Rachel L., Russell, James M., Subramanian, Avinash, Kinyanjui, Rahab, Beverly, Emily J., Uno, Kevin T., de Menocal, Peter, Dommain, Rene, and Potts, Richard. 2021. "Eastern African environmental variation and its role in the evolution and cultural change of Homo over the last 1 million years." Journal of human evolution, 157. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2021.103028.
• Dommain, René, Andama, Morgan, McDonough, Molly M., Prado, Natalia A., Goldhammer, Tobias, Potts, Richard, Maldonado, Jesús E., Nkurunungi, John Bosco, and Campana, Michael G. 2020. "The Challenges of Reconstructing Tropical Biodiversity With Sedimentary Ancient DNA: A 2200-Year-Long Metagenomic Record From Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda." Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 8 Article 218. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2020.00218.
• Potts, Richard. 2020. "Microevolution in our megadont relative." Nature Ecology & Evolution, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-020-01339-2.
• Potts, Richard, Dommain, René, Moerman, Jessica W., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Deino, Alan L., Riedl, Simon, Beverly, Emily J., Brown, Erik T., Deocampo, Daniel, Kinyanjui, Rahab, Lupien, Rachel, Owen, R. B., Rabideaux, Nathan, Russell, James M., Stockhecke, Mona, deMenocal, Peter, Faith, J. T., Garcin, Yannick, Noren, Anders, Scott, Jennifer J., Western, David, Bright, Jordon, Clark, Jennifer B., Cohen, Andrew S., Keller, C. B. et al. 2020. "Increased ecological resource variability during a critical transition in hominin evolution." Science Advances, 6, (43). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abc8975.
• Bernor, Raymond L., Cirilli, Omar, Jukar, Advait M., Potts, Richard, Buskianidze, Maia, and Rook, Lorenzo. 2019. "Evolution of Early Equus in Italy, Georgia, the Indian Subcontinent, East Africa, and the Origins of African Zebras." Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 7 166–166. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2019.00166.
• Deino, A. L., Dommain, R., Keller, C. B., Potts, Richard, Behrensmeyer, A. K., Beverly, E. J., King, J., Heil, C. W., Stockhecke, M., Brown, E. T., Moerman, J., deMenocal, P., Deocampo, D., Garcin, Y., Levin, N. E., Lupien, R., Owen, R. B., Rabideaux, N., Russell, J. M., Scott, J., Riedl, S., Brady, K., Bright, J., Clark, J. B., Cohen, A. et al. 2019. "Chronostratigraphic model of a high-resolution drill core record of the past million years from the Koora Basin, south Kenya Rift: Overcoming the difficulties of variable sedimentation rate and hiatuses." Quaternary Science Reviews, 215 213–231. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2019.05.009.
• Narasimhan, Vagheesh M., Patterson, Nick, Moorjani, Priya, Rohland, Nadin, Bernardos, Rebecca, Mallick, Swapan, Lazaridis, Losif, Nakatsuka, Nathan, Olalde, Iffigo, Lipson, Mark, Kim, Alexander M., Olivieri, Luca M., Coppa, Alfredo, Vidale, Massimo, Mallory, James, Moiseyev, Vyacheslav, Kitov, Egor, Monge, Janet, Adamski, Nicole, Alexi, Neel, Broomandkhoshbacht, Nasreen, Candilio, Francesca, Callan, Kimberly, Cheronet, Olivia, Culleton, Brendan J. et al. 2019. "The formation of human populations in South and Central Asia." Science, 365, (6457) 999–+. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aat7487.
• Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Potts, Richard, and Deino, Alan. 2018. "The Oltulelei Formation of the southern Kenyan Rift Valley: A chronicle of rapid landscape transformation over the last 500 k.y." GSA Bulletin, 130, (9/10) 1474–1492. https://doi.org/10.1130/B31853.1.
• Brooks, Alison S., Yellen, John E., Potts, Richard, Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Deino, Alan L., Leslie, David E., Ambrose, Stanley H., Ferguson, Jeffrey R., d'Errico, Francesco, Zipkin, Andrew M., Whittaker, Scott, Post, Jeffrey, Veatch, E. Grace, Foecke, Kimberly, and Clark, Jennifer B. 2018. "Long-distance stone transport and pigment use in the earliest Middle Stone Age." Science, 360, (6384) 90–94. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aao2646.
• Deino, Alan L., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Brooks, Alison S., Yellen, John E., Sharp, Warren D., and Potts, Richard. 2018. "Chronology of the Acheulean to Middle Stone Age transition in eastern Africa." Science, 360, (6384) 95–98. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aao2216.
• Potts, Richard. 2018. "New Developments in Sediment Coring and Implications for Understanding Human Evolution." Theoretical Biology Forum, 111, (1-2) 99–104. https://doi.org/10.19272/201811402011.
• Potts, Richard, Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Faith, J. Tyler, Tryon, Christian A., Brooks, Alison S., Yellen, John E., Deino, Man L., Kinyanjui, Rahab, Clark, Jennifer B., Haradon, Catherine M., Levin, Naomi E., Meijer, Hanneke J. M., Veatch, E. Grace, Owen, R. Bernhart, and Renaut, Robin W. 2018. "Environmental dynamics during the onset of the Middle Stone Age in eastern Africa." Science, 360, (6384) 86–90. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aao2200.
• Campisano, Christopher J., Cohen, Andrew S., Arrowsmith, J. Ramon, Asrat, Asfawossen, Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Brown, Erik T., Deino, Alan L., Deocampo, Daniel M., Feibel, Craig S., Kingston, John D., Lamb, Henry F., Lowenstein, Tim K., Noren, Anders, Olago, Daniel O., Owen, R. Bernhart, Pelletier, Jon D., Potts, Richard, Reed, Kaye E., Renaut, Robin W., Russell, James M., Russell, Joellen L., Schabitz, Frank, Stone, Jeffrey R., Trauth, Martin H., and Wynn, Jonathan G. 2017. "The Hominin Sites and Paleolakes Drilling Project: High-Resolution Paleoclimate Records from the East African Rift System and Their Implications for Understanding the Environmental Context of Hominin Evolution." PaleoAnthropology, 1–43. https://doi.org/10.1130/abs/2017am-295426.
• Chirchir, Habiba, Ruff, Christopher B., Junno, Juho-Antti, and Potts, Richard. 2017. "Low trabecular bone density in recent sedentary modern humans." American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 162, (3) 550–560. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.23138.
• Douka, Katerina, Slon, Viviane, Stringer, Chris, Potts, Richard, Hübner, Alexander, Meyer, Matthias, Spoor, Fred, Pääbo, Svante, and Higham, Tom. 2017. "Direct radiocarbon dating and DNA analysis of the Darra-i-Kur (Afghanistan) human temporal bone." Journal of human evolution, 107 86–93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2017.03.003.
• Cohen, A., Campisano, C., Arrowsmith, R., Asrat, A., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Deino, A., Feibel, C., Hill, A., Johnson, R., Kingston, J., Lamb, H., Lowenstein, T., Noren, A., Olago, D., Owen, R. B., Potts, Richard, Reed, K., Renaut, R., Schäbitz, F., Tiercelin, J. -J, Trauth, M. H., Wynn, J., Ivory, S., Brady, K., O'Grady, R. et al. 2016. "The Hominin Sites and Paleolakes Drilling Project: inferring the environmental context of human evolution from eastern African rift lake deposits." Scientific Drilling, 21 1–16. https://doi.org/10.5194/sd-21-1-2016.
• Kinyanjui, R. N., Potts, Richard, Behrensmeyer, Anna K., and Bamford, M. 2016. "Comparing the Quaternary palaeoenvironments of two major Hominin sites: the Olorgesailie and Koobi Fora Basins, Kenya." Quaternary International, 404 207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2015.08.196.
• Lyons, S. Kathleen, Amatangelo, Kathryn L., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Bercovici, Antoine, Blois, Jessica L., Davis, Matt, DiMichele, William A., Du, Andrew, Eronen, Jussi T., Faith, J. Tyler, Graves, Gary R., Jud, Nathan, Labandeira, Conrad C., Looy, Cindy V., McGill, Brian, Miller, Joshua H., Patterson, David, Pineda-Munoz, Silvia, Potts, Richard, Riddle, Brett, Terry, Rebecca, Tóth, Anikó, Ulrich, Werner, Villaseñor, Amelia, Wing, Scott L. et al. 2016. "Holocene shifts in the assembly of plant and animal communities implicate human impacts." Nature, (529) 80–83. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature16447.
• Lyons, S. Kathleen, Miller, Joshua H., Amatange, Kathryn L., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Bercovici, Antoine, Blois, Jessica L., Davis, Matt, DiMichele, William A., Du, Andrew, Eronen, Jussi T., Faith, J. T., Graves, Gary R., Jud, Nathan, Labandeira, Conrad C., Looy, Cindy V., McGill, Brian, Patterson, David, Pineda-Munoz, Silvia, Potts, Richard, Riddle, Brett, Terry, Rebecca, Tóth, Anikó, Ulrich, Werner, Villaseñor, Amelia, Wing, Scott L. et al. 2016. "Lyons et al. reply." Nature, 538, (7626) E3–E4. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature20097.
• Lyons, S. Kathleen, Miller, Joshua H., Tóth, Anikó, Amatangelo, Kathryn L., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Bercovici, Antoine, Blois, Jessica L., Davis, Matt, DiMichele, William A., Du, Andrew, Eronen, Jussi T., Faith, J. T., Graves, Gary R., Jud, Nathan, Labandeira, Conrad C., Looy, Cindy V., McGill, Brian, Patterson, David, Pineda-Munoz, Silvia, Potts, Richard, Riddle, Brett, Terry, Rebecca, Ulrich, Werner, Villaseñor, Amelia, Wing, Scott L. et al. 2016. "Questioning Holocene community shifts Reply." Nature, 537, (7618) E5–E6. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature19111.
• Potts, Richard and Faith, J. T. 2015. "Alternating high and low climate variability: The context of natural selection and speciation in Plio-Pleistocene hominin evolution." Journal of human evolution, 87 5–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2015.06.014.
• Antón, Susan C., Potts, Richard, and Aiello, Leslie C. 2014. "Evolution of early Homo: An integrated biological perspective." Science, 345, (6192). https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1236828.
• Blois, Jessica L., Gotelli, Nicholas J., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Faith, J. T., Lyons, Sara K., Williams, John W., Amatangelo, Kathryn L., Bercovici, Antoine, Du, Andrew, Eronen, Jussi T., Graves, Gary R., Jud, Nathan, Labandeira, Conrad C., Looy, Cindy V., McGill, Brian, Patterson, David, Potts, Richard, Riddle, Brett, Terry, Rebecca, Tóth, Anikó, Villaseñor, Amelia, and Wing, Scott L. 2014. "A framework for evaluating the influence of climate, dispersal limitation, and biotic interactions using fossil pollen associations across the late Quaternary." Ecography, 37, (11) 1095–1108. https://doi.org/10.1111/ecog.00779.
• Lemorini, Cristina, Plummer, Thomas W., Braun, David R., Crittenden, Alyssa N., Ditchfield, Peter W., Bishop, Laura C., Hertel, Fritz, Oliver, James S., Marlowe, Frank W., Schoeninger, Margaret J., and Potts, Richard. 2014. "Old stones' song: Use-wear experiments and analysis of the Oldowan quartz and quartzite assemblage from Kanjera South (Kenya)." Journal of human evolution, 72 10–25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2014.03.002.
• Owen, R. Bernhart, Renaut, Robin W., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., and Potts, Richard. 2014. "Quaternary geochemical stratigraphy of the Kedong-Olorgesailie section of the southern Kenya Rift valley." Palaeogeography palaeoclimatology palaeoecology, 396 194–212. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2014.01.011.
• Ferraro, Joseph V., Plummer, Thomas W., Pobiner, Briana L., Oliver, James S., Bishop, Laura C., Braun, David R., Ditchfield, Peter W., Seaman, John W., III, Binetti, Katie M., Seaman, John W., Jr., Hertel, Fritz, and Potts, Richard. 2013. "Earliest Archaeological Evidence of Persistent Hominin Carnivory." Plos One, 8, (4) e62174. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0062174.
• Lee, Ray K. L., Owen, R. B., Renaut, Robin W., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Potts, Richard, and Sharp, Warren D. 2013. "Facies, geochemistry and diatoms of late Pleistocene Olorgesailie tufas, southern Kenya Rift." Palaeogeography palaeoclimatology palaeoecology, 374 197–217. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2013.01.019.
• Potts, Richard. 2013. "Hominin evolution in settings of strong environmental variability." Quaternary Science Reviews, 73 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2013.04.003.
• Faith, J. T., Potts, Richard, Plummer, Thomas W., Bishop, Laura C., Marean, Curtis W., and Tryon, Christian A. 2012. "New perspectives on middle Pleistocene change in the large mammal faunas of East Africa: Damaliscus hypsodon sp. nov. (Mammalia, Artiodactyla) from Lainyamok, Kenya." Palaeogeography palaeoclimatology palaeoecology, 361-362 84–93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2012.08.005.
• Potts, Richard. 2012. "Environmental and Behavioral Evidence Pertaining to the Evolution of Early Homo." Current Anthropology, 53 S299–S317. https://doi.org/10.1086/667704.
• Owen, R. B., Renaut, R. W., Potts, Richard, and Behrensmeyer, Anna K. 2011. "Geochemical trends through time and lateral variability of diatom floras in the Pleistocene Olorgesailie Formation, southern Kenya Rift Valley." Quaternary Research, 76, (1) 167–179. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yqres.2011.05.002.
• Potts, Richard. 2011. "Homo sapiens is a 10? Comment on “Homo sapiens is as Homo sapiens was” by John J. Shea." Current Anthropology, 52, (1) 21–22.
• Potts, Richard. 2011. "Evolution: Big brains explained." Nature, 480, (7375) 43–44. https://doi.org/10.1038/480043a.
• Tryon, Christian A. and Potts, Richard. 2011. "Approaches for Understanding Flake Production in the African Acheulean." PaleoAnthropology, 2011 376–389.
• Deocampo, Daniel M., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., and Potts, Richard. 2010. "Ultrafine Clay Minerals of the Pleistocene Olorgesailie Formation, Southern Kenya Rift: Diagenesis and Paleoenvironments of Early Hominins." Clays and Clay Minerals, 58, (3) 294–310. https://doi.org/10.1346/CCMN.2010.0580301.
• Potts, Richard. 2010. "Presenting Human Evolution to the Public: The Smithsonian’s Hall of Human Origins." AnthroNotes, 31, (1) 11–15. https://doi.org/10.5479/10088/22447.
• Bennington, J. Bret, DiMichele, William A., Badgley, Catherine, Bambach, Richard K., Barrett, Paul M., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Bobe, Rene, Burnham, Robyn J., Daeschler, Edward B., Van Dam, Jan, Eronen, Jussi T., Erwin, Douglas H., Finnegan, Seth, Holland, Steven M., Hunt, Gene, Jablonski, David, Jackson, Stephen T., Jacobs, Bonnie E., Kidwell, Susan M., Koch, Paul L., Kowalewski, Michal J., Labandeira, Conrad C., Looy, Cindy V., Lyons, Sara K., Novack-Gottshall, Philip M. et al. 2009. "Critical Issues of Scale in Paleoecology." Palaios, 24, (1-2) 1–4. https://doi.org/10.2110/palo.2009.S01.
• Cohen, A., Arrowsmith, R., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Campisano, C., Feibel, C., Shimeles Fisseha, N. J., Johnson, R., Bedaso, Z. K., Lockwood, C., Olago, D., and Potts, Richard. 2009. "Scientific Drilling for Human Origins: Exploring the Application of Drill Core Records to Understanding Hominin Evolution. Workshop Report for EOS Supplementary On-line materials." Eos, 90, (14) 122. https://doi.org/10.1029/2009EO140010.
• Owen, R. Bernhart, Potts, Richard, and Behrensmeyer, Anna K. 2009. "Reply to the comment on "Diatomaceous sediments and environmental change in the Pleistocene Olorgesailie Formation, southern Kenya Rift Valley" by R.B. Owen, R. Potts, A.K. Behrensmeyer and P. Ditchfield [Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 269 (2008) 17-37]." Palaeogeography palaeoclimatology palaeoecology, 282, (1-4) 147–148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2008.06.021.
• Owen, R. Bernhart, Renaut, Robin W., Scott, Jennifer J., Potts, Richard, and Behrensmeyer, Anna K. 2009. "Wetland sedimentation and associated diatoms in the Pleistocene Olorgesailie Basin, southern Kenya Rift Valley." Sedimentary Geology, 222, (1-2) 124–137. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sedgeo.2009.03.013.
• Plummer, Thomas W., Ditchfield, Peter W., Bishop, Laura C., Kingston, John D., Ferraro, Joseph V., Braun, David R., Hertel, Fritz, and Potts, Richard. 2009. "Oldest Evidence of Toolmaking Hominins in a Grassland-Dominated Ecosystem." PLoS ONE, 4, (9) e7199. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0007199.
• Braun, David R., Plummer, Thomas, Ditchfield, Peter, Ferraro, Joseph V., Maina, David, Bishop, Laura C., and Potts, Richard. 2008. "Oldowan behavior and raw material transport: perspectives from the Kanjera Formation." Journal of Archaeological Science, 35, (8) 2329–2345. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2008.03.004.
• Hublin, Jean-Jacques, Paeaebo, Svante, Derevianko, Anatoly P., Doronichev, Vladimir B., Golovanova, Liubov V., Friess, Martin, Froment, Alain, Hoffmann, Almut, Jillani Kachache, Ngalla Edward, Kullmer, Ottmar, Lordkipanidze, David, Moncel, Marie-Hlne, Potts, Richard, Radovcic, Jakov, Rak, Yoel Zvi, Richards, Michael, Mndez, Jess Rodrguez, Rosas, Antonio, Schmaude, Michael, Schmit, Ralf W., Semal, Patrick, Smith, Tanya, Tafuri, Mary Anne, Tattersall, Ian, Tournepiche, Jean-Franois et al. 2008. "Suggested guidelines for invasive sampling of hominid remains." Journal of Human Evolution, 55, (4) 756–757. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2008.04.010.
• Olejniczak, A. J., Smith, T. M., Wang, W., Potts, Richard, Ciochon, R., Kullmer, O., Schrenk, F., and Hublin, J. J. 2008. "Molar enamel thickness and dentine horn height in Gigantopithecus blacki." American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 135, (1) 85–91. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.20711.
• Owen, R. B., Potts, Richard, Behrensmeyer, Anna K., and Ditchfield, P. 2008. "Diatomaceous sediments and environmental change in the Pleistocene Olorgesailie Formation, southern Kenya Rift Valley." Palaeogeography palaeoclimatology palaeoecology, 269 17–37.
• Zhu, R. X., Potts, Richard, Pan, Y. X., Lu, L. Q., Yao, H. T., Deng, C. L., and Qin, H. F. 2008. "Paleomagnetism of the Yuanmou Basin near the southeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau and its constraints on late Neogene sedimentation and tectonic rotation." Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 272, (1-2) 97–104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2008.04.016.
• Zhu, R. X., Potts, Richard, Pan, Y. X., Yao, H. T., Lu, L. Q., Zhao, X., Gao, X., Chen, L. W., Gao, F., and Deng, C. L. 2008. "Early evidence of the genus Homo in East Asia." Journal of Human Evolution, 55, (6) 1075–1085. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2008.08.005.
• Phelan, J., Weiner, M. J., Ricci, J. L., Plummer, T., Gauld, S., Potts, Richard, and Bromage, T. G. 2007. "Diagnosis of the pathology of the Kanam mandible." Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, Oral Radiology, and Endodontology, 103, (4). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tripleo.2006.12.041.
• Potts, Richard. 2007. "Paleoclimate and human evolution." Evolutionary Anthropology: Issues, News, and Reviews, 16 1–3.
• Wang, Wei, Potts, Richard, Baoyin, Yuan, Huang, Weiwen, Cheng, Hai, Edwards, R. Lawrence, and Ditchfield, Peter. 2007. "Sequence of mammalian fossils, including hominoid teeth, from the Bubing Basin caves, South China." Journal of Human Evolution, 52, (4) 370–379. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhevol.2006.10.003.
• Bishop, L. C., Plummer, T. W., Ferraro, J., Ditchfield, P. W., Hertel, F., Kingston, J. D., Braun, D., Hicks, J., and Potts, Richard. 2006. "Recent research into Oldowan hominin activities at Kanjera South, Western Kenya." The African Archaeological Review, 23, (1-2) 31–40. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10437-006-9006-1.
• Cohen, A. S., Ashley, G. M., Potts, Richard, Behrensmeyer, Anna K., and Quade, J. 2006. "Paleoclimate and human evolution workshop." Eos, 87, (16) 161. https://doi.org/10.1029/2006EO160008.
• Trueman, C. N., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Potts, Richard, and Tuross, Noreen C. 2006. "High-resolution records of location and stratigraphic provenance from the rare earth element composition of fossil bones." Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 70, (17) 4319–4562. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2006.06.1556.
• Wang, W., Potts, Richard, Hou, Y. M., Chen, Y. F., Wu, H. Y., Yuan, B. Y., and Huang, W. W. 2005. "Early Pleistocene hominid teeth recovered in Mohui cave in Bubing Basin, Guangxi, South China." Chinese Science Bulletin, 50, (23) 2777–2782. https://doi.org/10.1360/982004-614.
• Bonnefille, R., Potts, Richard, Chalié, F., Jolly, D., and Peyron, O. 2004. "High-resolution vegetation and climate change associated with Pliocene Australopithecus afarensis." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 101 12125–12129.
• Potts, Richard. 2004. "The scarcity of African mid-Pleistocene hominin fossils." American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 38 162.
• Potts, Richard. 2004. "Paleoenvironmental basis of cognitive evolution in great apes." American Journal of Primatology, 62 209–228.
• Potts, Richard, Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Deino, A., Ditchfield, P., and Clark, Jennifer B. 2004. "Small mid-Pleistocene hominin associated with East African Acheulean technology." Science, 305 75–78.
• Potts, Richard, Huang, W., Hou, Y., Deino, A., Yuan, B., Guo, Z., and Clark, Jennifer. 2004. "Technical Comments on Mid-Pleistocene Acheulean-like stone technology of the Bose Basin, South China." Science, 287 507a.
• Zhu, R. X., Potts, Richard, Xie, F., Hoffman, K. A., Deng, C. L., Shi, C. D., Pan, Y. X., Wang, H. Q., Shi, R. P., Wang, Y. C., Shi, G. H., and Wu, N. Q. 2004. "New evidence on the earliest human presence at high northern latitudes in northeast Asia." Nature, 431, (7008) 559–562. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature02829.
• Brooks, Alison S. and Potts, Richard. 2003. "New Research in Early Human Origins: 7 to 1 Million Years Ago." AnthroNotes, 24, (2) 1–8, 18-19.
• Zhu, R. X., An, Z., Potts, Richard, and Hoffman, K. A. 2003. "Magnetotratigraphic dating of early humans in China." Earth Science Reviews, 61 341–359.
• Melson, William G. and Potts, Richard. 2002. "Origin of reddened and melted zones in Pleistocene sediments of the Olorgesailie basin, southern Kenya rift." Journal of Archaeological Science, 29, (3) 307–316.
• Plummer, Thomas W., Ferraro, J., Ditchfield, Peter W., Bishop, Laura C., and Potts, Richard. 2001. "Late Pliocene Oldowan excavations at Kanjera South, Kenya." Antiquity, 75 809–810.
• Zhu, R. X., Hoffman, K. A., Potts, Richard, Deng, C. L., Pan, Y. X., Guo, B., Shi, C. D., Guo, Z. T., Yuan, B. Y., Hou, Y. M., and Huang, W. W. 2001. "Earliest presence of humans in northeast Asia." Nature, 413, (6854) 413–417.
• Brooks, Alison S. and Potts, Richard. 2000. "What’s New in Human Evolution?" AnthroNotes,
• Hou, Y. M., Potts, Richard, Yuan, B. Y., Guo, Z. T., Deino, A., Wang, W., Clark, J., Xie, G. M., and Huang, W. W. 2000. "Mid-Pleistocene Acheulean-like stone technology of the Bose basin, South China." Science, 287, (5458) 1622–1626.
• Baoyin, Yuan, Yamei, Hou, Wei, Wang, Potts, Richard, Zhengtang, Guo, and Weiwen, Huang. 1999. "On the Geomorphological Evolution of the Bose Basin, a Lower Paleolithic Locality in South China." Acta Anthropologica Sinica, 18, (3) 215–224.
• Brooks, Alison S. and Potts, Richard. 1999. "New Discoveries in Paleoanthropology: What’s New, What’s True, and What’s Important." AnthroNotes, 21, (2) 1–9. https://doi.org/10.5479/10088/22377.
• Ditchfield, P., Hicks, J., Plummer, T., Bishop, L. C., and Potts, Richard. 1999. "Current research on the Late Pliocene and Pleistocene deposits north of Homa Mountain, southwestern Kenya." Journal of Human Evolution, 36, (2) 123–150.
• Potts, Richard, Behrensmeyer, Anna K., and Ditchfield, P. 1999. "Paleolandscape variation and Early Pleistocene hominid activities: Members 1 and 7, Olorgesailie Formation, Kenya." Journal of Human Evolution, 37, (5) 747–788.
• Sikes, Nancy E., Potts, Richard, and Behrensmeyer, Anna K. 1999. "Early Pleistocene habitat in Member 1 Olorgesailie based on paleosol stable isotopes." Journal of Human Evolution, 37, (5) 721–746.
• Potts, Richard. 1998. "Environmental hypotheses of hominin evolution." Yearbook of Physical Anthropology, 41 93–136.
• Potts, Richard. 1998. "Variability selection in hominid evolution." Evolutionary Anthropology, 7, (3) 81–96. 3.0.CO;2-A">https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1520-6505(1998)7:3<81::AID-EVAN3>3.0.CO;2-A.
• Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Todd, N. E., Potts, Richard, and McBrinn, G. E. 1997. "Late Pliocene faunal turnover in the Turkana Basin, Kenya and Ethiopia." Science, 278, (5343) 1589–1594.
• Potts, Richard. 1996. "Evolution and climate variability." Science, 273, (5277) 922–923.
• Potts, Richard. 1996. "Commentary on Meat eating, hominid sociality and home bases revisited." Current Anthropology, 37 325–327.
• Potts, Richard. 1996. "Environmental variability and its effect on hominid evolution." Acta Anthropologica Sinica, 14 324–339.
• Tuross, Noreen C., Barnes, Ian, and Potts, Richard. 1996. "Protein identification of blood residues on experimental stone tools." Journal of Archaeological Science, 23, (2) 289–296.
• Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Potts, Richard, Plummer, T., Tauxe, L., Opdyke, N., and Jorstad, Thomas F. 1995. "The Pleistocene Locality of Kanjera, Western Kenya - Stratigraphy, Chronology and Paleoenvironments." Journal of Human Evolution, 29, (3) 247–274.
• Plummer, T. and Potts, Richard. 1995. "Hominid Fossil Sample from Kanjera, Kenya - Description, Provenance, and Implications of New and Earlier Discoveries." American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 96, (1) 7–23.
• Potts, Richard. 1995. "Environmental variability and its effect on hominid evolution." Acta Anthropologica Sinica, 144 324–339.
• Potts, Richard and Deino, A. 1995. "Midpleistocene Change in Large Mammal Faunas of East-Africa." Quaternary Research, 43, (1) 106–113.
• Petraglia, M. and Potts, Richard. 1994. "Water flow and the Formation of Lower Paleolithic Sites in Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania." Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, 13 228–254.
• Potts, Richard. 1994. "Variables Versus Models of Early Pleistocene Hominid Land-use." Journal of Human Evolution, 27, (1-3) 7–24.
• Vandiver, P. B., Petraglia, M. D., and Potts, Richard. 1994. "Analyses techniques de deux mortiers de paleolithique superieur de la Madeleine, Dordogne, France= Technical Analysis of Two Upper Paleolithic Mortars from La Madeleine, Dordogne, France." L'Anthropologie (Paris), 98, (4) 674–682.
• Zhang, Yinyun and Potts, Richard. 1994. "Variation of the occipital torus." Acta Anthropologica Sinica, 13, (4) 285–293.
• Petraglia, Michael D., Potts, Richard, and Vandiver, Pamela B. 1993. "An Upper Paleolithic 'Artist's Palette' from the Grotte de Tarte, Haute Garonne, France." Bulletin de la Societe Prehistorique de L'Ariege, 47 161–175.
• Kinyua, A. M., Plummer, T. W., Shimizu, N.,, Melson, William G., and Potts, Richard. 1992. "Provenancing of Kanjera fossils by x-ray flourescence and ion microprobe analyses." Advances in X-ray Analysis, 35 1165–1173.
• Petraglia, Michael D. and Potts, Richard. 1992. "Two Upper Paleolithic "mortars" from La Madeleine, Dordogne, France." L'Anthropologie, 96 209–221.
• Tauxe, L., Deino, A. D., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., and Potts, Richard. 1992. "Pinning Down the Brunhes Matuyama and Upper Jaramillo Boundaries - a Reconciliation of Orbital and Isotopic Time Scales." Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 109, (3-4) 561–572.
• Deino, A. and Potts, Richard. 1991. "Age-probability spectra for examination of single-crystal 40Ar/39Ar dating results: Examples from Olorgesailie, southern Kenya rift valley." Quaternary International, 7/8 81–53.
• Potts, Richard. 1991. "Why the Oldowan? Plio-Pleistocene toolmaking and the transport of resources." Journal of Anthropological Research, 47, (2) 153–176.
• Deino, A. and Potts, Richard. 1990. "Single-Crystal Ar-40." Journal of Geophysical Research. B. Solid Earth, 95, (B6) 8453–8470.
• Plummer, Thomas W. and Potts, Richard. 1989. "Excavations and new findings at Kanjera, Kenya." Journal of human evolution, 18, (3) 269–276.
• Potts, Richard. 1989. "Ecological context and explanations of hominid evolution." OSSA International Journal of Skeletal Research, 14 99–112.
• Potts, Richard. 1989. "Olorgesailie: new excavations and findings in Early and Middle Pleistocene contexts, southern Kenya rift valley." Journal of human evolution, 18, (5) 477–484. https://doi.org/10.1016/0047-2484(89)90076-6.
• Potts, Richard. 1988. "Early Hominid Scavenging Niche." Current Anthropology, 29 153–155.
• Potts, Richard, Shipman, Pat, and Ingall, Ellery. 1988. "Taphonomy, paleoecology and hominids of Lainyamok, Kenya." Journal of human evolution, 17, (6) 597–614.
• Potts, Richard. 1987. "On Butchery by Olduvai Hominids." Current Anthropology, 28 95–96.
• Potts, Richard. 1986. "From Hominid Origins to Complex Societies - the Distinguished Career of J. Desmond Clark." Journal of Human Evolution, 15, (3) 215–217.
• Potts, Richard. 1986. "Temporal span of bone accumulations at Olduvai Gorge and implications for early hominid foraging behavior." Paleobiology, 12, (1) 25–31. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0094837300002955.
• Potts, Richard. 1985. "L'homme, ce charognard." La Recherche, 16 685–686.
• Potts, Richard. 1984. "Home Bases and Early Hominids." American Scientist, 72 338–347.
• Potts, Richard and Shipman, Pat. 1981. "Cutmarks made by stone tools on bones from Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania." Nature, 291 577–580. https://doi.org/10.1038/291577a0.

Book Chapter

• Potts, Richard. 2023. "Adaptability and the Continuation of Human Origins." In Human Success: Evolutionary Origins and Ethical Implications. 1st ed. Desmond, Hugh and Ramsey, Grant, editors. 248–C11P92. New York: Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780190096168.003.0011.
• Kinyanjui, Rahab N., Meadows, Michael, Gillson, Lindsey, Bamford, Marion K., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., and Potts, Richard. 2021. "Reconstructing vegetation history of the Olorgesailie Basin during the Middle to Late Pleistocene using phytolith data." In Quaternary Vegetation Dynamics – The African Pollen Database. 1 ed. Runge, Jürgen, Gosling, William D., Lézine, Anne-Marie, and Scott, Louis, editors. 85–106. London: CRC Press.
• Potts, Richard. 2017. "Human uniqueness, human evolution, and the origins of symbolism and culture." In Human Origins and the Image of God. Lilley, C. and Pedersen, D. J., editors. 95–110. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing.
• Potts, Richard. 2017. "What will it mean to be human?" In Living in the Anthropocene: Humanity in the Age of Humans. Kress, W. John and Stine, J. K., editors. 27–31. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press.
• Potts, Richard. 2011. "Olorgesailie – Retrospective and Synthesis." In Casting the Net Wide: Papers in Honor of Glynn Isaac and His Approach to Human Origins Research.. Sept, J. and Pilbeam, D., editors. 1–20. Cambridge, MA: American School of Prehistoric Research.
• Potts, Richard and US Global Change Research Program Strategic Planning Committee. 2011. "Goal 1: Advance Science." In U.S. Global Change Research Program Strategic Plan 2012-2021. 16–44. Washington, DC: U.S. Government.
• Potts, Richard and Teague, Robin. 2010. "Behavioral and Environmental Background to ‘Out-of-Africa I’ and the Arrival of Homo erectus in East Asia." In Out of Africa I : the first Hominim colonization of Eurasia. Leakey, Richard E., editor. 67–85. Netherlands: Springer. In Vertebrate Paleobiology and Paleoanthropology.
• Potts, Richard. 2007. "Environmental context of Pliocene human evolution in Africa." In Hominin Environments in the East African Pliocene: An Assessment of the Faunal Evidence. Bobe, R., Alemseged, Z., and Behrensmeyer, Anna K., editors. 25–48. New York: Springer.
• Brooks, Alison S. and Potts, Richard. 2004. "New research in early human Origins (7-1 million years ago)." In Anthropology Explored. Selig, R., London, M. R., and Kaupp, P. Ann, editors. 64–78. Smithsonian Institution Press.
• Potts, Richard. 2004. "Paleoenvironments and the Evolution of Adaptability in Apes." In The Evolution of Great Ape Intelligence. Russon, A. and Begun, D. R., editors. Cambridge.: Cambridge University Press.
• Potts, Richard. 2004. "Sociality and the concept of culture in human origins." In The Origins and Nature of Sociality. Sussman, R. W. and Chapman, A. R., editors. 249–269. Aldine de Gruyter.
• Selig, R. and Potts, Richard. 2004. "One man's search for human origins." In Anthropology Explored. Selig, R., London, M. R., and Kaupp, P. Ann, editors. 46–63. Smithsonian Institution Press.
• Potts, Richard. 2003. "Early Human Predation." In Predator-Prey Interactions in the Fossil Record. Kelley, P., Kowalewski, M., and Hansen, T., editors. 359–376. Kluwer Academic/ Plenum Publishers.
• Potts, Richard. 2003. "Environmental variability and its impact on adaptive evolution, with special reference to human origins." In Evolution on Planet Earth: The Impact of the Physical Environment. Rothschild, L. and Lister, L., editors. 339–354. Academic Press.
• Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Potts, Richard, Deino, A., and Ditchfield, P. 2002. "Olorgesailie, Kenya: A million years in the life of a rift basin." In Sedimentation in Continental Rifts, SEPM Special Publication. Renaut, R. W. and Ashley, G. M., editors. 97–106. 73
• Potts, Richard. 2002. "Complexity and adaptability in human evolution." In Probing Human Origins. Goodman, M., Moffat, Anne Simon, and Boyd, Robert, editors. 33–57. Cambridge: American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
• Potts, Richard. 2001. "Behavioral response to variable Pleistocene landscapes." In In the Mind’s Eye: Multidisciplinary Approaches to the Evolution of Human Cognition. Nowell, April, editor. 137–153. Ann Arbor (Michigan): International Monographs in Prehistory. 13 in International Monographs in Prehistory.
• Potts, Richard. 2001. "Mid-Pleistocene environmental change and human evolution." In Human Roots: Africa and Asia in the Middle Pleistocene. Barham, Lawrence and Robson-Brown, Kate, editors. 5–21. University of Bristol. Centre for Human Evolutionary Research: Western Academic & Specialist Press.
• Potts, Richard. 2000. "Flying machines." In Greatest Inventions of the Past 2000 Years. Brockman, J., editor. 37–39. New York: Simon and Schuster.
• Potts, Richard. 1998. "Toward an Understanding of Current Social Problems." In Reading between the Lines: Toward an Understanding of Current Social Problems. Konradi, Amanda and Schmidt, Martha, editors. 507–515. London: Mayfield. In Humanity’s Descent.
• Potts, Richard. 1996. "Dénouer le nœud: Évolution du comportement des premiers hommes." In Aux Origines de l’Humanité. Stoczkowski, Wiktor, editor. 323–346. Paris: Pocket.
• Potts, Richard, Jorstad, Thomas F., and Cole, Daniel G. 1996. "The role of GIS in interdisciplinary investigations at Olorgesailie, Kenya, a Pleistocene archeological locality." In Anthropology, Space, and Geographic Information Systems. Aldenderfer, Mark and Maschner, Herbert D. G., editors. 202–213. New York: Oxford University Press.
• Potts, Richard, Jorstad, Thomas F., and Cole, Daniel G. 1996. "The Role of GIS in the Interdisciplinary Investigations of Olorgesailie, Kenya, a Pleistocene Archaeological Locality." In Anthropology, Space, and Geographic Information Systems. Aldenderfer, Mark and Maschner, Herbert D. G., editors. 202–213. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Potts, Richard. 1993. "Olduvai Gorge." In Smithsonian Timelines of the Ancient World. Scarre, Christopher, editor. 32–33. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution.
• Potts, Richard. 1993. "Archeological interpretations of early hominid behavior and ecology." In The Origin and Evolution of Humans and Humanness
  . Rasmussen, D. Tab, editor. 49–74. Boston: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
• Potts, Richard. 1992. "Reconstructing early human behaviour." In The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Human Evolution. Jones, S., Martin, R. D., and Pilbeam, D., editors. 325–334. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Potts, Richard and Behrensmeyer, Anna K. 1992. "Late Cenozoic Terrestrial Ecosystems." In Terrestrial Ecosystems Through Time: Evolutionary Paleoecology of Terrestrial Plants and Animals. Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Damuth, J., DiMichele, William A., Potts, Richard, Sues, Hans-Dieter, and Wing, Scott L., editors. 419–541. Chicago: University of Chicago.
• Wing, Scott L., Sues, Hans-Dieter, Potts, Richard, DiMichele, William A., and Behrensmeyer, Anna K. 1992. "Evolutionary Paleoecology." In Terrestrial Ecosystems Through Time: Evolutionary Paleoecology of Terrestrial Plants and Animals
  . Behrensmeyer, Anna K., editor. 1–13. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
• Potts, Richard. 1991. "Untying the knot: Evolution of early human behavior." In Man and Beast Revisited. Robinson, Michael H. and Tiger, Lionel, editors. 41–59. Washington DC: Smithsonian Press.
• Potts, Richard. 1987. "Paleoanthropological Reconstructions of Early Hominid Socioecology: A Critique of Primate Models." In The Evolution of Human Behavior: Primate Models. Kinzey, Warren G., editor. 28–47. State University of New York Press.
• Potts, Richard. 1984. "Hominid hunters? Problems of Identifying the Earliest Hunter-gatherers." In Hominid Evolution and Community Ecology. Foley, R., editor. 129–166. London: Academic Press.
• Potts, Richard. 1983. "Foraging for faunal resources by early hominids at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania." In Hunters and their prey
  . Clutton-Brock, J. and Grigson, C., editors. 163–163. British Archaeological Reports. 1 in Animals and Archaeology.

Dataset

• Dommain, René, Andama, Morgan, McDonough, Molly M., Prado-Oviedo, Natalia A., Goldhammer, Tobias, Potts, Richard, Maldonado, Jesús E., Nkurunungi, John Bosco, and Campana, Michael. 2020. [Dataset] Supporting data for "The challenges of reconstructing tropical biodiversity with sedimentary ancient DNA: a 2200-year-long metagenomic record from Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda". Distributed by The Smithsonian Institution. https://doi.org/10.25573/DATA.10072625.V2.

Abstract

• Chirchir, Habiba, Ruff, Christopher B., Helgen, Kristofer M., and Potts, Richard. 2016. "Trabecular bone mass and daily travel distance in mammals." The FASEB Journal, 30 (S1): 779.15. https://doi.org/10.1096/fasebj.30.1_supplement.779.15.

Book

• Potts, Richard. 2010. Understanding Climate's Influence on Human Evolution,, National Research Council of the National Academies of Science and Committee on the Earth System Context for Hominin Evolution, editors. Washington DC: National Academies Press.
• Potts, Richard and Sloan, Christopher. 2010. What Does It Mean To Be Human? Official Companion Book to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History's David H. Koch Hall of Human Origins. Washington, DC: National Geographic.
• Petraglia, Michael and Potts, Richard. 2004. The Old World Paleolithic and the Development of a National Collection
  . Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press. In Smithsonian Contributions to Anthropology.
• Petraglia, Michael and Potts, Richard. 2004. Old World Paleolithic and the Development of a National Collection. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. In Smithsonian Contributions to Anthropology, 48. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.00810223.48.1.
• Damuth, J., Behrensmeyer, Anna K., DiMichele, William A., Labandeira, Conrad C., Potts, Richard, and Wing, Scott L. 1997. ETE Database Manual. Evolution of Terrestrial Ecosystems Consortium. Washington, D.C..
• Potts, Richard. 1996. Humanity’s Descent: The Consequences of Ecological Instability. New York: Morrow.
• Behrensmeyer, Anna K., Damuth, J., DiMichele, William A., Potts, Richard, Sues, Hans-Dieter, and Wing, Scott L., editors. 1992. Terrestrial Ecosystems Through Time. Chicago: University of Chicago.
• Potts, Richard. 1988. Early Hominid Activities at Olduvai. New York: Aldine de Gruyter.

Web Page / Electronic Publication

• Potts, Richard. 2003. Human Evolution. Encarta, Microsoft Online Encyclopedia.

Book Review

• Potts, Richard. 1985. [Book review] "The Analysis of Animal Bones from Archaeological Sites - Klein,rg." Nature, 316, (6026), 304–304.

Dissertation/Thesis

• Potts, Richard. 1982. "Lower Pleistocene Site Formation and Hominid Activities at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania." PhD, University Microfilms.