Henry Harpending

Henry Harpending
Born
Henry Cosad Harpending

January 13, 1944 (1944-01-13)
DiedApril 3, 2016(2016-04-03) (aged 72)
EducationHamilton College
Harvard University
Known forThe 10,000 Year Explosion
Theory of Ashkenazi Jewish Intelligence
Scientific career
FieldsAnthropology
Population genetics
InstitutionsUniversity of Utah
Pennsylvania State University
University of New Mexico
Thesis !Kung hunter-gatherer population structure.  (1971)
Doctoral advisorWilliam W. Howells

Henry Cosad Harpending (January 13, 1944 – April 3, 2016) was an American anthropologist and distinguished professor at the University of Utah, best known for his 2009 book The 10,000 Year Explosion, co-authored with Gregory Cochran. Educated at Hamilton College and Harvard University, his career included faculty positions at Penn State and the University of New Mexico. He was a member of the National Academy of Sciences.

Harpending worked primarily in biological anthropology and population genetics, but also conducted ethnographic fieldwork with the !Kung and Herero peoples of Southern Africa. His work in population genetics pioneered the study of the relationship between genetics and geography.

Harpending was married twice and had three children. He died in 2016.