Biological Anthropology or physical anthropology is the study of mechanism and evidences of biological evolution, genetic inheritance, human variation and adaptability of human beings and their living and fossil relatives (extant and extinct primates). It studies Human Biology and Human genetics in the context of human culture and behavior, thus, it is also considered as a Bio-Social Science.

The Internet Journal of Biological Anthropology provides a forum for the rapid publication of topical articles on all aspects of Biological Anthropology and related disciplines. The journal publishes original research papers, short communications, definitive reviews, hypothesis, letters, technical notes, learning points of important issues, offering critical analysis and scientific appraisal. All submissions are peer-reviewed by at least by two independent reviewers, editorial board members and the editor-in-chief. All articles are archived by Internet Scientific Publications LLC and recognized by The Library of Congress Catalog of Publications and the journal has a broad international perspective. After the successful launch of this journal, the editorial board will try to get it indexed in Science Abstracts, Cambridge Scientific Abstracts, ICTP Science Abstracts, Sociological Abstracts, EMBASE (Excepta Medica Data Base), Index Copernicus and MEDLINE /Index Medicus.

The topics covered under the journal include, but are not limited to Human Origins and Evolution, Pre-historic Archaeology, Human Biology, Human Genetics, Molecular and Biochemical Anthropology, Human Growth and Development, Nutritional Anthropology, Human Ecology, Skeletal and Forensic Anthropology, Primatology, Primate and Human Behavior, Dental Anthropology, Sports Anthropology, Anthropometry, Health, Disease and Demography, Clinical and Medical Anthropology, Epidemiology, Community Health, Neuroanthropology, Population Genetics, Paleopathology. The journal includes all the sub-disciplines listed above as well as the special topics related to Human biology and Biological/Physical Anthropology.

Why do we need a new journal like The Internet Journal of Biological Anthropology? There are a few international journals covering most of these aspects like American Journal of Physical Anthropology, Annals of Human Biology, and American Journal of Human Biology. It has always been felt that there was a need for an Internet Journal on Biological Anthropology and it is commendable on the part of the management of the Internet Scientific Publications to address this need at this point of time. The journal will further help to explore the upcoming issues in biological anthropology like DNA fingerprinting or profiling, Human and primate genomic diversity in the world, Human facial tissue thickness and reconstruction of face from the skull etc.

The inaugural issue of The Internet Journal of Biological Anthropology exemplifies this goal. It begins with a review by Dr RS Balgir, a renowned Human Geneticist and Biological Anthropologist of Indian Council of Medical Research, who talks about a new super specialty- Biomedical Anthropology ₁ . He concluded his review with the remarks that integrated approaches of medical genetics and biological anthropology including human genetics will bring together not only the unity in diversity but emerging Biomedical Anthropology as a super specialty in the medical and science world.

The second paper by a well known community health expert Prof. NK Goel (Government Medical College Hospital, Chandigarh, India) and his associates gives various measures to deal with emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases globally ₂ . Another review by the same experts deals with various epidemiological characteristics of dengue fever including its prevalence, prevention and control ₃ .

Other paper is by Dr Vikas Gautam, a renowned microbiologist from Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India and his associates. The paper is a successful attempt ₄ to correlate the facts given in Charaka Samhita-a treatise of Ayurveda with the modern knowledge of ‘in-utero' fetal development.

The 5 ^th paper- an original study ₅ based upon extensive field work by Ms. Sudipta Ghosh and Professor (Dr.) SL Malik (a renowned biological anthropologist of University of Delhi, India) explains the assessment of intergenerational differences in anthropo-physiological variables in Santhals of West Bengal. Other study is by Dr Shyamal Koley, a sports medicine expert from Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, India. The study gives an idea about the relationship of cardio respiratory fitness, body composition and blood pressure in collegiate population of Amritsar, Punjab India ₆ .

In another research paper, Dr Balwant Rai, a leading dental surgeon and his associates show how sex can be determined from diagonal odontometric analysis in a north Indian population ₇ . In another anthropological study, Dr John Mao, an anthropologist from Chandigarh, India assesses the knowledge, attitude and practice of family planning among the Meitei women of Manipur (India) ₈ .

Another study ₉ by Dr Somola Devi and her associates gives demographic characteristics laying more stress on fertility of Ithing tribe of Manipur, India.

In a technical note ₁₀ by Dr Balwant Rai and his associates, the authors take three measurements on mandible and show their usefulness in determining sex. In another technical ₁₁ note by a renowned bio-statistician, Dr Girish Singh, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India, gives an idea about a new analytical approach ‘Meta analysis' and its importance in broad anthropological and medical sciences.

We hope you enjoy reading this “debut issue” of The Internet Journal of Biological Anthropology. Do e-mail us (gargkk@yahoo.com) your comments, questions, queries and pre-submission enquiries. Join us as authors, reviewers, contributors and readers as we embark on this exhilarating voyage of discovery at Biology, Anthropology and Medical Science interface.

Kewal Krishan, PhD Editor-in-Chief