Newsdesk Archive

Taking a Dim View
2018-03-05
Astronomers learned to see beyond the Milky Way's glare into a hidden realm of faint galaxies.
GENOME ANALYSIS REVEALS ELEPHANTS AND MAMMOTHS INTERBRED
2018-03-05
Many distant relatives of elephants like mastodon and mammoths were able to survive changing environments because of the widespread interbreeding.
Mindfulness Is Going Mainstream Because of Science
2018-03-04
A combination of a few spare moments, deep breathing, and perhaps a mantra, one can achieve a sense of calm no pharmaceutical company can duplicate.
Stephen Hawking Says He Knows What Happened Before the Big Bang
2018-03-04
Hawking's answer to the question "What was there before there was anything?" relies on a theory known as the "no-boundary proposal."
There’s Only One Way For Humanity to Survive. Go To Mars.
2018-03-04
Futurist Michio Kaku sees humans doing ballet on Mars and projecting their brains into the cosmos. And aliens? Oh, they're coming.
To Help Save Our Oceans, Include Women In The Conversation
2018-03-03
As governments convene throughout 2018 and beyond to discuss new and necessary ocean laws, we must give equal consideration to the perspectives of women.
What you can learn about marriage and migration from a 13-million member family tree
2018-03-03
Armchair genealogists and a team of computers scientists have assembled a massive family tree that includes 13 million individual members and spans an average of 11 generations.
Fossilised plant leaf wax provides new tool for understanding ancient climates
2018-03-03
New research has outlined a new methodology for estimating ancient atmospheric water content based on fossil plant leaf waxes.
The moon actually came from inside our planet, scientists believe
2018-03-03
According to the model, the collision between Earth and Theia threw molten rock and metal into orbit that collided together to make the moon.
World’s oldest tattoo art found on Egyptian mummy that has been in British Museum for 100 years
2018-03-02
Infrared examination has revealed the marks are tattoos depicting two animals – a giant wild bull and a wild North African goat-like creature.
Divers Find ‘Unprecedented’ Native American Burial Site Off The Coast of Florida
2018-03-02
"This will forever change the way we approach offshore archaeology."
A Sickly Paleolithic Pupper Only Survived Because of Human Help
2018-03-02
The canine wouldn’t have been a good hunter, hinting early humans may have loved their pets for more than athleticism.
Paleoproteomics Opens a Window into the Past
2018-03-02
Researchers are looking to proteins to explore the biology of ancient organisms, from medieval humans all the way back to dinosaurs.
Turbowolf release new single ‘Cheap Magic’ ft. Sebastien Grainger (Death From Above)
2018-03-02
The track highlights their interest in ancient civilisations and the theories of Graham Hancock, which are regularly referenced lyrically in addition to pearls of ancient esoteric philosophy.
The Smithsonian’s Job Listing For An ‘Anti-Indiana Jones’ Represents A Good Step For Society
2018-03-02
The Smithsonian aims to make sure that the returns of these artifacts are done correctly and to the correct descendants from whom the objects or remains were stolen.
Facebook Censored a Stone Age Nude Sculpture, Venus of Willendorf
2018-03-02
An Italian woman’s post featuring the 30,000-year-old artifact was removed late last year; last month, the museum that houses it called out the social network.
Rock art and mystery: Ancient camel sculptures in Saudi desert
2018-02-28
Chiseled on three rocky spurs, the sculptures, which also depict equids, or hoofed mammals, show a level of artistic skill unseen in other rock art forms in the Saudi desert.
Ancient DNA reveals genetic replacement despite language continuity in the South Pacific
2018-02-28
Migrations of people from the Bismarck Archipelago in Oceania to the previously settled islands of the Pacific began as early as 2,500 years ago, much earlier than previously thought.
THE MOON USED TO SPIN OUT OF CONTROL, AND IT WAS PRETTY HARDCORE
2018-02-28
Even minor asteroid hits can throw the moon’s spin off, while the monster crashes that left behind impact basins affected everything from its magnetic field to its geology and otherwise gave it a cosmic thrill ride.
See Inside This Newly Discovered Ancient Egyptian Cemetery
2018-02-28
Artifacts found inside the network of tombs suggest it contains a priest of the ancient Egyptian deity Thoth.
Ancient mammoths and mastodons survived the changing environment because of inter species breeding
2018-02-28
Cross breeding led to ancient elephants adapting and surviving in different regions across the world over time.
Ancient Mayan math making comeback in classrooms of their Yucatan descendants
2018-02-28
In Mexico, a form of calculation that made the ancient Mayans such a successful race has been rediscovered by academics – and is now being taught to their descendants.
With DNA from a museum specimen, scientists reconstruct the genome of a bird extinct for 700 years
2018-02-28
Scientists have assembled the first nearly complete genome of the little bush moa, a flightless bird that went extinct soon after Polynesians settled New Zealand in the late 13th century.
Ancient mammoth DNA could help save threatened elephants
2018-02-28
Could elephant-mammoth hybrids roam the tundra? Researchers analyze the genes of several elephant species, and find genes from their extinct ancestors could help save them.
The Closest Star to Our Solar System Has Suffered an Insane Eruption
2018-02-28
In March of last year, Proxima Centauri erupted into a stellar flare 10 times brighter than the largest flares produced by our own Sun.
The Dino-Killing Asteroid Impact Also Created A Stunningly Beautiful Geological Masterpiece
2018-02-28
Following the impact, artistic geological processes left behind the Ring of Cenotes, one of the most beautiful natural formations on planet Earth.
Why Men Need Yoga More Than Ever
2018-02-27
Yoga is for everybody, but as men we can use it to help unwind some of our own gender-specific baggage.
Scientists Find Bugs That Could Indicate There Is Hidden Life On Mars
2018-02-27
Microbes can lie dormant for decades under Earth's surface – and could be doing the same on Mars.
Humans changed the ecosystems of Central Africa more than 2,600 years ago
2018-02-27
Humans shape nature, not only since the onset of industrialization. The influence of humans was debated in Central Africa where major interventions seem to have occurred 2,600 years ago.
Rare Mammoth Tracks Reveal an Intimate Portrait of Herd Life
2018-02-27
Researchers piece together a 43,000-years-old tableau of an injured adult and concerned young.
So Neanderthals made abstract art? This astounding discovery humbles every human
2018-02-26
Scientists say cave paintings in Spain, thought to have been by our ancestors, were actually by Neanderthals. So did they teach us everything we know?
Giant handaxes suggest that different groups of early humans coexisted in ancient Europe
2018-02-26
This suggests that alternative types of stone tool technologies were simultaneously being used by different populations in this area – supporting the idea that a prehistoric "Game of Thrones" scenario existed as Neanderthals emerged in Europe.
New curriculum prioritizes tribal sovereignty, cultural respect in scientific research of American Indian, Alaska Native communities
2018-02-26
When informed community members are involved in every step of the process, Pearson said, there is potential for reducing harm from research while enhancing trust and collaboration, and producing research reflective of community values.
White Settlers Buried the Truth About the Midwest’s Mysterious Mound Cities
2018-02-26
Pioneers and early archaeologists credited distant civilizations, not Native Americans, with building these sophisticated complexes.  
A rare Neanderthal hand axe found in a long lost cave in Wales
2018-02-26
Elizabeth Walker, Palaeolithic & Mesolithic Archaeologist and Head of Collections at National Museum Cardiff, talks about a Neanderthal hand axe, which dates back to c. 60,000-35,000 BC.
Neanderthals – not modern humans – were first artists on Earth, experts claim
2018-02-26
Neanderthals painted on cave walls in Spain 65,000 years ago – tens of thousands of years before modern humans arrived, say researchers.
Salmonella Confirmed In Ancient 16th Century Epidemic
2018-02-26
Because the cause of deaths has remained a mystery, it is also the subject of large speculation, with multiple different existing hypotheses on the pathogenic causes of the cocoliztli epidemic.
Learn about Melbourne’s Aboriginal culture with this new app
2018-02-26
A new smartphone app ‘Melbourne Dreaming’ has been launched this month designed to help locals and travellers discover more about Aboriginal Melbourne’s rich history and vibrant culture.
Vietnamese students design prize-winning AI to read ancient Japanese writing
2018-02-26
The AI designed by Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology's Tuan Nam Ly and Kha Cong Nguyen, both 28, managed to read 96 percent of single characters, and 88 percent of three-character sets.
Scientists Think They’ve Finally Discovered The Bones of The Richest Pirate in History
2018-02-26
The world's richest pirate may have eluded capture in life, but efforts to bring him in are still underway – for science, if not justice.
New Study Reveals How Our Brains Evolved to Be So Amazingly Huge
2018-02-23
 Now researchers have developed a model showing our grey matter evolved steadily over time, making it unlikely that our smarts were selected by any particular behaviour.
Arrival of Beaker folk changed Britain for ever, ancient DNA study shows
2018-02-23
At least 90% of the ancestry of Britons was replaced by a wave of migrants, who arrived about 4,500 years ago, say researchers.
Rejecting the Solutrean hypothesis: the first peoples in the Americas were not from Europe
2018-02-23
The Ice Bridge documentary ignores genomic evidence and relies upon an old idea that a particular mitochondrial haplogroup known as X shows a connection between North America and Europe.
Infant skull binding shaped identity, inequality in ancient Andes
2018-02-22
Velasco found bio-archaeological evidence that modified females possessed greater access to diverse food options and were less likely to encounter violence.
Ancient Cave Drawings and Early Human Language Linked in New Study
2018-02-22
A new paper suggests cave art was made in acoustic "hot spots" because early humans were converting acoustic sounds into drawings.
Ancient DNA tells tales of humans’ migrant history
2018-02-22
The new flood of genetic information represents a "coming of age" for the nascent field of ancient DNA.
First 3-D morphometric study of the molars of Sima de los Huesos
2018-02-22
Despite the notable affinities with Homo neanderthalensis, the population of Sima de los Huesos displays lower intra-population variability and has certain features even more derived than the Neanderthals themselves.
The Indonesian tribe that rejects technology
2018-02-22
The Baduy tribe from Banten in Indonesia practise seclusion and reject all modern technology to protect their ancient traditions.
Secret to Great Pyramid’s Near-Perfect Alignment Possibly Found
2018-02-21
An archaeologist has figured out how the Egyptians may have aligned the monument almost perfectly along the cardinal points, north-south-east-west — they may have used the fall equinox.
Supercritical fluids bring the past to life: Extracting lipids from archeological ceramic pottery
2018-02-21
Identifying the specific lipids in residues can help indicate what the pots held, what they were used for and what kind of food ancient populations ate.
Falcon Heavy May Have Drastically Increased the Number of Asteroids We Can Mine
2018-02-21
Asteroid mining is about more than just heading up into space and bringing back a rock full of platinum—you actually need to land something on just the right asteroid.
The Psychedelic Tale of Terence McKenna’s Forgotten Music About DMT
2018-02-20
In collaboration with the synth explorers Zuvuya, the "Timothy Leary of the 90s" made two albums nearly as hallucinatory as the psychedelic substance that drove his work.
Laser scanning reveals ‘lost’ ancient Mexican city ‘had as many buildings as Manhattan’
2018-02-20
If you do the maths, all of a sudden you are talking about 40,000 building foundations, which is about the same number of building foundations that are on the island of Manhattan.
Study identifies traces of indigenous ‘Taino’ in present-day Caribbean populations
2018-02-20
The new research finally provides concrete proof that indigenous ancestry in the region has survived to the present day.
Homo erectus may have been a sailor – and able to speak
2018-02-20
They had bodies similar to modern humans, could make tools, and were possibly the first to cook. Now one expert is arguing that Homo erectus might have been a mariner – complete with sailing lingo.
‘Loneliest tree’ records human epoch
2018-02-20
It’s been dubbed "the loneliest tree on the planet" because of its remote location, but the Sitka spruce might represent something quite profound about the age in which we live.
Ancient Tomb Containing ‘Splendid Armour’ Found In Japan
2018-02-20
Workers paving a farm road here stumbled on a 1,500-year-old underground tomb containing a large stone coffin, human remains and armour in remarkable condition.
Plants colonized the Earth 100 million years earlier than previously thought
2018-02-20
'Molecular clock' methodology combines evidence on the genetic differences between living species and fossil constraints on the age of their shared ancestors, to establish an evolutionary timescale that sees through gaps in the fossil record.  
Asteroids Could Be ‘Time Capsules’ Showing How Life Began on Earth
2018-02-20
As much as we tend to panic over the idea of an asteroid crashing into the Earth, one possible explanation for life on Earth is that an asteroid brought it here in the first place.
Things We Still Don’t Know: Did Neanderthals Make Art?
2018-02-20
This August, Neanderthal experts from around the world will gather in Torino, Italy for the first ever NeanderART conference to review the evidence for and against Neanderthals as artists.
Beneath Biblical Prophet’s Tomb, An Archaeological Surprise
2018-02-19
Beneath the Tomb of Jonah in the ancient Iraq city of Nineveh, archaeologists have uncovered 2,700-year-old inscriptions that describe the rule of an Assyrian king named Esarhaddon.
Mystery behind the origin of 3,000-year-old ‘alien’ Paracas skulls revealed by DNA testing
2018-02-19
The Paracas elongated skull people were not 100 percent Native American. They were a mix or even you could say, in some ways, a hybrid of different people.
Five surprising things DNA has revealed about our ancestors
2018-02-19
Rapid advances in genetic sequencing over the past few decades have opened up a whole new window into the past.
A.I. is ready to advise us on how to best protect Earth from deadly asteroids
2018-02-17
A new algorithm called “Deflector Selector” is designed to weigh up different possible solutions to deal with the possibility of a deadly asteroid heading in Earth’s direction.
More light shines on Pleistocene extinction event with possible discovery of new genus of horse
2018-02-17
Now mitochondrial and partial nuclear genomic studies support the idea that there was only one species of North American Pleistocene horse, which belongs to a new genus.
A new theory claims Homo sapiens beat out Neanderthals because of art
2018-02-17
There was a time when our ancestors’ survival was inextricably linked with their ability to create images.
Ancient 34,000-year-old lavish burial shows special care for disabled children
2018-02-17
The findings show that even in the Mid Upper Paleolithic, which were very wild times to be alive, you didn’t have to be a healthy, adult male to get an extravagant burial.
Oldest Dutch work of art found at the bottom of the North Sea
2018-02-17
The oldest Dutch work of art is a 13,500 year-old carved bison bone dredged up from the bottom of the North Sea, archaeologists write in an article published in Antiquity magazine earlier this week.
Clay tablets from the cradle of civilisation provide new insight to the history of medicine
2018-02-13
A student has analysed clay tablets in which a man called Kisir-Ashur documents his education to become a doctor, and how he combined magical rituals with medical treatments.
‘Oumuamua had a violent past and has been tumbling around for billions of years
2018-02-13
This space cucumber had origins around another star, has had a violent past, and tumbles chaotically because of it. It is unusual compared to most asteroids and comets in our own solar system.
What ancient footprints can tell us about what it was like to be a child in prehistoric times
2018-02-13
A new paper outlines the discovery of children’s footprints in Ethiopia, which show how children spent their time 700,000 years ago.
Screaming mummy: Is the man with the agonising death face Ramses III’s murderous son Prince Pentewere?
2018-02-12
The Ministry of Antiquities has put the "screaming mummy" on display as part of its plan to spotlight artefacts that have been hidden from the public.
Cheddar Man changes the way we think about our ancestors
2018-02-12
The study of a 10,000-year-old man surprised people when it revealed his blue eyes and dark skin – and few predicted he would reshape our view of our genetic heritage.
Discovery of Windsor Neolithic monument excites archaeologists
2018-02-11
A Neolithic monument has been discovered less than two miles from Windsor Castle. Dating from 5,500 years ago, it is one of the earliest known examples of monument-building in Britain.
Brain chemistry explains humans’ early evolutionary advantage
2018-02-11
The planet's most successful species is also its most socially intelligent and complex. What set us on this course? What jumpstarted mankind's divergence from primates?
Homo sapiens’ drawing ability may relate to hunting techniques
2018-02-11
The hand-eye coordination involved in hunting with throwing spears and drawing representational art could be one factor explaining why modern humans became smarter than Neanderthals.  
Asteroid passing close to Earth today – no need to worry
2018-02-09
The space rock 2018 CB is up to 40m long and will come within 64,000km of the planet’s surface.
Mysterious sand mounds in Australia are Aboriginal burial sites dating back millennia
2018-02-09
Mysterious sand mounds in north-eastern Australia, thought by many to be part of the natural landscape, are actually the burial sites of ancient indigenous people, research has found.
Dinosaur-killing asteroid caused molten rock to burst from ocean floor – study
2018-02-08
The giant space rock that wiped out the dinosaurs may have set off a chain of cataclysmic volcanic eruptions on land and undersea, claims a new study that is already dividing scientists.
Chinese Archeologists Find 9,000-Year-Old Wells in Central China
2018-02-08
Chinese archeologists believed that that the first wells in China were built about 6,000 to 7,000 years ago in the late Neolithic, but the new finding “pushes the origins of China’s wells back over 2,000 years.”
Excavations In The Ancient City Of Tell Edfu In Egypt Have Revealed Buildings Dating From 2400-2350 BC
2018-02-08
Archaeologists have been excavating in the ancient Egyptian city of Tell Edfu, and have discovered two new buildings that date to the Fifth Dynasty.
Groundbreaking research reveals the first modern Brits had ‘dark to black’ skin and blue eyes
2018-02-07
The first modern Briton, who lived around 300 generations ago, had "dark to black" skin, groundbreaking research has revealed.
Ancient kids’ toys have been hiding in the archaeological record
2018-02-07
Youngsters have probably been playing their way into cultural competence for at least tens of thousands of years. So why are signs of children largely absent from the archaeological record?
Newly discovered buildings reveal clues to ancient Egyptian dynasties
2018-02-07
Oriental Institute excavation finds large buildings, clay sealings, evidence of metallurgy.
An Ancient Hyena May Have Chomped Down on This Neanderthal’s Face
2018-02-07
About 65,000 years ago, a large carnivore — perhaps a cave hyena — chomped down on the face of a (likely dead) Neanderthal. Then, that carnivore partially digested two of the hominin's teeth before regurgitating them.
Mapping the first family tree for tropical forests
2018-02-06
More than 100 researchers have collaborated to classify the world's tropical forests according to their evolutionary history.
Dinosaurs ‘too successful for their own good’
2018-02-06
UK researchers believe they were already in decline before the killer asteroid hit because they had occupied every habitat on Earth.
Oldest known multipurpose tool was forged in fire
2018-02-06
The first known multipurpose tools were crafted 170,000 years ago by Neanderthals, who exploited fire during the manufacturing process.
Scientists find massive reserves of mercury hidden in permafrost
2018-02-06
In a new study, scientists measured mercury concentrations in permafrost cores from Alaska and estimated how much mercury has been trapped in permafrost north of the equator since the last Ice Age.
Stonehenge tunnel plan ‘risks destroying Ice Age treasures’
2018-02-05
Plans to build a tunnel past Stonehenge risk destroying an important Ice Age site. An archaeologist has accused the Government of wrongly marking its location on a map.
Planets far beyond our galaxy discovered for the first time by astrophysicists
2018-02-05
Microlensing technique allows detection of distant worlds that could never be observed directly, 'not even with the best telescope one can imagine in a science fiction scenario'.
Samoan canoe crew aims to preserve ancient navigation knowledge
2018-02-05
A canoe, or va'atele, from Samoa has sailed to New Zealand for a three week festival to promote a part of their culture that is at risk of dying.
A Recent Ice Age Was Triggered by a Firestorm Bigger Than The One That Killed The Dinosaurs
2018-02-05
In a hugely detailed and comprehensive new study, researchers have painted a picture of how around a tenth of Earth's surface suddenly became covered in roaring fires at a point some 12,800 years ago.
4,300-Year-Old Tomb of Royal Female Official Found in Egypt
2018-02-05
The tomb of a woman named Hetpet, who became a senior official in the royal palace, has been discovered in a cemetery on the Giza Plateau.
Was Australopithecus an Artist?
2018-02-03
The proposition of “First Sculpture,” from its title onward, is that these are not merely instruments, but art; that they were crafted not just for functional reasons but for aesthetic ones.
New Study Finds Thousands of Alien Asteroids Could Bring Extraterrestrial Life to Earth
2018-02-03
Panspermia, or the theory that life on Earth came after our planet was inseminated with alien biology, could have easily happened.
Ancient tools found in India undermine the “out of Africa” hypothesis
2018-02-03
Most are between 385,000 and 172,000 years old and thus upend the idea that tool-making was transformed in India after an influx of modern Homo sapiens came from Africa 130,000 years ago.
Exclusive: Laser Scans Reveal Maya “Megalopolis” Below Guatemalan Jungle
2018-02-03
More than 60,000 houses, palaces, elevated highways, and other human-made features have been hidden for centuries under the jungles of northern Guatemala.
Genome Study Uncovers Origin of Farming in Europe
2018-02-03
Scandinavia was initially settled via a southern and a northern route and the arrival of agriculture in northern Europe was facilitated by movements of farmers and pastoralists into the region.
Crocodile Mummy Genes Confirm an Ancient Egyptian Hypothesis
2018-02-03
'Two thousand years later, we use DNA and show that the ancient Egyptians were absolutely right.'
PreviousNext