Newsdesk Archive

130 million-year-old nest of perfectly preserved dinosaur eggs discovered in China
2017-12-31
The eggs were found by workers who were excavating the ground for the construction of a school in Jiangxi province.
Did Prehistoric Middle Eastern Culture Visit Europe, Spawn Artistic Culture, and Leave?
2017-12-31
Evidence from a cave in Israel suggests that prehistoric tools and artwork from Western Europe could possibly owe their existence to an earlier culture from the Middle East.
Magical new 4,500 year old finds add to ‘oldest toy collection in the world’
2017-12-29
The rare discoveries of the pre-historic toys were made at the Itkol II burial ground in the Republic of Khakassia, southern Siberia.
‘Near-Earth’ asteroid set to pass us by today at 21,000mph
2017-12-29
An asteroid will pass by Earth today, only three days after it was first spotted by astronomers. At its closest point, the asteroid will be around 140,000 miles away from Earth.
Experts bowled over by ancient urn found on bed of Lake Biwako
2017-12-29
It remains a mystery why so much pottery from such a wide time span have been found at this site.
Sol Bellear: Indigenous Australian civil rights leader, rugby player and veteran of the land rights movement
2017-12-29
A black power salute cost Sol Bellear his athletic career, but he returned to both sport and politics to fight for a people demanding recognition in their own country.
Plants Are Better at Complex Decision-Making Than We Ever Realised
2017-12-28
We know that plants can learn, and make decisions, and we now have a new level of insight into the decision-making process plants go through when put under pressure.
Iberian Brown Bears not descended from fleeing ice age bears
2017-12-28
Data suggests that the Pleistocene lineage was lost, and the Holocene bears, after the last glacial maximum, entered the peninsula from some unidentified area 5,000 years after colonizing the British Isles.
Ancient Axes, Spear Points May Reveal When Early Humans Left Africa
2017-12-28
More than 1,000 stone artifacts, some of which may be up to 1.76 million years old, have been discovered at Wadi Dabsa, in southwest Saudi Arabia near the Red Sea.
Lighting of Serpent canceled
2017-12-26
A 13-year winter solstice tradition at Serpent Mound was canceled this year and the organization that sponsored it and other local residents are not happy.
14 Ways Our Perception of The Universe Changed Forever in 2017
2017-12-26
2017 was an incredible year for space science.
Potentially hazardous, near-Earth asteroid, larger than thought
2017-12-26
The near-Earth asteroid 3200 Phaethon has a diameter of about six kilometres -- roughly one kilometre larger than previous estimates.
Dalai Lama suggests inclusion of ancient Indian knowledge as academic subject
2017-12-26
The Dalai Lama suggested inclusion of ancient Indian knowledge as an academic subject in the existing education system in India.
All the biggest and best space discoveries of 2017
2017-12-26
We learnt more about neutron stars, found more planets and said goodbye to Cassini in 2017. We end the year with a better picture of the Universe than we started it with.
These are the greatest unsolved mysteries of 2017
2017-12-26
A baffling discovery inside Egypt’s Great Pyramid was among the scientific discoveries and unsolved mysteries that left us scratching our heads this year.
Laughing parrots, backflipping robots and saviour viruses: science stories of 2017
2017-12-26
Leading scientists pick the dozen most significant discoveries and developments of 2017 – from a steep decline in flying insects to a virus that can kill bacteria.
Eight amazing science stories of 2017
2017-12-26
It was a year of endings and beginnings: the plucky Cassini spacecraft's 13-year-long mission reached its finale, while the fledgling field of gravitational wave astronomy bagged the catastrophic collision of two dead stars.
Nasa releases amazing image of an an asteroid with a snowman carved on its surface
2017-12-24
Nasa has released a stunning image of an asteroid with three adjacent impact craters on its surface which are aligned in such a way that they resemble a snowman.
Blood, Milk, and Fat: Your Handy Beauty Guide from the Ancient World
2017-12-24
Cleopatra washed in the milk of 700 donkeys, Romans used the dirty oil from men’s bodies collected at baths for women's conditioner, and urine in Rome was used to whiten teeth.
Last Native American village in Yosemite being rebuilt
2017-12-24
The last Native American village in Yosemite Valley, destroyed 40 years ago, is being rebuilt in the same spot so that Miwuk Indian youths can learn about their culture.
Today’s archaeologists are putting down shovels and turning to tech
2017-12-24
Modern technology is helping to revolutionise the field of archaeology as we know it.
Arecibo radar returns with asteroid phaethon images
2017-12-23
The radar images reveal the asteroid is spheroidal in shape and has a large concavity at least several hundred meters in extent near the leading edge, and a conspicuous dark, circular feature near one of the poles.
Archaeology as blood sport: How the discovery of an ancient mastodon ignited debate over humans’ arrival in North America
2017-12-23
“If you claim something is that old, you get blasted,” Cerutti said, “which is why some archaeologists stopped working on sites like this. They didn’t want to get blasted.”
Who built the Indus Valley civilisation?
2017-12-23
Genetics is about to answer a question that has vexed historians for a century. The author examines the range of possible answers and their implications.
Give Thanks for the Winter Solstice. You Might Not Be Here Without It.
2017-12-22
This is a good opportunity to imagine what such a day might look like if we had evolved on another planet where the sun would take a different dance across the sky.
ISIS Threatened Ancient Art. 3-D Printing Will Save It.
2017-12-22
Wars, tourism, and terrorists have threatened delicate artifacts of the past, but 3-D printing will safeguard it.
Anthropology’s Top Findings of 2017
2017-12-22
For the field that studies everything human, the past year has been one of great upheaval and radical revelations.
SA Museum moves on remains of 3600 Aboriginal people held in its care
2017-12-22
The South Australian Museum says that the human remains of 3600 Aboriginal people held in storage by the museum should be returned to their traditional lands.
The 25 Biggest Scientific Breakthroughs of 2017
2017-12-21
Here are the studies that rocked the science world this year.
A skull-shaped asteroid will approach Earth again in 2018
2017-12-21
On Oct. 10, 2015, astronomers in Hawaii made a spooky discovery: a giant asteroid between 625 and 700 meters zipping through space, that at certain angles looks uncannily like a human skull.
What Do You Do When You Find a Mammoth on Your Farm?
2017-12-21
A behind-the-scenes look at harvest time, soil drainage, and Pleistocene megafauna.
Ancient Aboriginal sites left vulnerable, showing why cultural preservation is necessary in Australia
2017-12-21
At some stage in every Australian child's life, whether it is when we learn about the Great Pyramid of Giza or the Colosseum in Ancient Rome, an appreciation for the scale of human history develops.
How 2017 Rewrote the Book on Human Evolution
2017-12-20
Discoveries in 2017 are changing the story of humanity: Homo sapiens may have been around as long as 400,000 years, migrating out of Africa and having sex with Neanderthals and Denisovans much earlier than thought.
Make way for megamarsupials: the migration of Australia’s extinct megafauna
2017-12-20
Diprotodon was the largest marsupial ever to live. New evidence shows it migrated annually – and could make us reassess what we know of other extinct marsupials.
5,000-Year-Old Cosmetics, Jewelry Show Rise of Ancient Jericho
2017-12-20
Eyeliner and scarabs from Egypt discovered at one of the world's oldest cities show its growing power and reach, say archaeologists.
Gilding technique inspired by ancient Egyptians may spark better fuel cells for tomorrow’s electric cars
2017-12-20
To make modern-day fuel cells less expensive and more powerful, a team led by Johns Hopkins chemical engineers has drawn inspiration from the ancient Egyptian tradition of gilding.
Name That Star! Ancient Cultures Lend Titles to 86 Suns
2017-12-19
The IAU's Working Group on Star Names has approved 86 new names for stars drawn from cultures around the world. These include Aboriginal Australian, Chinese, Coptic, Hindu, Mayan, Polynesian and South African names.
Ancient fossil microorganisms indicate that life in the universe is common
2017-12-19
A new analysis of the oldest known fossil microorganisms provides strong evidence to support an increasingly widespread understanding that life in the universe is common.
Mysterious alien cigar ‘asteroid’ is actually an interstellar lump of ice (not a space ship)
2017-12-19
Researchers have now discovered that while Oumuamua appears to be an unusually long rocky asteroid it may actually be an icy body covered in a protective crust of organic chemicals.
Sioux leader: Trump is the new face of US exploitation
2017-12-19
The Native American official who led the fight against the Dakota Access oil pipeline has said that US President Donald Trump will "intensify a more than 200-year-old policy of exploiting Native American people".
How To Survive Climate Change? Clues Are Buried In The Arctic
2017-12-18
In the Arctic, people needed to be technologists. They had a gadget for everything. Seriously, they would put Silicon Valley geeks to shame with their innovations.
MARS AND EARTH MAY NOT HAVE BEEN EARLY NEIGHBORS
2017-12-18
A recently published study posits that Mars formed in what today is the Asteroid Belt, roughly one and a half times as far from the Sun as its current position, before migrating to its present location.
Threats to Bear Ears and other Indigenous sacred sites are a violation of human rights
2017-12-18
The loss of less prominent ancestral sites in North America may not seem that dramatic yet the effects are of great consequence to First Nations and Native Americans.
Egypt Reopens Ancient Library at St. Catherine Monastery
2017-12-18
On Saturday, an ancient library that holds thousands of centuries-old religious and historical manuscripts reopened at the famed St. Catherine Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage site, in South Sinai.
Indonesian island found to be unusually rich in cave paintings
2017-12-17
The team uncovered a total of 28 rock art sites dating from at least 2,500 years ago on the island of Kisar which measures just 81 square kilometres and lies north of Timor-Leste.
Interstellar ice may hold the secret to life
2017-12-17
Canadian research finds low energy electrons can catalyse essential organic molecules.
3,500-Year-Old Child Burials Unearthed at Ancient Egyptian Work Site
2017-12-17
A team of archaeologists in Egypt have unearthed four ancient child graves at Gebel el-Silsila, the site of a former Egyptian quarry that dates back 3,500 years.
Oldest Ice Core Ever Drilled Outside The Polar Regions
2017-12-16
Researchers from the United States and China are now studying the core -- nearly as long as the Empire State Building is tall -- to assemble one of the longest-ever records of Earth's climate history.
Billions of Coral Sperm Banked in a Race to Save Reefs
2017-12-16
In the wake of mass bleaching events, scientists are building a huge repository of frozen sperm to ensure the future of these key ocean species.
Evidence of early humans found in the jungles of Borneo
2017-12-16
Based on comparisons with the objects found by the Harrissons in the Great Cave complex, archaeologists think the Traders Cave deposits are mostly 20,000 years old or more.
Archaeologists unearth record of ancient Assyria’s demise
2017-12-15
A cuneiform tablet discovered in southeastern Turkey documents a glimpse into the final days of the Assyrian Empire.
David Attenborough Warns: Sixth Mass Extinction Is Imminent
2017-12-15
“The damage we are inflicting on species and ecosystems is so extensive and profound that scientists now believe we are witnessing Earth’s sixth mass extinction event – the last one marked the end of the dinosaurs,” Attenborough said.
Ancient Poop Contains First Evidence of Parasites Described by Hippocrates
2017-12-15
The long-held mystery of Hippocrates and the parasitic worms has finally been solved, and it’s all thanks to a few samples of ancient poop.
Rare Aztec Map Reveals a Glimpse of Life in 1500s Mexico
2017-12-15
This map, dated 1593, is one of fewer than 100 documents made by indigenous people that have survived the ravages of time. It provides a fascinating glimpse into the early interactions between the indigenous people of Mexico and the recently arrived Spanish.
NASA FINDS SOLAR SYSTEM FILLED WITH AS MANY PLANETS AS OUR OWN
2017-12-15
Kepler-90 is the first star with as many planets as our own sun, though its solar system is a strange and squished up place.
Irish Ancestry Surprises Revealed by New DNA Map
2017-12-15
A new “DNA atlas” of Ireland is revealing some of the surprising ways historic kingdoms have influenced populations on the island—and it offers the first genetic evidence that Vikings intermingled with ancient Irish peoples.
Inequality grew as ancient people domesticated animals
2017-12-15
An analysis of 63 archeological sites across North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa links increasing wealth inequality and the rise of animal domestication.
Chemists Find New Evidence That Life Might Have Started in Space
2017-12-14
There's an increasingly confident group of researchers that think life emerged in space, and evidence published in the Journal of Chemical Physics on Tuesday provides support for their daring hypothesis.
Skye High Impact: Geologists in Scotland Discover a 60-Million-Year-Old Meteorite Strike
2017-12-14
Geologists exploring volcanic rocks on Scotland's Isle of Skye found something out-of-this-world instead: ejecta from a previously unknown, 60 million-year-old meteorite impact.
512-Year-Old Shark, Believed To Be Oldest Living Vertebrate, Found In North Atlantic
2017-12-14
Researchers have found an ancient shark in North Atlantic, believed to be 512 years old, which could be the oldest living vertebrate in the world.
Face of Ancient Queen Revealed for First Time
2017-12-14
Centuries after a noblewoman lived and died in Peru, scientists have reconstructed her face in stunning 3-D.
Scientists want to explore the Great Pyramid of Giza with … a micro-blimp?
2017-12-14
Researchers are currently developing a blimp-like exploration robot, designed to squeeze through a tiny 1.5-inch hole, before unfolding and inflating itself to look around.
‘Ram Setu’ exists, is man-made, claims promo on US TV channel
2017-12-14
The spotlight is back on the mythological 'Ram Setu' between India and Sri Lanka, after a show on the Science Channel in the US hinted that such a structure may actually exist outside of mythology.
New Research Says There’s a Genetic Limit to How Long We Can Live
2017-12-14
A new paper published by a team of multidisciplinary researchers claim that humankind has reached a peak in physical development and lifespan. The limit is a product of genetic constraints, combined with environmental conditions.
Ancient mummy found to have bone cancer
2017-12-14
The mummified man, nicknamed “Hen” lived around 2,000 years ago, but he was just recently given a full CT scan at the Crouse Hospital in Syracuse.
Why are palaeontologists suing Trump?
2017-12-13
Proposed radical cuts to US National Monuments threaten America’s unique fossil heritage – but the palaeontologists are fighting back.
Usain Bolt, Mo Farah and Sir David Attenborough picked out in new star constellations
2017-12-13
Astronomy experts have picked out a new set of constellations representing stars of sport, literature and science to encourage more youngsters to look up at the night sky.
Engineers create plants that glow
2017-12-13
Imagine that instead of switching on a lamp when it gets dark, you could read by the light of a glowing plant on your desk.
Giant ancient penguin was human-size
2017-12-13
The Paleocene penguin was no cute Chilly Willy, according to skeletal remains discovered in New Zealand and discussed Tuesday in the journal, 'Nature Communications'.
Dracula ticks in amber tell ancient blood-sucking tale
2017-12-13
Parasites similar to modern ticks have been found inside pieces of amber from Myanmar dating back 99 million years. One is entangled with a dinosaur feather, another is swollen with blood, and two were in a dinosaur nest.
Watching this newborn island erode could tell us a lot about Mars
2017-12-12
Finding similar erosion patterns on Mars’ volcanoes could help researchers understand whether the eruptions occurred in an ocean that’s now vanished.
Something Really Fascinating Happens When You Give Plants Anaesthetic
2017-12-12
It isn't only humans and animals that are affected by anaesthetics – plants are, too.
Discovery in 12,000-Year-Old Grave Shows Not All Ancient Fishers Were Men
2017-12-12
Archaeologists have unearthed the oldest fish hooks found in a grave, and they're challenging the idea that most of the fishing work in the Indonesian region thousands of years ago was only carried out by men.
Archaeologists Are Using Drones to Map Ancient Venezuelan Rock Art
2017-12-12
Equipped with photogrammetry cameras, the drones were able to create three-dimensional renderings of the carvings. Archaeologists have been studying the carvings in the area for years, but have never before been able to document them with this degree of accuracy.
Genetics preserves traces of ancient resistance to Inca rule
2017-12-12
A new study uses genetic evidence to reveal that despite Inca conquest, the population of Chachapoyas has remained genetically distinct, and not assimilated with that of the Inca heartland.
Tasmanian Tiger Genome May Be First Step Toward De-Extinction
2017-12-12
The newly sequenced genetic blueprint may help scientists clone the predatory marsupial, which was declared extinct in the 1980s.
NASA Just Unveiled Its Plan to Retrieve The First-Ever Samples From Mars
2017-12-11
NASA has unveiled its plan for its next Mars rover, "Mars 2020", which will collect samples from the surface of the red planet.
Science Proves Yoga Has An Incredible Impact On Resilience
2017-12-11
The results of a long-term study out of the University of Cincinnati point to yet another reason to adopt a regular yoga practice: It can help with positive coping mechanisms and long-term resilience.
NASA TO HOLD MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT AFTER ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE MAKES MAJOR PLANET-HUNTING BREAKTHROUGH
2017-12-11
The Kepler space telescope is operated by Nasa to discover other earths, some of which could support life. And it is has found its latest discovery, one significant enough to bring with it a huge press conference.
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Zips Off To Collect Asteroid Sample
2017-12-10
If all goes according to plan, the spacecraft will enter Bennu’s orbit in August 2018 and start surveying the asteroid as well as mapping out potential sampling sites.
Archaeologists discover two ancient tombs in Egypt’s Luxor
2017-12-10
A cartouche carved on the ceiling bears the name of King Thutmose I of the early 18th dynasty, the ministry said.
Metal From Asteroid That Killed Dinosaurs Can Also Kill Cancer Cells
2017-12-09
A dense metal found in asteroids called iridium can be used to kill cancer cells without causing any harm to the healthy tissue surrounding it, according to a recent study conducted by researchers.
That interstellar asteroid could be a shard of a shredded planet
2017-12-09
Our solar system’s first interstellar visitor may be a shard of a larger planet that got shredded by its star.
World’s scientists turn to Asia and Australia to rewrite human history
2017-12-08
The speed at which new and astounding discoveries are being made in Australasia has effectively turned the focus of many human evolution researchers from the old bastions of Africa and Eurasia, much further east.
ANCIENT CITY WITH TEMPLE AND BURIAL GROUND FOUND IN TURKEY
2017-12-08
An archaeologist in Turkey, tipped off by rumors of treasure hunting in the country’s east, has found an ancient settlement, perhaps up to 3,000 years old, dating from the days of the ancient Middle Eastern kingdom of Urartu.
NEW RESEARCH CHALLENGES ORIGINS OF ANCIENT MIDDLE EAST NATUFIAN CULTURE
2017-12-08
“In addition to calling into question the idea that the Natufians originated in one settlement and spread outwards, the study suggests that the hunter- gatherers who lived 15,000 to 12,000 years ago were ingenious and resourceful,” said Boaretto.
A Network of Ancient Caves Was Just Discovered Under Montreal
2017-12-08
This week in Montreal, residents discovered a whole new unknown about the world beneath their feet: a vast network of underground tunnels dating back to the ice age, unseen by anyone for thousands of years.
Bizarre, Enormous 16th-Century Map Assembled for First Time
2017-12-08
The largest known world map of its time—made of 60 individual sheets—can finally be seen as the mapmaker intended. The map reflects the geographical knowledge (and misconceptions) of its time, but in some ways it’s surprisingly advanced.
Adornments tell about culture of Paleolithic people
2017-12-08
Sungir Upper Paleolithic site is about 200 kilometres east of Moscow, and dates to 29,000-31,000 years BP - one of the earliest records of Homo sapiens in Europe. The encampment of prehistoric hunters includes a burial site of a 40-50 year old man and a grave of two children who died at around 10 to 14 years of age. Excavations have revealed over 80 thousand different artefacts.
Atlas of developing human brain launched by researchers
2017-12-08
Scientists have taken the first step towards a comprehensive atlas of gene expression in cells across the developing human brain, making available new insights into how specific cells and gene networks contribute to building this most complex of organs.
530 million-year-old fossil is likely world’s oldest eye
2017-12-08
The 530 million-year-old fossil eye belonged to an ancient extinct sea creature named Schmidtiellus reetae. The eye looks like an early version of the type of eye deployed by a number of modern animals, including crabs, bees and dragonflies.
Women warriors of Japan: Highly trained, some fought with two swords, and one led an all-female force against the Imperial Army
2017-12-08
An omnipresent image of Japanese culture is that of the samurai, the “all-masculine” warrior who will decapitate an enemy in cold blood, or who will commit seppuku if he is to keep the honor of his name. However, there are women from Japanese history who can help deconstruct these stereotypical gender representations, one great example being that of the onna bugeisha...
Scientists map ancient rock art in Venezuela
2017-12-08
One of the rock art panels featured in the new map covers an area of nearly 3,300 square feet and hosts 93 different engravings. Another motif features horned snakes stretch nearly 100 feet in length.
Why You’re Probably Related to Nefertiti, Confucius, and Socrates
2017-12-08
The theory of evolution holds that all living things have common ancestors. But just how far back do humans need to go to find a common ancestor of their own: a person to whom all living people are related?
The Mapping of Massacres
2017-12-08
In Australia, historians and artists have turned to cartography to record the widespread killing of Indigenous people.
Could ancient bones suggest Santa was real?
2017-12-07
New Oxford University research has revealed that bones long venerated as relics of the saint, do in fact date from the right historical period.
Trump’s Assault on Bears Ears National Monument Could Threaten Ancient Native American Petroglyphs
2017-12-07
Experts warn the 2,000-year-old rock carvings could be lost forever.
Vast Yukon Wilderness Protected in Ruling for Native Tribes
2017-12-07
Environmental and indigenous groups are cheering a landmark decision, which ordered the Yukon Territorial Government to abide by a negotiated plan to preserve one of the largest intact wilderness areas in North America.
Warm and Wet Ancient Mars? Maybe Not
2017-12-07
A new study suggests that the widespread deposit of clay minerals on Mars could have formed longer ago than previously thought, right after the planet's formation — meaning the Noachian may well have been a mostly dry and chilly time,  as other scientists have posited.
Smuggled fossil ‘very weird’ new species of amphibious dinosaur, say experts
2017-12-07
Halszkaraptor escuilliei is thought to have lived around 71-75m years ago and had a swan-like neck, razor-sharp “killer claws” and a duck-billed snout.
PreviousNext