Humans news stories

Modelling the ‘superhighways’ travelled by First Australians
29th April 2021 cosmosmagazine.com | Ancient, Earth, Humans

Indigenous Australians have long pointed out that their ancestors have lived on and cared for this continent since time immemorial. Hampered by entrenched misconceptions and outdated curricula, it’s only in recent decades – with discoveries like Mungo Man and Mungo Lady – that science has started to catch up.

Was North America populated by ‘stepping stone’ migration across Bering Sea?
29th April 2021 phys.org | Ancient, Earth, Humans

For thousands of years during the last ice age, generations of maritime migrants paddled skin boats eastward across shallow ocean waters from Asia to present-day Alaska.

Non-hallucinogenic psychedelics: scientists close in on compound
29th April 2021 | theguardian.com | Humans, Misc.

Researchers have identified a psychedelic that doesn’t trigger hallucinations, a key discovery that could allow scientists to accelerate the development of easy-to-use treatments for mental health and neurological conditions.

Research into early use of fire could help solve human evolution mystery
29th April 2021 | independent.co.uk | Ancient, Humans

New discovery shows early humans were using fire at least 900,000 years ago, leading experts to suggest that that ability to cook food led to major otherwise inexplicable changes in human gut anatomy, dentition, facial shape and increased brain size

Archaeologists Find Oldest Home in Human History, Dating to 2 Million Years Ago
28th April 2021 | haaretz.com | Ancient, Humans

Archaeologists have found the oldest home in hominin history. Unsurprisingly, it is a cave: Wonderwerk Cave in the Kalahari Desert.

Neandertals don’t deserve their bad, dim-witted reputation
28th April 2021 massivesci.com | Ancient, Humans

On March 3, 2021, the governors of Texas and Mississippi announced that they were lifting their respective mask mandates, prompting criticism from President Biden, who called the move “Neanderthal thinking.” Biden was implying that lifting the mandates was a primitive act — but this understanding of Neandertals is an outdated stereotype, unsupported by modern research.

Photo by mostafa meraji on Unsplash

The pioneering technology that is uncovering the mysteries of the ‘kraken’
28th April 2021 phys.org | Animal Life, Humans

The legend of the “kraken” has captivated humans for millennia. Stories of deep-sea squid dragging sailors and even entire ships to their doom can be found in everything from ancient Greek mythology to modern-day movie blockbusters.

Climate change: A small green rock’s warning about our future
28th April 2021 | bbc.co.uk | Ancient, Earth, Humans

It’s an unassuming rock, greenish in colour, and just over 4cm in its longest dimension. And yet this little piece of sandstone holds important clues to all our futures.

What triangular patterns on rocks may reveal about human ancestors
27th April 2021 phys.org | Ancient, Humans

The Pleistocene epoch, which started 2.6 million years ago and lasted until about 11,700 years ago, was crucially important for our hominin ancestors.

New discoveries in Saqqara’s ancient tombs are rewriting Egyptian history
27th April 2021 | independent.co.uk | Ancient, Humans

In recent months a series of discoveries down shafts in Saqqara, Egypt, has captivated the world of archaeology

Pink supermoon set to brighten UK night skies
26th April 2021 | theguardian.com | Earth, Humans, Space

Celestial event due to take place shortly before sunset on Tuesday and will be visible until next morning

Secrets of a tree whisperer: ‘They get along, they listen – they’re attuned’
26th April 2021 | theguardian.com | Earth, Humans

When Suzanne Simard made her extraordinary discovery – that trees could communicate and cooperate through subterranean networks of fungi – the scientific establishment underreacted.

Can our brains help prove the universe is conscious?
26th April 2021 | space.com | Humans, Space

As humans, we know we are conscious because we experience and feel things. Yet scientists and great thinkers are unable to explain what consciousness is and they are equally baffled about where it comes from.

April’s Full Moon Is 2021’s First Supermoon! Here’s When to Look For It
24th April 2021 | sciencealert.com | Earth, Humans, Space

The Pink Moon – the second largest full moon of 2021 – will light up the night sky shortly before midnight on Monday (April 26), according to NASA.

New Analysis Finds a Mysterious Second Author For One of The Dead Sea Scrolls
23rd April 2021 | sciencealert.com | Ancient, Humans

Ever since the Dead Sea Scrolls were accidentally discovered over 70 years ago in a cave in Israel, they have been a source of fascination.

Asteroid’s 22m-year journey from source to Earth mapped in historic first
23rd April 2021 | theguardian.com | Ancient, Humans, Space

Astronomers have reconstructed the 22m-year-long voyage of an asteroid that hurtled through the solar system and exploded over Botswana, showering meteorites across the Kalahari desert

News stories covering humans, psychology and health.