Humans news stories

Ancient Mayan cities are heavily contaminated with mercury
26th September 2022 cosmosmagazine.com | Ancient, Humans

A review in Frontiers in Environmental Science has shown that this mercury pollution comes from the ancient Mayans, who appeared to use a lot of the compound at certain points in their long history.

Water found in asteroid dust may offer clues to origins of life on Earth
26th September 2022 | theguardian.com | Humans, Space, Tech

The findings are in the latest research to be published from analysis of 5.4 grammes of stones and dust that the Hayabusa-2 probe gathered from the asteroid Ryugu.

New archaeology dives into the mysterious demise of the Neanderthals
26th September 2022 phys.org | Ancient, Humans

Char from ancient fires and stalagmites in caves hold clues to the mysterious disappearance of Neanderthals from Europe.

A NASA Spacecraft Will Collide With an Asteroid on Monday. Watch Live Here
26th September 2022 | sciencealert.com | Humans, Space, Tech

On September 26 at 11.15 pm UTC, NASA’s DART mission (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) will be the first to deliberately and measurably change the motion of a significant body in our Solar System.

3,000-year-old gold funeral mask unearthed in noble’s tomb in China
23rd September 2022 | livescience.com | Ancient, Humans

It’s one of the oldest gold objects ever found in central China, as contemporary treasures tend to be crafted from bronze and jade, raising questions about possible links to other early Chinese states where gold was more common.

Psychedelics face corrupting influence of financial interests
23rd September 2022 | eurekalert.org | Humans, Misc.

In a peer-reviewed essay published in the journal Anthropology of Consciousness, Devenot and her co-authors look forward to a culture that makes these medicines available in a safe and affordable way that respects the traditions behind them.

Massive Outback rock art site reveals ancient narrative
23rd September 2022 phys.org | Ancient, Humans

Researchers have shed light on the story behind a large sandstone rock art site in Central Queensland that features seven star-like designs, large snake-like designs, six-toed human feet and even a penis.

Six recent discoveries that have changed how we think about human origins
23rd September 2022 theconversation.com | Ancient, Earth, Humans

Scientific study of human evolution historically reassured us of a comforting order to things. It has painted humans as as cleverer, more intellectual and caring than our ancestral predecessors…Over the last five years discoveries have upended this unbalanced view.

The Remains of This Recently Found Ancient Structure Are Even Older Than The Pyramids
22nd September 2022 | sciencealert.com | Ancient, Humans

Archaeologists digging near Prague have discovered the remains of a Stone Age structure that’s older than Stonehenge and even the Egyptian pyramids: an enigmatic complex known as a roundel.

Ringed Neptune captured by James Webb telescope
22nd September 2022 | bbc.co.uk | Humans, Space, Tech

The recently launched super space telescope James Webb has returned spectacular new imagery of Neptune.

Israeli archaeologists find traces of opium in 3,500-year-old pottery
22nd September 2022 | theguardian.com | Ancient, Humans

Archaeologists say find supports theory that drug was used in burial rituals, possibly to ‘enter ecstatic state’

‘Extremely rare’ Rameses II-era burial cave found in Israel
20th September 2022 phys.org | Ancient, Humans

Israeli archaeologists on Sunday announced the “once-in-a-lifetime” discovery of a burial cave from the time of ancient Egyptian Pharaoh Rameses II, filled with dozens of pottery pieces and bronze artifacts.

Massive study of ancient DNA reveals hidden history of civilization and language
16th September 2022 bigthink.com | Ancient, Humans, Tech

New techniques allowed researchers to analyze ancient DNA for the first time. The data they unearthed helps describe the genomic history of the area and reveals population movements from as far back as 10,000 years ago. It contains some big surprises regarding theories for the origin of languages.

Misinformation can occur with everything… just ask spiders
16th September 2022 cosmosmagazine.com | Animal Life, Humans

Our eight-legged friends can teach us something important about ourselves.

Scientists have started to examine whether “magic” mushrooms can help in the fight against obesity
14th September 2022 | psypost.org | Humans, Misc.

Recent studies have provided initial evidence that psilocybin-assisted therapy might be effective in the treatment of addiction, leading the scientists behind the new research to wonder whether it could also help those who are struggling to control food cravings.

Ancient skeleton found in Mexico cave threatened by train
14th September 2022 phys.org | Ancient, Humans

A prehistoric human skeleton has been found in a cave system that was flooded at the end of the last ice age 8,000 years ago, according to a cave-diving archaeologist on Mexico’s Caribbean coast.

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