Humans news stories

Evidence of the use of baby carriers 10,000 years ago
28th September 2022 phys.org | Ancient, Humans

It seems logical enough: even in their earliest history, humans must have needed something to carry their babies around in as they moved from place to place. But because little hard evidence of this exists—no infant-sling fabrics discernible in archeological digs, and very few prehistoric baby burials, besides—it’s been anybody’s guess that the practice actually took place.

Second ancient canoe – this one 3,000 years old – found in Wisconsin lake
27th September 2022 | theguardian.com | Ancient, Humans

A 3,000-year-old canoe has been found in Lake Mendota in Madison, Wisconsin, less than a year after another historical canoe dating back more than a millennium was discovered in the same body of water.

Dimorphos: Nasa flies spacecraft into asteroid in direct hit
27th September 2022 | bbc.co.uk | Humans, Space, Tech

The American space agency’s Dart probe has smashed into an asteroid, destroying itself in the process. The collision was intentional and designed to test whether space rocks that might threaten Earth could be nudged safely out of the way.

Fears for Indigenous rock art as construction begins on WA’s Burrup peninsula
27th September 2022 | theguardian.com | Ancient, Humans

Traditional custodians fighting to protect ancient rock art on the Burrup peninsula have raised concerns that construction work has begun at multiple sites despite the federal government ordering a cultural heritage assessment of the area.

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.

News stories covering humans, psychology and health.