Tech news stories

Dishing the dirt on human evolution: Why scientific techniques matter in archaeology
4th December 2023 phys.org | Ancient, Humans, Tech

In a scientific commentary published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution… a group of archaeological scientists strongly advocate for the use of modern scientific techniques to support claims such as those made about Homo naledi.

The alien hunter: has Harvard’s Avi Loeb found proof of extraterrestrial life?
29th November 2023 | theguardian.com | Humans, Space, Tech, Weird

The astrophysicist and professor likes to ruffle feathers – and says his critics are merely jealous. He discusses UFOs, interstellar objects and the risks of his all-consuming search.

A rare, extremely energetic cosmic ray has mysterious origins
24th November 2023 | sciencenews.org | Space, Tech, Weird

In 1991, physicists spotted a particle from space that crashed into Earth with so much energy that it warranted an “OMG!”A new particle of comparable energy has been found, researchers report in the Nov. 24 Science…And mysteriously, scientists are unable to pinpoint any cosmic source for the particle.

Glowing Fingertips And Green Eyes: First-of-Its-Kind Monkey Chimera Born in China
13th November 2023 | sciencealert.com | Animal Life, Humans, Tech, Weird

Scientists in China have announced the birth of a primate like no other, with eyes that shined green and fingertips that glowed yellow – and those were just the observable features. The study was published in Cell.

Euclid telescope: First images revealed from ‘dark Universe’ mission
8th November 2023 | bbc.co.uk | Ancient, Space, Tech

Over the next six years, Euclid will survey a third of the heavens to get some clues about the nature of so-called dark matter and dark energy.

Weathered face of ‘old man’ Neanderthal comes to life in amazing new facial reconstruction
8th November 2023 | livescience.com | Ancient, Humans, Tech

A new facial reconstruction depicts a Neanderthal whose skeleton was found by priests in a French cave.

In a Jedi-like feat, rats can move a digital object using just their brain
5th November 2023 | sciencenews.org | Animal Life, Humans, Tech

Like tiny, hairy Yodas raising X-wings from a swamp, rats can lift digital cubes and drop them near a target. But these rats aren’t using the Force. Instead, they are using their imagination. See the study here.

Discovery of ‘Jumbos’ may herald new astronomical category
2nd October 2023 | theguardian.com | Ancient, Space, Tech, Weird

Dozens of planet-sized objects have been discovered in the Orion Nebula via observations that could herald the existence of a new astronomical category…The objects are too small to be stars, but also defy the conventional definition of a planet because they are not in orbit around a parent star.

We carry DNA from extinct cousins like Neanderthals. Science is now revealing their genetic legacy
25th September 2023 abcnews.go.com | Ancient, Humans, Tech

More research is showing that we carry genes from other kinds of ancient humans, and their DNA affects our lives today.

Skepticism about claim human ancestors nearly went extinct
18th September 2023 phys.org | Ancient, Humans, Tech

Could the lives of the eight billion people currently on Earth have depended on the resilience of just 1,280 human ancestors who very nearly went extinct 900,000 years ago?

The Famous ‘Iceman’ Ötzi Is Not Who We Thought He Was
17th August 2023 | sciencealert.com | Ancient, Humans, Tech

A new and improved DNA analysis of the famous ‘Iceman’ mummy suggests this ancient individual is not who we thought he was. The study was published in Cell Genomics.

Winchcombe meteorite is helping scientists to understand more about asteroids
10th August 2023 phys.org | Ancient, Humans, Space, Tech

In a new paper published in Meteoritics & Planetary Science, researchers take a closer look at the minerals contained within the meteorite, its bulk elemental composition and water content.

Database with 2,400 prehistoric sites, a tool for human evolutionary studies
4th August 2023 phys.org | Ancient, Humans, Tech

Human history in one click: For the first time, numerous sites relating to the early history of mankind from 3 million to 20,000 years ago can be accessed in a large-scale database. See research here.

New technique represents major breakthrough in search for aliens, scientists say
19th July 2023 | independent.co.uk | Humans, Space, Tech

A new technique is a dramatic breakthrough in the search for alien life, astronomers say. See the research here.

Two-Million-Year-Old Tooth Widens the Ancient Human Family Tree
18th July 2023 | discovermagazine.com | Ancient, Humans, Tech

Two-million-year-old teeth (four sets, in fact) tell new stories in a newly posted preprint paper that strips them of enamel and analyzes what the proteins have to say. This “proteomic” approach, which relied on the more rugged protein molecules instead of fragile DNA, revealed their relationship to the wider family tree of early humans.

Project uses AI and archaeological materials for network analyses from the Middle Stone Age to antiquity
17th July 2023 phys.org | Ancient, Humans, Tech

Publishing in the international journal Antiquity, a team of archaeologists from seven countries led by Kiel University has presented the “Big Exchange” project, which uses AI to better understand the networks and interactions of prehistoric and early historic people.

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