Ancient genes pinpoint when humans and Neanderthals mixed and mingled
Neanderthals and humans likely mixed and mingled during a narrow time frame 45,000 years ago, scientists reported Thursday......»»
Getting to the bottom of Cenozoic deep-ocean temperatures
Understanding ancient ocean temperatures—particularly from the Cenozoic era (the past 66 million years), in which Earth experienced dramatic climate shifts—helps scientists reveal more about the planet's past climates......»»
Astronomers pinpoint the origin of mysterious repeating radio bursts from space
Slowly repeating bursts of intense radio waves from space have puzzled astronomers since they were discovered in 2022......»»
From HR to work/life balance—How working life has (and hasn"t) changed since ancient Rome
While powerful figures tend to take up the most space in our history books, the vast majority of people in the ancient world were regular working class folks, and most people's lives revolved around the daily grind. A new book sheds light on working.....»»
Muddy footprints suggest 2 species of early humans were neighbors in Kenya 1.5 million years ago
Muddy footprints left on a Kenyan lakeside suggest two of our early human ancestors were nearby neighbors some 1.5 million years ago......»»
Fishy fossil find points to possible polar bear ancestry for Scottish bears
New analysis of ancient bones and fossils found in a Highland cave has revealed them to be "fishier than the average bear" and could even suggest polar bears once roamed Scotland......»»
The Whole Story of How Humans Evolved From Great Apes
The picture of human evolution has changed repeatedly and dramatically over the past half century, shaped by waves of new fossil discovery, technology, and scientific techniques......»»
Archaeologists reveal musical instruments depicted in Zimbabwe"s ancient rock art
A study published in Azania: Archaeological Research in Africa by archaeologists Dr. Joshua Kumbani and Prof. Margarita Díaz-Andreu explores the intriguing relationship between Zimbabwean rock art and musical instruments......»»
Archaeologists discover 4,000-year-old canals used to fish by predecessors of ancient Maya
Long before the ancient Maya built temples, their predecessors were already altering the landscape of Central America's Yucatan peninsula......»»
Smaller brains? Fewer friends? An evolutionary biologist asks how AI will change humanity"s future
What will humans be like generations from now in a world transformed by artificial intelligence (AI)? Plenty of thinkers have applied themselves to questions like this, considering how AI will alter lives—often for better, sometimes for worse......»»
Fallen ancient civilizations show us why we must not ignore climate warnings
In 1177BC, Amurapi, the last king of Ugarit in modern-day Syria, wrote in cuneiform on baked clay to the Hittite emperor Suppiluliuma II: "My father behold, the enemy's ships have come; my cities were burned, and they did evil things in my country.".....»»
Brains grew faster as humans evolved, study finds
Modern humans, Neanderthals, and other recent relatives on our human family tree evolved bigger brains much more rapidly than earlier species, a new study of human brain evolution has found......»»
China experiences reduction in food system inequality and carbon footprint alongside economic development
Humans have persistent food needs that trigger considerable greenhouse gas emissions, varying significantly by region. However, the greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint and inequality in the food system are not well assessed within countries......»»
Study reveals mixed legacy of the 2012 London Olympics on promised urban regeneration
The 2012 London Olympics Games serve as a cautionary tale for local communities in host cities—a new study warns. The study by the University of Portsmouth analyzed 20 years of data, from 2001 to 2022. It looked at the long-term legacy of the 2012.....»»
Tick tubes help reduce the parasites on mice, but time and frequency matter
Ticks are a nuisance across many areas of the U.S., capable of spreading harmful pathogens to both animals and humans. A new study led by researchers at Penn State has analyzed the effectiveness of a simple, inexpensive strategy for controlling ticks.....»»
Cyanobacterial circadian clock uses an AM radio-like mechanism to control cellular processes
Cyanobacteria, an ancient lineage of bacteria that perform photosynthesis, have been found to regulate their genes using the same physics principle used in AM radio transmission......»»
The dark energy pushing our universe apart may not be what it seems, scientists say
Distant, ancient galaxies are giving scientists more hints that a mysterious force called dark energy may not be what they thought......»»
Saturday Citations: Sweaty, remarkable humans; ocean level rise projections; closeup of a star in another galaxy
Since we last spoke, researchers at the University of Birmingham have defined the precise shape of a single photon (spoiler: roundish). Economists worry that Trump's grandiose deportation plans could lead to a recession. And astronomers report that t.....»»
Gene regulation study reports surprising results: Extensive regions of DNA belong to multiple gene switches
Some sequences in the genome cause genes to be switched on or off. Until now, each of these gene switches, or so-called enhancers, was thought to have its own place on the DNA. Different enhancers are therefore separated from each other, even if they.....»»
Ancient meets modern as a new subway in Greece showcases archaeological treasures
Greece's second largest city, Thessaloniki, is getting a brand new subway system that will showcase archaeological discoveries made during construction that held up the project for decades......»»
Oldest direct evidence of hot water activity on Mars found
New Curtin University-led research has uncovered what may be the oldest direct evidence of ancient hot water activity on Mars, revealing the planet may have been habitable at some point in its past......»»