Seeing the wood for the trees: How archaeologists use hazelnuts to reconstruct ancient woodlands
If we could stand in a landscape that our Mesolithic ancestors called home, what would we see around us? Scientists have devised a method of analyzing preserved hazelnut shells to tell us whether the microhabitats around archaeological sites were hea.....»»
Evidence of “snowball Earth” found in ancient rocks
An outcrop in Scotland has material from when the Earth went into a deep freeze. Enlarge / Artist's conception of the state of the Earth during its global glaciations. (credit: NASA) Earth has gone through many geologic.....»»
Ancient DNA from Rapa Nui (Easter Island) refutes best-selling population collapse theory
Rapa Nui or Te Pito o Te Henua (the navel of the world), also known as Easter Island, is one of the most isolated inhabited places in the world. Located in the Pacific, it lies over 1,900 km east of the closest inhabited Polynesian island and 3,700 k.....»»
Archaeologists discover an ancient Neanderthal lineage that remained isolated for over 50,000 years
A fossilized Neanderthal discovered in a cave system in the Rhône Valley, France, represents an ancient and previously undescribed lineage that diverged from other currently known Neanderthals around 100,000 years ago and remained genetically isolat.....»»
Q&A: Looting of the Sudan National Museum—more is at stake than priceless ancient treasures
Reports continue to emerge of the alleged looting of tens of thousands of artifacts from the Sudan National Museum in Khartoum......»»
Archaeologists suggest Neolithic Scandinavians may have used skin boats to hunt, travel and trade
Recent research by Dr. Mikael Fauvelle and his colleagues, published in the Journal of Maritime Archaeology, proposes that the neolithic Pitted Ware Culture (PWC) may have used skin boats to conduct trade, travel, fishing, and hunting activities......»»
Stone Age mass grave contains mostly adult males who were related
A team of archaeologists and paleo-geneticists from Université de Bordeaux, working with colleagues from Université Côte d'Azur, both in France, has found that a mass grave from the Neolithic contains the remains of mostly adult males who were rel.....»»
Archaeologists challenge theory of violent Steppe invasion in Iberia Peninsula
A study by the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) and the University of Murcia (UM) challenges the theory that warrior groups with a "Steppe" genetic component originating from Eastern Europe violently replaced the male population of the Iberia.....»»
References to ancient Britain linked to hostility online
Political posts on social media that most frequently referenced ancient history tended to be more extreme, hostile and overwhelmingly negative in tone than average, finds a new study by researchers from UCL and the University of Edinburgh......»»
Archaeologists discover a likely place for Neanderthal and Homo sapiens interbreeding
A small team of archaeologists, two from Germany, one from Denmark and another from Iran, has identified a potential region for interbreeding between Neanderthals and Homo sapiens during the Late Pleistocene......»»
How did volcanism trigger climate change before the eruptions started?
New dating of a major ancient warming shows warming started before major eruptions. Enlarge / Loads of lava: Kasbohm with a few solidified lava flows of the Columbia River Basalts. (credit: Joshua Murray) As our climate.....»»
A mural honoring scientists hung in Pfizer"s NYC lobby for 60 years. Now it"s up for grabs
A mural honoring ancient and modern figures in medicine that has hung in the lobby of Pfizer's original New York City headquarters for more than 60 years could soon end up in pieces if conservationists can't find a new home for it in the next few wee.....»»
Deadly Super Typhoon Yagi hits Vietnam
Super Typhoon Yagi uprooted thousands of trees and swept ships and boats out to sea, killing one person, as it made landfall in northern Vietnam Saturday, after blowing past southern China where it left two dead......»»
Editorial: Rest assured, Ancient teens were full of existential angst too
If you're a young person (or a parent of one), you may be thinking some big thoughts about your future. Am I going to go to university? Maybe I'll look at a trade? I might want to travel? Or maybe I don't? Do I have to decide now? I don't know what I.....»»
Researchers prove 120-million-year-old volcanism on moon
Extensive geologic evidence of ancient volcanic activity can be found on the moon, but how long this volcanism persisted has been unclear. However, Prof. Li Qiuli's Lab at the Institute of Geology and Geophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (IG.....»»
What is societal collapse? Lessons from the past can help us understand our future, but only to a point
As the climate crisis accelerates, it's hard not to wonder if today's societies can adapt. Growing worries over climate change have sparked interest in the collapse of ancient civilizations and the rise of the (often apocalypse-themed) "cli-fi" genre.....»»
Combining aesthetics with fire-resistance for improved wood protection
Wood is a popular material for construction and furniture making due to its availability, easy processing, and strong mechanical properties. However, its flammability poses significant risks, particularly in historical buildings......»»
Metal bats have pluses for young players, but in the end it comes down to skill
Skill of the hitters was still the biggest factor in how fast the ball came off the bat. Enlarge / Washington State University scientists conducted batting cage tests of wood and metal bats with young players. (credit: YouTube/Ba.....»»
Diagnosing oak wilt with the naked eye
University of Minnesota researchers developed a groundbreaking method for the rapid and accurate detection of oak wilt, a devastating disease threatening oak trees across North America. The disease is widespread in east-central and southeast Minnesot.....»»
Worried about your trees after the windstorms? Here are seven signs you might be at risk
Winter has ended dramatically across Australia's southern states, as fierce winds and storms usher in spring......»»
Harnessing AI to fight global deforestation
The new European Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) is intended to prevent goods marketed in the EU from contributing to the spread of deforestation. When a wood product is brought into the EU market, for example, there must be documentation of which ty.....»»