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.....»»
A devastating fire 2,200 years ago preserved a moment of life and war in Iron Age Spain, down to a single gold earring
A ruined building in the middle of the Pyrenees records a tragedy for the people who lived there—a devastating fire that burned a settlement to the ground, destroying almost everything except a hidden gold earring. Now archaeologists' excavation of.....»»
Meet the new insect killing Utah"s fir trees: Research models impact of the balsam woolly adelgid
A nonnative tree-killing insect is invading northern Utah, attacking subalpine fir and potentially triggering yet another die-off of the region's long-stressed conifer forests......»»
New methodologies to prevent fraud in the determination of geographical origin of hazelnuts
Food fraud concerning the geographical origin of hazelnuts intended for consumption is a problem that damages the agri-food sector and generates economic losses and consumer distrust......»»
Archaeologists excavate medieval timber hall at historic Skipsea site
A team of archaeologists at the University of York have returned to Skipsea in East Yorkshire to excavate the remains of a medieval timber hall uncovered near the site of a Norman castle......»»
Sauron has returned in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 teaser trailer
An ancient evil has returned, and its name is Sauron, in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 teaser trailer......»»
Evolutionary history shapes variation of wood density: Study
Ecology and evolutionary biology suggest that closely related species are more likely to exhibit morphological and functional similarities compared to distantly related species. Each tree species represents a unique genetic reservoir and is a product.....»»
Identity crisis: Climate destroying wonders that gave US parks their names
Glacier National Park's ice fortress is crumbling. The giant trees of Sequoia National Park are ablaze. And even the tenacious cacti of Saguaro National Park are struggling to endure a decades-long drought......»»
The Earth Is About to Feast on Dead Cicadas
Two cicada broods, XIX and XIII, are emerging in sync for the first time in 221 years. They’re bringing the banquet of a lifetime for birds, trees, and humans alike......»»
The ancient Egyptian goddess of the sky: How a researcher used modern astronomy to explore her link with the Milky Way
What did our ancestors think when they looked up at the night sky? All cultures ascribed special meaning to the sun and the moon, but what about the pearly band of light and shadow we call the Milky Way?.....»»
Saturated soils could impact survival of young trees planted to address climate change
The saturated soil conditions predicted to result from increased rainfall in the UK's upland regions could have a knock-on effect on the ambition to create more woodland in the fight against climate change, a new study has found......»»
City Trees Save Lives
Green spaces significantly cool our ever-hotter cities. New research suggests more trees could cut heat-related ER visits in LA by up to two-thirds......»»
Scientists find ancient, endangered lamprey fish in Queensland, 1400 km north of its previous known range
The Australian brook lamprey (Mordacia praecox) is part of a group of primitive jawless fish. It's up to 15 cm long, with rows of sharp teeth. Surprisingly, it doesn't use these teeth to suck blood like most lamprey species—it's non-parasitic......»»
Study reveals new mechanism to explain how continents stabilized
Ancient, expansive tracts of continental crust called cratons have helped keep Earth's continents stable for billions of years, even as landmasses shift, mountains rise and oceans form. A new mechanism proposed by Penn State scientists may explain ho.....»»
Discovery of ancient Glaswegian shrimp fossil reveals new species
A short but robust little shrimp may have died out over 330 million years ago during the Carboniferous period, but the rare Scottish shellfish has been revitalized as a new species to science and as a Glaswegian......»»
How conservationists brought Melbourne"s Merri Creek back from pollution, neglect and weeds
I met with a friend for a walk beside Merri Creek, in inner Melbourne. She had lived in the area for a few years, and as we walked beside the creek, past trees, native grasses, a small wetland echoing with frog calls, I talked about how it had looked.....»»
Researchers explore raw materials and firing technology for porcelain from late sixth-century Xing kiln
In the process of firing ceramics, the appearance, structure and properties of ceramics are determined by raw materials and firing technology, so the study of raw materials and firing technology of ancient ceramics has always been a very important ar.....»»
Ancient scroll reveals new story of Plato"s death—here"s why you should be suspicious of it
Plato of Athens (429–347 BC) may be one of the most famous philosophers of all times. He was the thinker who came up with the "theory of forms" and founded the first academic institution. Yet we know little about his life, such as how he died, or w.....»»
Astronomers observe elusive stellar light surrounding ancient quasars
MIT astronomers have observed the elusive starlight surrounding some of the earliest quasars in the universe. The distant signals, which trace back more than 13 billion years to the universe's infancy, are revealing clues to how the very first black.....»»
Market-based schemes not reducing deforestation, poverty: Report
Market-based approaches to forest conservation like carbon offsets and deforestation-free certification schemes have largely failed to protect trees or alleviate poverty, according to a major scientific review published on Monday......»»
Beautifully crafted Roman dodecahedron discovered in Lincoln—but what were they for?
Roman dodecahedra are something of an enigma: there is no known mention of these 12-sided, hollow objects in ancient Roman texts or images. First discovered in the 18th century, around 130 dodecahedra have been found across the Roman Empire, although.....»»