Researchers have discovered highly conserved DNA sequences in non-coding regions of insect genomes, which are remarkably preserved for at least 180 million years. These findings provide new insights into the evolution of ancient animal ancestors and their influence on modern species.
A University of Cincinnati-led team uncovered a rare, intact Bronze Age warrior's tomb dating back to around 1500 B.C., filled with gold cups, jewelry, and bronze weaponry. The find is significant as it may have belonged to a powerful figure who helped shape the Mycenaean culture.
Research finds that climate variability played a significant role in the emergence, decline, and re-establishment of ancient agrarian states in Mexico and Peru. The study analyzed climate records from stalagmites and ice caps to understand how climate conditions influenced the growth and instability of these civilizations.
The sequenced ancient human genome from Africa reveals a significant wave of migration back into the continent around 3,000 years ago, affecting all populations across the African continent. This migration predates the 'Eurasian backflow' event and shares genetic similarities with Early Neolithic farmers who brought agriculture to Europe.
A new paper published in Science reveals that Mars had a more massive atmosphere billions of years ago and a wet climate, with long-lived lakes filling Gale Crater. The discovery contradicts existing climate models and sheds light on the planet's ancient past, similar to the resolution of Earth's continental drift puzzle.
Researchers have sequenced the full genome of an ancient African male skeleton, revealing significantly more Eurasian ancestry than previously thought. The study estimates that 4-7% of African genomes trace back to a Eurasian source, with gene flow reaching Central, West and Southern Africa.
A 125-million-year-old bird fossil from Spain provides a unique glimpse into the anatomy of early bird flight. The discovery supports the notion that some ancient birds were capable of aerodynamic feats similar to those of modern birds.
Researchers at University of Alaska Fairbanks discovered 11,500-year-old chum salmon bones indicating Ice Age humans in North America used salmon as a food source. The findings suggest ancient Beringian diets were broader and human colonization of North America may have been influenced by salmon fishing.
A study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science found evidence of mass breeding of raptors in ancient Egypt, including a mummified kestrel that died from force-feeding. The findings suggest that birds were kept and bred for religious purposes, with implications for falconry practices.
Archaeologists have found the oldest known pottery from Papua New Guinea, dating back 3,000 years, in a remote region of the highlands. The discovery sheds light on how technology spread among cultures and provides insights into early civilizations.
Researchers will use digital methods to repopulate an ancient country called Doggerland, monitoring its development over 5,000 years. This project aims to reveal crucial information about early human life in Europe and develop new technologies for exploring lost landscapes.
Researchers found that abrupt climate changes during the Holocene epoch affected ancient societies, leading to wetter conditions compared to recent times. The study's high-resolution peat record revealed transitions in major civilizations coinciding with episodes of high atmospheric dust.
Researchers from Tel Aviv University and international partners uncover proof of trial plant cultivation 11 millennia earlier than conventional ideas suggest. The study reveals early humans had gathered over 140 species of plants, including weeds mixed with edible cereals, indicating basic knowledge of agriculture and foresight.
The Breakthrough Prize Foundation has committed $100 million to UC Berkeley and other institutions to lead a comprehensive scientific search for extraterrestrial intelligence. The initiative, called Breakthrough Listen, will utilize radio and optical telescopes to gather and analyze data from the universe.
A new report from The Rockefeller Foundation-Lancet Commission on Planetary Health warns of impending irreversible environmental effects threatening human health. Human activities are degrading the planet's resources and ecological systems, putting future generations at risk of increased mortality rates and non-communicable diseases.
Researchers found charcoal and respiratory irritants in ancient teeth, indicating early humans suffered health effects from indoor air pollution. The discovery provides the first direct evidence of manmade pollution on Earth, dating back 400,000 years.
Researchers have identified glass formations on Mars that could preserve signs of ancient biological activity. The glass-rich impactites found by Kevin Cannon and John Mustard are preserved on billion-year timescales and could provide a promising target for searching for possible ancient Martian life.
A new study has successfully detected epigenetic marks in 29 out of 30 ancient human remains from five North American archaeological sites, spanning over 4,500 years. The findings could provide insights into how past environments affected the physical traits and health of ancient populations.
Researchers found eight major flood events in the central Mississippi River valley that contributed to Cahokia's emergence and decline. The study suggests that floods disrupted agricultural settlement patterns, leading to increased population density and farming intensity.
Archaeologists discovered ancient clam gardens in the Pacific Northwest, revealing a sophisticated marine management system. The findings challenge the notion of First Nations living in wild environments, instead showing they were farmers who cultivated productive clam habitats.
A team of scientists using NASA's WISE observatory has found no evidence of advanced extraterrestrial life in 100,000 galaxies. The study searched for signs of highly advanced civilizations in mid-infrared wavelengths, a radiation detectable by the satellite.
Researchers found that northern Europeans rejected farming during the Neolithic period, unlike southern and central regions which adopted it. This discovery reveals two cultural trajectories in Europe thousands of years ago.
Researchers used UV light to reveal coloration patterns on ancient seashells, showing 28 species with unique patterns, 13 of which are new species. The study helps understand relationships between ancient and modern cone snail species.
A five-year excavation program in Diros Bay, Greece, has uncovered an ancient town and burial complex dating back to the Neolithic and Bronze Age. The site revealed multiple burials, including Mycenaean-period burials with Late Bronze Age artifacts.
A study on ancient settlements in the Basin of Mexico found that larger settlements were more productive and efficient, exhibiting similar urban scaling trends as modern cities. The research team analyzed data from over 2000 years and four cultural eras to estimate populations and site use intensity.
Researchers found standard stars have about two habitable environments where liquid water can exist, providing conditions for life. However, the existence of intelligent civilizations remains uncertain due to unknown bottlenecks or self-destruction.
A study discovered that genetic variations associated with psoriasis and Crohn's disease are extremely old, predating the evolution of Neanderthals. The research suggests that these genetic features may have played a role in the health and survival of our ancient ancestors.
Fossilized remains of ancient snakes dating back 140-167 million years old have been discovered, revealing a complex evolutionary history and challenging current understanding of snake origins. The study suggests that the evolution of characteristic snake features occurred earlier than previously thought.
A new study on ancient dogs in the Americas found that dogs may have first successfully migrated to the continent around 10,000 years ago. Genetic analysis revealed four previously unseen genetic signatures and low genetic diversity in some populations, suggesting dog breeding by humans.
A team of scientists has mapped the location of ancient, hydrogen-rich waters found trapped kilometres beneath Earth's surface in rock fractures in Canada, South Africa and Scandinavia. These findings have significant implications for the search for deep microbial life, with potential applications in astrobiology.
Researchers Susan Alt and Timothy R. Pauketat have been awarded $640,000 in grants to continue their study of Cahokia Mounds, uncovering new insights into the history of civilizations. The projects focus on the role of religion in organizing complex societies, with a emphasis on archaeology, anthropology and cultural innovation.
A new statistical model explains the emergence of major world religions around rising affluence in Eurasia. Researchers found that as individuals reached a threshold of 20,000 kcal/day, they experienced increased peace and security, leading to a shift towards moralizing religions.
A rare 520 million-year-old fossil shaped like a 'squashed bird's nest' has been discovered in China, providing new insights into life in ancient seas. The fossil, Nidelric pugio, is a probable 'chancelloriid', a group of bizarre, balloon-shaped animals with defensive spines.
Researchers divert a Chinese river to mitigate environmental disasters and propose an integrated approach to manage water resources, ecological health, and economic development. This study provides a potential model for sustainable development of other inland river basins.
Researchers link decline of Assyrian civilization to population growth and droughts, drawing parallels with Syria and Iraq today. The study found that a severe drought in the 7th century BC weakened the empire's ability to withstand subsequent climate-related challenges.
Researchers propose that ancient cave paintings were inspired by the misinterpretation of sound waves as 'supernatural' echoes. The theory suggests that early humans may have made artwork in response to these echoes, which could have led to the depiction of mythical creatures on cave walls.
Scientists analyzed DNA from ancient European skulls and found that they were intolerant to lactose for 5,000 years after adopting agriculture. Major technological transitions in Central Europe were associated with changes in genetics of these populations.
Researchers from the University of Birmingham have re-dated the end of the Greek Bronze Age to 925-1025 BCE, based on radiocarbon analysis of animal bones and plant remains. This new chronology challenges traditional estimates and has implications for our understanding of ancient civilizations in the Mediterranean.
Scientists have compiled a treasure trove of 146 ancient and modern human full mitochondrial genomes to improve the accuracy of molecular clocks in human evolution. The new data reveals that a molecular clock calibrated with ancient sequences is far more accurate than traditional ones based on archaeological evidence.
Researchers found that modern-day Europeans have ancestry from three previously unrecognized groups: hunter-gatherers, early farmers, and a newly identified group of ancient north Eurasians. This discovery shifts scientists' ideas on human migration and interaction across the globe thousands of years ago.
A new study by Harvard Medical School and University of Tübingen reveals that present-day Europeans descend from three ancestral groups: Ancient North Eurasians, Basal Eurasians, and Near Eastern farmers. Genetic analysis found that Northern Europeans have more hunter-gatherer ancestry while Southern Europeans have more farmer ancestry.
Recent research reveals that breast milk microbiomes are maintained by niche differentiation and dominant species, contradicting the traditional neutral theory. This finding has significant clinical implications for understanding mastitis and other diseases associated with breast milk.
Researchers from the Universities of York, Macquarie and Oxford discovered evidence that ancient Egyptians used complex embalming agents 1,500 years earlier than thought. The findings suggest that mummification originated in Upper Egypt during the Neolithic period, around 4500-3100 BC.
Scientists have found that ancient El Niño cycles were as strong and frequent 10,000 years ago as they are today. The new record, based on analysis of 25-foot piles of shells, contradicts a widely held interpretation of past climate, suggesting that current understanding of the El Niño system is incomplete.
A study of mummies from various regions reveals evidence of atherosclerosis in ancient populations, contradicting the assumption that the disease is modern. Non-traditional risk factors like cooking fire smoke and chronic infection may have contributed to the condition.
Research suggests that ancient cultures may have been plagued by atherosclerosis due to chronic infection, inflammation, or exposure to smoke. The study of mummies from various cultures reveals a high incidence of the disease, which contradicts the expectation that modern lifestyles are the primary cause.
A new study comparing ancient and modern Egyptian whole-body CT scans found no significant differences in atherosclerotic disease incidence or severity. Despite higher age ranges in modern Egyptians, researchers detected vascular calcifications strongly correlated to age in both groups.
Researchers propose using industrial pollution as a sign of intelligent life, which could be detectable with the James Webb Space Telescope. The team found that CFCs could be used to identify advanced civilizations, but this method requires an ideal environment, such as an Earth-like planet circling a white dwarf star.
A new study reveals ancient hedgehog and tapir fossils from Driftwood Canyon Provincial Park in British Columbia, which lived around 52 million years ago. The discovery fills a significant gap in the geographic distribution of mammals during this period.
Researchers from the University of Bristol and China studied trackways formed on an ancient seabed to determine how nothosaurs, marine reptiles that lived during the age of dinosaurs, propelled themselves through water. The evidence suggests that these creatures moved over the seafloor by rowing their forelimbs in unison.
Researchers from Harvard University believe they've found signs of an ancient Earth within the Earth's mantle, challenging the theory of the Moon's formation. They analyzed noble gas isotopes and found significant differences between shallow and deep mantle regions.
A team of researchers developed a new approach to identify and quantify chromophores in ancient paper, which contributes to the understanding of visual degradation processes. The study applied this technique to Leonardo da Vinci's self-portrait, revealing its degradation state and providing insights into environmental conditions.
A new study has precisely dated the Bentiaba fossil locality to 71.5 million years ago, spanning 30 million years of sediments and shedding light on ancient marine life and environments. The analysis allowed for better understanding of the history of the ancient South Atlantic Ocean.
A study found that humans lack knowledge and preparation to actively contact extraterrestrial civilizations. Researchers recommend alternative strategies, promoting cosmic awareness through education.
A study analyzing ancient chicken DNA found that traits like yellow skin only became widespread in the last 500 years, contradicting previous assumptions about domestication. Researchers compared DNA from 81 ancient chickens to those of modern chickens, revealing significant genetic differences.
Asteroid and comet impacts can preserve the signatures of ancient life in Earthly impact debris. Researchers found fragments of leaves and preserved organic compounds in ancient impact glasses from Argentina, which could provide a snapshot of environmental conditions at the time of those impacts.
A team of researchers, including a scientist from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, has found evidence that ancient dirt in Greenland was cryogenically frozen for millions of years. The discovery provides insights into how major ice sheets reacted to past climate change and could inform predictions about future changes.
Researchers found charred grains of barley, millet, and wheat in Kazakhstan campsites dating back nearly 5,000 years. This discovery pushes back the known East-West interaction along the Silk Road by 2,000 years, indicating nomadic pastoralists played a key role in spreading domesticated crops throughout Central Eurasia.
Researchers discovered that ancient clam gardens made by Aboriginal people produced quadruple the number of butter clams and twice the number of littleneck clams as unmodified clam beaches. This study provides practical insights into sustainable ancient marine management techniques for local food security strategies.
Researchers discovered a 'microbial Pompeii' in ancient dental calculus, revealing opportunistic pathogens and periodontal disease-causing bacteria. The study also recovered dietary DNA, providing insights into ancient diets and the origins of antibiotic resistance.