ancient world
A fable of ancient Greece: when the mythic universe became a rational machine
This short story is a fictional account of two very real people — Anaximander and Anaximenes, two ancient Greeks who tried to make sense of the universe.
Earth’s first puff of oxygen may be thanks to volcanoes
Scientists track down a puzzling early burst of oxygen on Earth.
Explaining a billion-year gap in the fossil record
A puzzling — and huge — break in the geological record finally might be explained.
Pharaoh’s groupies: why are we obsessed with ancient Egypt?
We should not romanticize ancient Egyptian culture.
The meaning of happiness, according to a baker in ancient Pompeii
Searching for happiness in the midst of personal or societal crises are nothing new.
Ancient Greek military ship found in legendary, submerged Egyptian city
Long before Alexandria became the center of Egyptian trade, there was Thônis-Heracleion. But then it sank.
Massive fossil find in California includes mastodon, petrified forest
Mastodons, rhinos, and even camels — all in the great state of California.
Discovered: 78,000 years ago, the oldest known burial ritual in Africa
How do archaeologists know if someone was buried intentionally tens of thousands of years ago?
Tarantulas: How 120-million-year-old creatures conquered the globe
A study from Carnegie Mellon University tracks the travels of tarantulas since the Cretaceous period.
Mysterious “Plain of Jars” in Laos has been dated
After years of speculation a team of researchers has pinpointed the age of this ancient mystery.
Researchers unearth the “Lamborghini” of ancient chariots in Pompeii
The chariot survived ancient eruptions and modern-day looters to become a part of the world heritage site.
Turns out those aren’t the apostle St James’s bones after all
Research shows that bone fragments of Jesus's (possible) brother belong to someone else.
Stonehenge stones came from an even older Welsh stone circle
Waun Maun was an ancient Welsh stone circle that had an awful lot in common with Stonehenge.
10 pieces of wisdom from Roman emperors
Even tyrants and despots offer wisdom worth heeding.
Ornamental dinosaur frills seem to have evolved thanks to sexual selection
While other factors exist, sexual prowess appears to have helped determine the role of Protoceratops frills.
Who were the most legendary ancient rulers of all time?
From Ramses II to Alexander the Great, these leaders helped shaped the world we know today.
Can you step in the same river twice? Wittgenstein vs. Heraclitus
Imagine Heraclitus spending an afternoon down by the river...
How high did our ancestors get? We might soon be able to tell.
Traces of heroin and cocaine have been found in the tartar of 19th-century Dutch farmers.
Early humans may have hibernated—a discovery that could be the key to space travel
New anthropological research suggests our ancestors enjoyed long slumbers.
An ancient migration across the ocean was no accident
A new study shows that at least one long-ago journey would have required deliberate navigation.
What the Greek classics tell us about grief and the importance of mourning the dead
The rites we give to the dead help us understand what it takes to go on living.
California cave art linked to early use of hallucinogens
The Chumash people poked bits of psychoactive plants into cave ceilings next to their paintings.
How psychedelics help you “die before you die”
The heart of the religious ritual is mysticism, argues Brian Muraresku in "The Immortality Key."
Is Christianity rooted in psychedelic rituals?
In "The Immortality Key," Brian Muraresku speculates that the Eucharist could have once been more colorful.
War in the time of Neanderthals: How our species battled for supremacy for over 100,000 years
To war is human – and Neanderthals were very like us.
Scientists piece together the story of humans and dogs
A new study tracks the human-dog relationship through DNA.
Eighth century pagan temple to Old Norse gods unearthed in Norway
Rare structures and artifacts of the Viking religion practiced centuries prior to Christianity's introduction have been uncovered by archaeologists in Norway, including a "god house."
Moral failings of leaders collapsed even the best societies, study finds
Researchers found a common element in the destruction of even the most powerful empires.
Researchers discover intact brain cells of man killed by Mt Vesuvius eruption
The young man died nearly 2,000 years ago in the volcanic eruption that buried Pompeii.
Designer uses AI to bring 54 Roman emperors to life
It's hard to stop looking back and forth between these faces and the busts they came from.