archeology
Ancient DNA helps reveal social changes in Africa 50,000 years ago that shaped the human story
As always, aDNA research raises as many questions as answers.
New research suggests modern humans lived in Europe 10,000 years earlier than previously thought
Was this a moment when humans interbred with Neanderthals?
How a handful of prehistoric geniuses launched humanity’s technological revolution
Many key inventions were unique: one-offs.
Would we still see ourselves as “human” if other hominin species hadn’t gone extinct?
It’s all well and good to discuss how our humanity evolved – but what even is humanity?
Why we should resurrect the woolly mammoth
A biotech startup has received $15 million in funding to genetically recreate woolly mammoths and rewild them in Siberia.
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.
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.
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.
The evolution of comfort food
An archaeologist considers the history and biology of what defines a taste of home.
How young is the oldest building in your state?
Map shows oldest buildings for each U.S. state – but also hints at what's missing.
California cave art linked to early use of hallucinogens
The Chumash people poked bits of psychoactive plants into cave ceilings next to their paintings.
Is Christianity rooted in psychedelic rituals?
In "The Immortality Key," Brian Muraresku speculates that the Eucharist could have once been more colorful.
Researchers use CT scans to digitally peek at ancient Egyptian mummies
All the fun of opening up a mummy, without the fear of unleashing a plague.
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.
A mammoth find near Mexico City
Scientists have identified the largest ever assemblage of mammoth bones.
Think everyone died young in ancient societies? Think again
In fact, the maximum human lifespan has barely changed since we arrived.
Did our early ancestors boil their food in hot springs?
Scientists have found evidence of hot springs near sites where ancient hominids settled, long before the control of fire.
How kings created Angkor Wat—then lost it
The major temples seem much more interesting than what also appears on the landscape: apparently random mounds of earth.
Scientists solve the origin of Stonehenge’s sarsen stones
Most of Stonehenge's megaliths, called sarens, came from West Woods, Wiltshire.
Mexican cave contains signs of human visitors from 30,000 years ago
Archaeologists suggest this may have been the Americas' "oldest hotel."
An ancient tomcat skeleton is found along the Silk Road
The discovery pushes back humanity's history with domestication.
A mammoth graveyard: 60 pachyderm skeletons discovered together in Mexico
While building a new airport, construction crews uncover a gigantic collection of ancient bones.
What did Ancient Romans do without toilet paper?
Many of the bathrooms uncovered at Pompeii and elsewhere were communal.
A mummy murder has been solved after 2,600 years
Researchers confirmed that the mummy known as Takabuti died from a stab wound to the back.
What a deer-tooth necklace says about our Ice Age ancestors
The beads are made from red-deer teeth, sourced from 63 individual deer.
Field Museum: Beer stabilizes society, keeps ‘people together’
New research suggests that a healthy supply of locally-sourced beer helped maintain the unity of the widespread Wari civilization for about 500 years.
7 fascinating UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Here are 7 often-overlooked World Heritage Sites, each with its own history.
Your expressive face tells the story of human evolution — conveying emotion was essential
There are reasons you look the way you do.