Search

Well before people domesticated crops, they were grinding grains for hearty stews and other starchy dishes. Well before people domesticated crops, they were grinding grains for hearty stews and other starchy dishes.

The genomes of Bronze Age mummies from the Tarim Basin in northwest China suggest that these individuals were descended from an ancient Asian population that was genetically isolated, despite extensive cultural interactions in the region. Ancient genomes offer clues to the ancestry of Bronze Age mummies.

A solar storm in the year 993 has allowed researchers to show that Vikings were in the Americas exactly 1,000 years ago. Hear the biggest stories from the world of science | 21 October 2021

The huge, elaborate, 5,000-year-old tomb at Newgrange, Ireland, is thought to have been built for a powerful elite. DNA of a man buried there reveals a case of incest. Was this a strategy to maintain a dynastic bloodline? DNA analysis reveals the surprising parentage of a man buried at Newgrange.

Proteins dating back more than one million years have been extracted from some fossils, and could help to answer some difficult questions about archaic humans. Proteins dating back more than one million years have been extracted from some fossils, and could help to answer some difficult questions about archaic humans.

Researchers debate whether an ancient fossil is the oldest animal yet discovered, and a new way to eavesdrop on glaciers. Hear the biggest stories from the world of science | 28 July 2021

The earliest evidence of deliberate human burial in Africa, and a metal-free rechargeable battery. Hear the biggest stories from the world of science | 05 May 2021

The earliest evidence that Stone Age hunter-gatherers chewed or smoked the plant have been discovered among the remains of an ancient fire. The earliest evidence that Stone Age hunter-gatherers chewed or smoked the plant have been discovered among the remains of an ancient fire.

Children left tracks in New Mexico around 22,500 years ago — thousands of years before most scientists thought humans settled in North America. Children left tracks in New Mexico around 22,500 years ago — thousands of years before most scientists thought humans settled in North America.

A sixty-year-old mystery from Soviet Russia could be explained by snow science. A sixty-year-old mystery from Soviet Russia could be explained by snow science.

The tiny island nation brought huge scientific heft to its attempts to contain and study the coronavirus. Here’s what it learnt. The tiny island nation brought huge scientific heft to its attempts to contain and study the coronavirus. Here’s what it learnt.

The tragedy is one of the largest industrial accidents involving the explosive chemical, and it hit Lebanon amid the coronavirus pandemic and an economic crisis. The tragedy is one of the largest industrial accidents involving the explosive chemical, and it hit Lebanon amid the coronavirus pandemic and an economic crisis.

Genetic analysis shows that the ancestors of all modern horses lived in the Western Eurasian steppes more than 4,000 years ago. Genetic analysis shows that the ancestors of all modern horses lived in the Western Eurasian steppes more than 4,000 years ago.

Archaeologists say stone artefacts point to occupation more than 30,000 years ago — but not everyone is convinced. Archaeologists say stone artefacts point to occupation more than 30,000 years ago — but not everyone is convinced.

In seafarers’ journals, Huw Lewis-Jones found a rich record of discoveries made in cramped cabins, on open decks and on forays to shore to bring back proofs of marvels. In seafarers’ journals, Huw Lewis-Jones found a rich record of discoveries made in cramped cabins, on open decks and on forays to shore to bring back proofs of marvels.

Fossilized bones found in Israel and China, including a specimen named ‘Dragon Man’, could belong to new types of ancient human. But the findings have sparked debate. Fossilized bones found in Israel and China, including a specimen named ‘Dragon Man’, could belong to new types of ancient human. But the findings have sparked debate.

Archaeologist Mina Weinstein-Evron explains how one of the world’s most ancient burial sites yields ‘exquisite’ discoveries. Archaeologist Mina Weinstein-Evron explains how one of the world’s most ancient burial sites yields ‘exquisite’ discoveries.

Trained in both medicine and archaeology, Vera Tiesler has revealed how the human body was deeply woven into the religion, tradition and politics of the Maya world. Trained in both medicine and archaeology, Vera Tiesler has revealed how the human body was deeply woven into the religion, tradition and politics of the Maya world.

Switch to such restricted fare probably happened thousands of years ago, not millions, as some research has suggested. Switch to such restricted fare probably happened thousands of years ago, not millions, as some research has suggested.

Neanderthals and Denisovans both called Denisova Cave home — and Homo sapiens might have, too. Neanderthals and Denisovans both called Denisova Cave home — and Homo sapiens might have, too.

Harriet A. Washington weighs up a play about enslaved women subjected to experimental surgery in the nineteenth century. Harriet A. Washington weighs up a play about enslaved women subjected to experimental surgery in the nineteenth century.

Surprising finds unearthed in Jordan suggest that fern and conifer species survived the 'Great Dying' 250 million years ago. Surprising finds unearthed in Jordan suggest that fern and conifer species survived the 'Great Dying' 250 million years ago.

Researchers discover 4,900-year-old strain of bacterium in Neolithic burial pit. Researchers claim disease wiped out Neolithic settlers — but others aren’t so sure.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s ninth outbreak of the deadly virus saw the early deployment of an experimental vaccine. The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s ninth outbreak of the deadly virus saw the early deployment of an experimental vaccine.

Four East Asian researchers who returned from abroad are carving out an international presence. Four East Asian researchers who returned from abroad are carving out an international presence.

The 2,200-year-old skull is unlike those of modern gibbons, but some scientists are unsure if it’s a new species. The 2,200-year-old skull is unlike those of modern gibbons, but some scientists are unsure it’s a new species.

Ancient cats come hot on the heels of a stunning human-coffin find as Egypt keeps research on the artefacts to itself, for now. Ancient cats come hot on the heels of a stunning human-coffin find as Egypt keeps research on the artefacts to itself, for now.

Seven centuries ago, tens of thousands of people fled their homes in the American Southwest. Archaeologists are trying to work out why.

Four years after revolutions shook governments in North Africa and the Middle East, scientists face an uncertain future.

By scouring the remains of early loos and sewers, archaeologists are finding clues to what life was like in the Roman world and in other civilizations.

Researchers report chemical evidence of organisms that lived 3.95 billion years ago, but scepticism abounds.

In the 25 years since the collapse of communism, the countries of central and Eastern Europe have each carved their own identity in science.

Cave art from the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia, consisting of human hand stencils and animal paintings, is at least 40,000 years old, raising the question of why rock art traditions appeared at more or less the same time at opposite ends of the Late Pleistocene human world. New dating results challenge the traditional view that western Europe was the centre of a crucial stage in the evolution of modern human intelligence and culture — based largely on the emergence of figurative or representational art in cave paintings and sculptures around 40,000 years ago. Dating data from a series of hand stencils and paintings of wild animals from caves in the Maros karst in Sulawesi, Indonesia, suggest that figurative art appeared at more or less the same time at opposite ends of the Late Pleistocene world. Or was cave painting practised by the first Homo sapiens to leave Africa tens of thousands of years earlier? Archaeologists have long been puzzled by the appearance in Europe ∼40–35 thousand years (kyr) ago of a rich corpus of sophisticated artworks, including parietal art (that is, paintings, drawings and engravings on immobile rock surfaces)1,2 and portable art (for example, carved figurines)3,4, and the absence or scarcity of equivalent, well-dated evidence elsewhere, especially along early human migration routes in South Asia and the Far East, including Wallacea and Australia5,6,7,8, where modern humans (Homo sapiens) were established by 50 kyr ago9,10. Here, using uranium-series dating of coralloid speleothems directly associated with 12 human hand stencils and two figurative animal depictions from seven cave sites in the Maros karsts of Sulawesi, we show that rock art traditions on this Indonesian island are at least compatible in age with the oldest European art11. The earliest dated image from Maros, with a minimum age of 39.9 kyr, is now the oldest known hand stencil in the world. In addition, a painting of a babirusa (‘pig-deer’) made at least 35.4 kyr ago is among the earliest dated figurative depictions worldwide, if not the earliest one. Among the implications, it can now be demonstrated that humans were producing rock art by ∼40 kyr ago at opposite ends of the Pleistocene Eurasian world.

Sarah Robey examines two books that together trace the birth and evolution of the nuclear age. Sarah Robey examines two books that together trace the birth and evolution of the nuclear age.

Did the contested epoch begin in the seventeenth century? Wolfgang Lucht parses a book on the evidence. Did the contested epoch begin in the seventeenth century? Wolfgang Lucht parses a book on the evidence.

Turi King hails David Reich’s thrilling account of mapping humans through time and place. Turi King hails David Reich’s thrilling account of mapping humans through time and place.

A French court has ordered the return of 45 dinosaur and animal fossils to Brazil, and will soon rule on the fate of a spectacular pterosaur skeleton. A French court has ordered the return of 45 dinosaur and animal fossils to Brazil, and will soon rule on the fate of a spectacular pterosaur skeleto

Zehra Sayers won a science-diplomacy award for her role in setting up the region’s first synchrotron light source. Zehra Sayers won a science-diplomacy award for her role in setting up the region’s first synchrotron light source.

Ann Aerts lauds a taut account of a battle against an ancient disease. Ann Aerts lauds a taut account of a battle against an ancient disease.

Andrew Robinson reflects on the most tantalizing of all the undeciphered scripts — that used in the civilization of the Indus valley in the third millennium bc.

The origins of the Bronze Age Minoan and Mycenaean cultures have puzzled archaeologists for more than a century. We assembled genome-wide data from nineteen ancient individuals, including Minoans from Crete, Mycenaeans from mainland Greece, and their eastern neighbours from southwestern Anatolia. We show that Minoans and Mycenaeans were genetically similar, having at least three quarters of their ancestry from the first Neolithic farmers of western Anatolia and the Aegean1,2, and most of the remainder from ancient populations like those of the Caucasus3 and Iran4,5. However, the Mycenaeans differed from Minoans in deriving additional ancestry from an ultimate source related to the hunter-gatherers of eastern Europe and Siberia6–8, introduced via a proximal source related to either the inhabitants of either the Eurasian steppe1,6,9 or Armenia4,9. Modern Greeks resemble the Mycenaeans, but with some additional dilution of the early Neolithic ancestry. Our results support the idea of continuity but not isolation in the history of populations of the Aegean, before and after the time of its earliest civilizations.

First large-scale study of ancient feline DNA charts domestication in Near East and Egypt and the global spread of house cats.