Archaeology

The fascinating truth about why common sense isn't really that common New research is revealing that common sense is a lot more idiosyncratic than we thought, with important implications for tackling political polarisation and the future of AI

🛖 New research is revealing that common sense is a lot more idiosyncratic than we thought, with important implications for tackling political polarisation and the future of AI

AI discovers hundreds of ancient Nazca drawings in Peruvian desert Archaeologists have used AI to discover hundreds of large-scale drawings depicting figures like llamas, decapitated human heads and killer whales armed with knives

🛖 Archaeologists have used AI to discover hundreds of large-scale drawings depicting figures like llamas, decapitated human heads and killer whales armed with knives

Genome of Neanderthal fossil reveals lost tribe cut off for millennia Analysis of DNA from a Neanderthal fossil found in a French cave indicates that it belonged to a group that was isolated for more than 50,000 years

🛖 Analysis of DNA from a Neanderthal fossil found in a French cave indicates that it belonged to a group that was isolated for more than 50,000 years

Ancient people of Easter Island made return trips to South America DNA analysis shows that people from Easter Island had contact with Indigenous Americans around the 1300s, and finds there was no population crash before the arrival of Europeans

🛖 DNA analysis shows that people from Easter Island had contact with Indigenous Americans around the 1300s, and finds there was no population crash before the arrival of Europeans

When did humans leave the trees for the savannah – or did they at all? Ancient humans are said to have evolved to leave the trees, where our primate ancestors lived, in favour of open grassy savannahs – but we may have this idea wrong

🛖 Ancient humans are said to have evolved to leave the trees, where our primate ancestors lived, in favour of open grassy savannahs – but we may have this idea wrong

Greenland voyage sheds light on little-known ancient Arctic culture On a recent expedition, researchers braved summer storms in northern Greenland to learn the secrets of the ancient peoples who lived there 4500 years ago

🛖 On a recent expedition, researchers braved summer storms in northern Greenland to learn the secrets of the ancient peoples who lived there 4500 years ago

This blend of spy caper and climate fiction is top-notch For an undercover operative, Sadie Smith takes unnecessary risks as she infiltrates an eco-activist group. Why? And where do the Neanderthals fit into Creation Lake, Rachel Kushner's Booker-longlisted climate fiction novel? Emily H. Wilson loved finding…

🛖 For an undercover operative, Sadie Smith takes unnecessary risks as she infiltrates an eco-activist group. Why? And where do the Neanderthals fit into Creation Lake, Rachel Kushner's Booker-longlisted climate fiction novel? Emily H. Wilson loved finding out

A gripping account of morality shows how we work out right from wrong Where do morals come from? In Animals, Robots, Gods, anthropologist Webb Keane argues imagination and differing senses of the world are key to discerning right from wrong

🛖 Where do morals come from? In Animals, Robots, Gods, anthropologist Webb Keane argues imagination and differing senses of the world are key to discerning right from wrong

Neolithic engineers used science knowledge to build megalith monument A monument in southern Spain that dates to between 3600 and 3800 BC appears to have been built with an understanding of geology and physics

🛖 A monument in southern Spain that dates to between 3600 and 3800 BC appears to have been built with an understanding of geology and physics

Neolithic engineers used scientific knowledge to build huge megalith A monument in southern Spain that dates to between 3600 and 3800 BC appears to have been built with an understanding of geology and physics

🛖 A monument in southern Spain that dates to between 3600 and 3800 BC appears to have been built with an understanding of geology and physics

Cocaine in mummified brains reveals when Europeans first used the drug The use of cocaine only took off in Europe during the 19th century, after the drug was chemically isolated from coca leaves, but new evidence suggests much earlier use

🛖 The use of cocaine only took off in Europe during the 19th century, after the drug was chemically isolated from coca leaves, but new evidence suggests much earlier use

Stonehenge’s altar stone was brought all the way from Scotland The nearest source of the altar stone at the centre of Stonehenge has finally been identified – and it is at least 750 kilometres away in north-east Scotland

🛖 The nearest source of the altar stone at the centre of Stonehenge has finally been identified – and it is at least 750 kilometres away in north-east Scotland

Why the amazing Altamura Man fossil remains a mystery This month we’re in an Italian cave with a bellissimo fossil. If I was giving a live talk, at this point I would ask for a show of hands: have you heard of Altamura Man? Since it was new to me, I’m going to guess that most of you will be unfamiliar with…

🛖 This month we’re in an Italian cave with a bellissimo fossil.

If I was giving a live talk, at this point I would ask for a show of hands: have you heard of Altamura Man? Since it was new to me, I’m going to guess that most of you will be unfamiliar with it. Which is peculiar, because it’s an…

Ancient plant artefact reveals humanity's epic journey to Australia We know that modern humans took one of two routes to first reach Australia, and now an ancient chunk of plant resin has tipped the evidence towards the northern option

🛖 We know that modern humans took one of two routes to first reach Australia, and now an ancient chunk of plant resin has tipped the evidence towards the northern option

Spoilt, self-centered and lonely? Examining the only child stereotype More and more parents are choosing to only have one child. Here’s what the evidence says about how growing up without siblings affects their personality traits and well-being

🛖 More and more parents are choosing to only have one child. Here’s what the evidence says about how growing up without siblings affects their personality traits and well-being

Amazon soil may store billions more tonnes of carbon than once thought Nutrient-rich "dark earth" soil may store an amount of carbon nearly equivalent to annual CO2 emissions in the US, a finding that suggests the Amazon sequesters far more carbon than previously known

🛖 Nutrient-rich "dark earth" soil may store an amount of carbon nearly equivalent to annual CO2 emissions in the US, a finding that suggests the Amazon sequesters far more carbon than previously known

Hobbit hominins from Indonesia may have had even smaller ancestors An arm bone from an ancient human that lived 700,000 years ago on the island of Flores is the smallest ever found from an adult hominin, adding a new piece to the puzzle of Homo floresiensis

🛖 An arm bone from an ancient human that lived 700,000 years ago on the island of Flores is the smallest ever found from an adult hominin, adding a new piece to the puzzle of Homo floresiensis

What made us human? The fossils redefining our evolutionary origins Fossils found 50 and 100 years ago seemed to pinpoint the moment humanity emerged – but defining a human has turned out to be far trickier than we thought

🛖 Fossils found 50 and 100 years ago seemed to pinpoint the moment humanity emerged – but defining a human has turned out to be far trickier than we thought

What is a human? Why the split from our ancestors is so hard to define Fossils found 50 and 100 years ago seemed to pinpoint the moment humanity emerged – but defining a human has turned out to be far trickier than we thought

🛖 Fossils found 50 and 100 years ago seemed to pinpoint the moment humanity emerged – but defining a human has turned out to be far trickier than we thought

Bronze Age hoards hint that market economies arose surprisingly early An analysis of 20,000 metal objects from Bronze Age Europe suggests human economic behavior may not have changed much over the past 3500 years

🛖 An analysis of 20,000 metal objects from Bronze Age Europe suggests human economic behavior may not have changed much over the past 3500 years

Egyptian pyramid may have been built using a water-powered elevator Ancient Egyptians may have relied on a vertical shaft that could be filled with water, along with a network of water channels and filtration structures, to build the Step Pyramid of Djoser 4500 years ago

🛖 Ancient Egyptians may have relied on a vertical shaft that could be filled with water, along with a network of water channels and filtration structures, to build the Step Pyramid of Djoser 4500 years ago

Neanderthal cooking skills put to the test with birds and stone tools In an effort to understand ancient Neanderthal food preparation techniques, researchers butchered five wild birds using flint stone tools and roasted them

🛖 In an effort to understand ancient Neanderthal food preparation techniques, researchers butchered five wild birds using flint stone tools and roasted them

Butchered bones hint humans were in South America 21,000 years ago Prehistoric mammal bones found at a construction site in Argentina appear to have been cut with stone tools, suggesting that humans lived in the region much earlier than previously thought

🛖 Prehistoric mammal bones found at a construction site in Argentina appear to have been cut with stone tools, suggesting that humans lived in the region much earlier than previously thought

Denisovan DNA may help modern humans adapt to different environments Highland and lowland populations in Papua New Guinea have different gene variants derived from Denisovan archaic humans, indicating possible adaptations for lower oxygen levels and higher malaria risk

🛖 Highland and lowland populations in Papua New Guinea have different gene variants derived from Denisovan archaic humans, indicating possible adaptations for lower oxygen levels and higher malaria risk

The plague may have wiped out most northern Europeans 5000 years ago DNA evidence from tombs in Sweden and Denmark suggests major plague outbreaks were responsible for the Neolithic decline in northern Europe

🛖 DNA evidence from tombs in Sweden and Denmark suggests major plague outbreaks were responsible for the Neolithic decline in northern Europe

When did human ancestors start walking on two legs? Anthropologists have been arguing for 20 years about whether Sahelanthropus, a hominin that lived about 7 million years ago, was one of the first bipedal apes

🛖 Anthropologists have been arguing for 20 years about whether Sahelanthropus, a hominin that lived about 7 million years ago, was one of the first bipedal apes

Why did humans evolve big brains? A new idea bodes ill for our future Recent fossil finds suggest that big brains weren't an evolutionary asset to our ancestors but evolved by accident – and are likely to shrink again in the near future

🛖 Recent fossil finds suggest that big brains weren't an evolutionary asset to our ancestors but evolved by accident – and are likely to shrink again in the near future

Britain saw centuries of economic growth under Roman rule The technologies introduced by the Romans after they conquered Britain led to the kind of economic growth seen in the industrial age

🛖 The technologies introduced by the Romans after they conquered Britain led to the kind of economic growth seen in the industrial age

Haunting photos bring fictional female explorers to life Tonje Bøe Birkeland's photographs imagine the exploits of fictional female scientists and adventurers from the past

🛖 Tonje Bøe Birkeland's photographs imagine the exploits of fictional female scientists and adventurers from the past

50,000-year-old picture of a pig is the oldest known narrative art A new radiometric dating technique reveals that cave paintings on Sulawesi, Indonesia, are even older than previously thought, pushing back the earliest evidence of storytelling

🛖 A new radiometric dating technique reveals that cave paintings on Sulawesi, Indonesia, are even older than previously thought, pushing back the earliest evidence of storytelling