Archaeology
Ancient Women’s Teeth Reveal Origins of 14th-Century Black Death
A medieval cemetery yields DNA evidence of the deadly pandemic bacterium’s Central Asian ancestor
Archaeology1343 articles archived since 1845
Archaeology
Jerusalem Archaeology Modernizes but Runs into Ancient Problems
A new generation of scholars working in the Holy Land remain haunted by scripture and riven by modern politics
Archaeology
Space Archaeology Takes Off
An International Space Station project is “one small step” for off-world fieldwork
Anthropology
Anthropology Association Apologizes to Native Americans for the Field’s Legacy of Harm
For decades anthropologists exploited Indigenous peoples in the name of science. Now they are reckoning with that history
Archaeology
Legendary Shipwreck of Shackleton’s Endurance Discovered in Antarctic Waters
The discovery of the wreck is “a milestone in polar history,” says the director of the search for it
Oceans
Historical Shipwreck Keeps Moving, Revealing Dangerous Underwater Mudflows
A ship sunk by a German U-boat in 1942 can today help track large pulses of mud from the Mississippi River
Archaeology
An Ancient Greek Astronomical Calculation Machine Reveals New Secrets
Scientists have a new understanding of the mysterious Antikythera mechanism that challenges assumptions about ancient technology
Archaeology
New Insights into Ancient Greece’s Planetary Motion Machine
Quantum timing, the evolution of animal sounds, militias, and more in the January 2022 issue
Archaeology
Pompeii’s Ruins to Be Reconstructed by Robot
An ambitious project is underway to develop a robot with enough smarts, strength and sensitivity to restore fragmented archaeological remains
Archaeology
Mysteries of Ancient Egypt’s Sacred Baboons Revealed
Studies of living and mummified baboons hint at why ancient Egyptians revered these pesky primates and uncover the probable location of the fabled kingdom from which they imported the animals...
Archaeology
Dozens of Shipwreck Discoveries Anticipated in New Marine Sanctuary
A federal designation could help yield 3-D models that are useful for finding, studying and conserving vessels on the bed of Lake Michigan
Paleontology
Footprint Discovery Hints at Humans in the Americas More Than 20,000 Years Ago
Seeds found in fossilized tracks fuel new speculation about when—and how—people arrived
The Sciences
Unusual "Sail-Backed" Dinosaur Roamed Spain 125 Million Years Ago
Dubbed morelladon, fossil remains of a medium-size dinosaur discovered near the town of Morella in Spain's Castellón province
Evolution
Dinosaurs Evolved in a Startlingly Short Time
New fossil dates show beasts arose from their ancestors in half the time researchers previously thought
The Sciences
Ancient Tiny Whale Hunted with Pointy Teeth, Oversize Gums
An early species of baleen whale relied on teeth rather than a filter for feeding
The Sciences
An Ancient Nessie? Long-Neck Dinos Once Prowled Scottish Lagoon
Researchers made the discovery after noticing dinosaur footprints along the Isle of Skye's rocky coast—an area that was a lagoon during the Jurassic
The Sciences
Bizarre Ancient Sea Creature Was Well-Armed for Feeding
Fluid dynamics sheds light the Tribrachidium's approach to mealtime 550 million years ago
Evolution
How Dinosaurs Got Their Start--and Met Their End [Video]
The only thing more remarkable than the ascent of these amazing beasts is their downfall
The Sciences
Ancient Board Game Found in Looted China Tomb
14-face die made of animal tooth and 21 rectangular pieces were part of a game that has not been played in 1,500 years
Evolution
Mysterious Group of Extinct Humans Was More Diverse Than Neandertals
DNA from Denisovans suggests they lived in Siberia for millennia and were more genetically diverse than Neandertals, but less diverse than modern humans
