Ancient Cultures
Native American Woman May Have Made It to Europe 500 Years Before Columbus Was Born
Portions of DNA passed only from mother to child reveal that about 80 people living in Iceland today possess a genetic variation distinct to one found mostly in Native Americans
December 19, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Ramses III’s Mummy Reveals the Pharaoh’s Throat Was Slit
Ramses III's death has always been a mystery, but new evidence just emerged the the Pharaoh's throat was slit, likely by members of his harem
December 18, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
NASA Assures Us the World Won’t End on Friday
NASA points out the blatant illogic of this apocalypse scenario and misconceptions that caused the false notion of an end-of-the-world prophesy to come about
December 17, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
One of the World’s Oldest Bibles Is Now Online
An ancient Greek Bible is now available online
December 17, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
Even Mummy Doctors Forgot Tools in Their Patients Sometimes
Researchers examining the brains of mummies have found a small tool that was used during embalming, left behind after the procedure
December 17, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
White Gold: How Salt Made and Unmade the Turks and Caicos Islands
Turks and Caicos had one of the world's first, and largest, salt industries—which led, indirectly, to their becoming the only tropical jurisdiction to have a pair of igloos on their flag.
December 14, 2012 |
By Mike Dash
The First Nativity Scene Was Created in 1223
Nativity buffs will also note that the familiar cast of characters relied upon today is not biblically accurate
December 14, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Climate Change May Have Driven Genghis Khan’s Army Across Eurasia
A multidecadal blip in temperature and rainfall patterns may have spurred the rise of the Mongol Empire
December 07, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
1 Million Dollars Worth of Rare Dictionaries About to Go on Sale
On December 4, a collection of rare old dictionaries will go on auction at Bonhams in New York City
November 30, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
To Adapt to Harsh Greenland Climate, Vikings Gorged on Seals
Despite their barbaric reputation, the Viking-era Norse typically worked as farmers rather than hunters - except on Greenland
November 21, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
People Have Been Using Stone-Tipped Spears For Way Longer Than We Thought
A new study adds 200,000 years to their run
November 20, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
Cracking a German Secret Society’s Centuries-Old Encrypted Code
A secret society with ties to the Freemason's coded text has been cracked
November 19, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
Lice Evolution Tracks the Invention of Clothes
The evolution of body lice shows that humans began wearing clothes between 50,000 to 200,000 years ago
November 14, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Are Humans Getting Intellectually And Emotionally Stupid?
Evolution no longer places intelligence-selecting demands on us, researchers argue, meaning we are slowly but surely regressing intellectually
November 14, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Geronimo’s Appeal to Theodore Roosevelt
Held captive far longer than his surrender agreement called for, the Apache warrior made his case directly to the president
November 09, 2012 |
By Gilbert King
Bringing the Color Back to Ancient Greece
The white marble statutes we revere were originally dressed in eye-popping pigments
November 2012 |
By Jamie Katz
Evidence Discovered of an Ancient Tsunami on Lake Geneva
Scientists believe a rock fall triggered a 25 foot wave that devastated villages on the shores of the Swiss lake
October 30, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Not Even the Greeks Thought the World Was Flat, But These People Do
There are some people today who claim to still believe that the Earth is flat
October 26, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
Could a Modern Human Beat a Neanderthal in a Fight?
It's hypothetical conflict, but who would emerge the victor?
October 25, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Cracking the Code of the World’s Oldest Undeciphered Language
Researchers working on deciphering lettering from proto-Elamite, a system used between 3200BC and 2900BC are finally starting to chip away at just what these symbols mean
October 24, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
