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The first Denisovan tooth that was discovered in 2008

New Research

DNA from a Huge Tooth Confirms a New Ancient Cousin

The Denisovans may have co-existed and interbred with Neanderthals and Homo sapiens

Cool Finds

The Hidden Costs of Having a Gifted Child

Exceptional talent in children can be a source of financial and emotional stress for parents who don’t feel equipped

Cool Finds

The Last Wild Horses Are Rebounding From Extinction

After years of breeding programs, the last truly wild horses return

John Steinbeck

Cool Finds

Steinbeck’s Boat the “Western Flyer” Will Voyage Again for Science

The $1 million boat will see the water once again as an updated research vessel

Trending Today

Georgetown University Is Trying to Purge Its Slave Trade Connections

Financed in part by the sale of 272 people, the school is grappling with its relationship to the institution of slavery

Cool Finds

Inside the Collective That Turns VHS to Digital Video for Free

A team of media lovers wants to preserve your memories for history’s sake

Washington, D.C.

Revolution-Era Building Buried Beneath Future Hotel Uncovered by Construction Crew

Intact foundations, including wooden beams, floorboards and what might even be a repurposed ship’s mast, were found just 8 feet underground

Pub signs illustrat the creative names of local watering holes, like the Dog & Sausage in St. Helier, Jersey.

Cool Finds

A Brief History of British Pub Signs

The colorful signs boast more than good looks—they’re like miniature history books

Trending Today

The Classic Coca-Cola Bottle Turns 100 Today

To this day, the shapely glass bottle defines the classic drink

Wide-angle view of Comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko taken by OSIRIS on 12 September 2014

Cool Finds

Watch the Philae Lander’s Bouncing Touch Down on Comet 67P

A year after its crash-landing, researchers reflect on the unexpected successes of the mission

Cool Finds

A London Zoo Wants to Hypnotize Away Your Fear of Spiders

This program turns what phobics perceive as terrifying threats into fuzzy friends

Cool Finds

Minnesota Is Expanding Its Bike Share to Include Canoes

Because bikes and boats are a perfect pair

A group of escaped former slaves gathered at the plantation of Confederate General Thomas Drayton. After Federal troops occupied the plantation they began to harvest and gin cotton for their own profit

Cool Finds

A Free Man’s Letter to A Former Slaveowner in 1865

When asked to return to the farm where he was held in bondage, Jourdon Anderson wrote this thoughtful reply

Cool Finds

X-Rays Unveil Hidden Paintings Beneath an Avant-Garde Classic

The brightly-colored cubist work below “Black Square” adds new dimensions to a masterpiece

Ships along the Mississippi River in New Orleans

Trending Today

Is $30 Million Enough to Save the Mississippi River Basin?

The USDA has a plan to help the troubled watershed

New Research

A Victoria’s Secret Perfume Works Great as Mosquito Repellent

A scent named “Bombshell” is almost as good as DEET

George Harrison’s master tapes for "All Things Must Pass" (pictured here in 1970) are likely well preserved, but many similar audio tapes of the era could be deteriorating.

New Research

History and Culture of the 1960s to 1980s Is Disintegrating With the Tapes That Recorded It

But a new test and a bit of chemistry can help preserve the past

Cool Finds

Watch ‘Swan Lake’ Transform Into a Spectacular Light Show

The classic ballet has never looked so stunning

Cool Finds

How to Visit the British Museum Without Going to London

A new partnership with Google allows art aficionados to take virtual strolls through the museum’s treasures

Cool Finds

These French Vending Machines Sell Short Stories

Super-short fiction that’s as good as any snack

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