Cool Finds
A Treasure Hunt for an Ornate Golden Owl Buried in France Has Ended After 31 Years
The quest drew thousands of curious participants hoping to solve a series of elaborate riddles—and win a bejeweled statue worth an estimated $165,000
A Secret Sculpture Built for John F. Kennedy's Grave Vanished in the 1970s. Half a Century Later, the Mystery Has Been Solved
The bronze wreath immortalized the moment when the members of the Honor Guard removed their hats and placed them on the president's grave during his burial
Archaeologists Discover Intricately Decorated Coffins Belonging to the Only Daughter of an Ancient Egyptian Governor
The 4,000-year-old burial chamber featured hieroglyphs referring to the woman, known as Idi, as the "lady of the house"
An Art Dealer Bought This Painting at a Barn Sale for $50. It Turned Out to Be an Emily Carr Worth Nearly $150,000
The Canadian Post-Impressionist artist was famous for her evocative landscapes and paintings incorporating motifs from First Nations groups
A Junk Dealer Discovered a 'Horrible' Painting in a Cellar 60 Years Ago. It Might Be a $6.6 Million Picasso
For years, the owner's son had wondered about the artwork, which features the Spanish painter's signature. Now, some experts think it's the real deal
A Treasure Hunter Just Uncovered the $100,000 Prize Hidden in the Massachusetts Woods
Two weeks ago, organizers of Project Skydrop stashed a golden statuette in a secret location somewhere in the northeastern United States
See a Newly Uncovered Throne Room in Peru That May Have Belonged to an Ancient Queen
Built by the Moche people in the seventh century, the stunningly painted space shows signs of heavy use, including an eroded throne and traces of human hair
This Shipwreck's Location Was a Mystery for 129 Years. Then, Two Men Found It Just Minutes Into a Three-Day Search
The "John Evenson" tugboat was helping another ship enter the Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal in Wisconsin when it sank to the bottom of Lake Michigan in 1895
Rare and Elusive Australian Bird, Once Thought Extinct for 100 Years, Discovered by Indigenous Rangers and Scientists
Using sound recordings, the team identified the largest known population of the night parrot, a secretive species known as the "Holy Grail of birdwatching"
Students Stumble Upon a Message in a Bottle Written by a French Archaeologist 200 Years Ago
The mysterious missive was written by P.J. Féret, who conducted an archaeological dig at the same site in northern France in 1825
See Newly Discovered Nazca Drawings That Depict Llamas, Human Sacrifices and More
An A.I.-assisted study identified 303 previously unknown geoglyphs in the Peruvian desert. The art features surprising figures, like orcas holding knives
This Lost Mozart Composition Hasn't Been Heard for Centuries. Now, You Can Listen to It
More than 250 years after a teenage Mozart wrote "Serenade in C," a copy of the piece has surfaced in the collections of a German library
Archaeologists Say They've Solved the Mystery of a Lead Coffin Discovered Beneath Notre-Dame
New research suggests the sarcophagus' occupant, previously known only as "the horseman," is Joachim du Bellay, a French Renaissance poet who died in 1560
Construction Project Unearths Millions of Fossils Beneath a Los Angeles High School
The discoveries include sharks, shorebirds, mammals and saber-toothed salmon, with the oldest remains dating to almost nine million years ago
These Ancient Egyptian Barracks Paint a Vivid Picture of Military Life During the Reign of Ramses II
Archaeologists unearthed a series of mudbrick rooms filled with religious tributes, soldiers' personal effects, engraved weaponry and animal bones
An 11-Year-Old Boy Rescued a Mysterious Artwork From the Dump. It Turned Out to Be a 500-Year-Old Renaissance Print
Experts have confirmed that the image of "Knight, Death and the Devil" is a real master engraving by the renowned German artist Albrecht Dürer
This Forgotten Copy of the Constitution Discovered in a Filing Cabinet Could Sell for Millions
The historic text, which bears the signature of Secretary of Congress Charles Thomson, was one of 100 copies ordered on September 28, 1787
Volunteer Discovers 1,000-Year-Old Ring on the Last Day of an Excavation in Scotland
The artifact likely belonged to the Picts, who occupied a large settlement in what is now the town of Burghead
Man Discovers 900-Year-Old Stone Carving Beneath His House in Germany
The rare picture stone may depict Otto of Bamberg, the bishop who helped spread Christianity throughout the region
Painting Attributed to Rembrandt Found Tucked Away Inside an Attic in Maine
An auctioneer discovered "Portrait of a Girl," which just sold for $1.4 million, during a standard "house call" to an estate
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