New Dating of Nebra Sky Disk Makes All Previous Astronomical Interpretations Obsolete
Archaeologists from Frankfurt and Munich prove origins in the first millennium B.C. Until now the Nebra sky disk was deemed to be from the Early…
History
Vast Stone Monuments Discovered in Saudi Arabia Were Constructed in 7,000 Years Ago
New archaeological research in Saudi Arabia documents hundreds of stone structures interpreted as monumental sites where early pastoralists carried out rituals. The last decade has…
Leonardo da Vinci’s Biological Enigma: New Clues to a 500-Year Old Mystery About the Human Heart
Scientists show that muscular structures first described by Leonardo da Vinci are essential for heart function. Researchers used artificial intelligence and genetic analyses to examine…
Behind the Strange Dead-Water Phenomenon: What Makes Ships Mysteriously Slow Down or Even Stop?
What makes ships mysteriously slow down or even stop as they travel, even though their engines are working properly? This was first observed in 1893…
Meandering Mississippi River: Photo Taken by Astronaut on Space Station Shows Divergence From State Boundaries
The winding Mississippi River historically has been used to define many state lines in the United States. This photo, taken by an astronaut onboard the…
Origins of the Sarsen Megaliths: Chemical Composition Reveals Where Stonehenge’s Large Boulders Actually Came From
Most of Stonehenge’s large boulders share origin in west woods, Wiltshire. Most of the hulking sandstone boulders — called sarsens — that make up the…
Medieval Medicine Remedy – Found in 9th Century Bald’s Leechbook – Could Provide New Treatment for Modern Day Infections
To fight antibiotic resistance more antimicrobials are needed to treat bacterial biofilms, which protect an infection from antibiotics. Using the ‘Balds eyesalve’ medieval mixture containing…
Grape Seeds Reveal Collapse of Ancient Economy in the Grip of Plague and Climate Change
While we all try to understand the new reality imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, many look to the past for historical precedents such as the…
DNA From Skeletons in Mass Grave Provides Evidence of Smallpox in the Viking Age
The fatal disease smallpox is older and more widespread than scientists so far have proved. A new study by an international team of researchers from…
“Miracle” of How the Warsaw Ghetto Beat the Infectious Disease Typhus Finally Revealed
New modeling of Typhus infections in the Warsaw Ghetto during WWII reveals how public health interventions eradicated the disease. Through state-of-the-art mathematical modeling and historical…
Extinct Genetic Strains of Smallpox – World’s Deadliest Virus – Discovered in the Teeth of Viking Skeletons
Scientists have discovered extinct strains of smallpox in the teeth of Viking skeletons — proving for the first time that the killer disease plagued humanity…
Scientists Trace Origin of Smallpox Vaccine Strains Used in the Civil War
Scientists and historians working at McMaster University, the Mütter Museum and the University of Sydney have pieced together the genomes of old viruses that were…
29,000 Years of Aboriginal History: Uncovering New Layers of River Murray Occupation
The known timeline of the Aboriginal occupation of South Australia’s Riverland region has been vastly extended by new research led by Flinders University in collaboration…
A Memorial of ‘Unparalleled Splendor’ – New Evidence Helps Form Digital Reconstruction of Ultimate Medieval Shrine
Released on the 800th anniversary of the creation of Saint Thomas Becket’s shrine, stunning CGI reconstruction uses new evidence to show how it would have…
Measles Virus Much Older Than Previously Thought – Genome Sequenced From Century-Old Diseased Lung
The measles virus may have emerged as early as the 6th century BCE, an international team of researchers reports. The finding is based on a…
Period of Extreme Cold in Ancient Rome Linked to Eruption of Alaska’s Okmok Volcano
Ice core samples provide new evidence of a massive volcanic eruption in 43 BCE. An international team of scientists and historians has found evidence connecting…
Revolutionary Archaeology: Entire Roman City Revealed Without Any Digging
The city rises: Archaeologists have revealed an entire Roman city without any digging. Their approach could revolutionize the study of ancient settlements. For the first…
Year 777: Radiocarbon Dating Pinpoints Date for Construction of Mysterious Por-Bajin Complex
At the border between the Russian Federation and Mongolia stands a large clay complex of buildings called Por-Bajin. Archaeologists are not sure who built it…