Scientists Trace Modern Human DNA to Two Long-Lost Human Ancestors
Scientists have uncovered new evidence that modern humans inherited DNA from two previously unknown ancient human relatives, revealing another surprising chapter in our evolutionary...
Solar wind creates giant space waves that slowly strip away Mars’ atmosphere
Mars is slowly losing parts of its atmosphere to space, and scientists have discovered that the process may be driven by giant waves created...
Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid Created a Planet-Wide Firestorm, Study Finds
A new study suggests that the asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs may have been even more deadly than scientists once thought.
Researchers now...
1.4-Million-Year-Old Footprints Reveal Giant Human Relative and Surprising Social Life
A remarkable set of fossil footprints discovered in Kenya is giving scientists a rare look at how one of humanity's ancient relatives lived more...
1789 Smallpox Epidemic May Have Killed Up to 220,000 Indigenous Australians, Study Finds
A new study has used computer modeling to provide one of the clearest pictures yet of the devastating smallpox epidemic that struck Indigenous Australians...
Fossilized wood preserved 300 million years of Earth’s history
Most people think of fossilized wood as an attractive stone displayed in museums or sold as a decorative souvenir.
However, scientists have now discovered that...
Did the dinosaur-killing asteroid really shape tuna evolution?
For years, many scientists believed that the asteroid impact that wiped out the non-avian dinosaurs 66 million years ago also helped shape the evolution...
Ancient Monsoons Created a Spectacular Dinosaur Fossil Site
Around 80 million years ago, a stretch of tropical coastline in what is now northeastern Italy was lashed by monsoon rains and tropical cyclones.
Those...
Archaeologists discover spectacular Roman mosaic hidden beneath English farmland
Archaeologists have uncovered an impressive Roman villa beneath farmland in Devon, southwest England, revealing a colorful mosaic floor, a luxurious bathhouse, and a collection...
Where do the world’s biggest diamonds come from
Some of the most extraordinary gems ever found belong to a rare class of diamonds known as CLIPPIRs (Cullinan-like, Large, Inclusion-Poor, Pure, Irregular, Resorbed).
They...