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Scientists discover the first traces of Earth’s 4.5-billion-year-old “proto planet”

Scientists have discovered what may be the oldest surviving piece of our planet — a tiny chemical clue from the time before Earth became...

Scientists solve mystery of Earth’s oxygen delay billions of years ago

More than two billion years ago, Earth experienced one of the most important turning points in its history: the rise of oxygen in the...

World’s first known butt-drag fossil trace was left by a rock hyrax in South...

Rock hyraxes, known in southern Africa more often as "dassies," are furry, thickset creatures with short legs and no discernible tails. They spend much...

Hippos once roamed ice age Europe, surviving far longer than anyone thought

Hippos are now seen only in sub-Saharan Africa, but new research reveals that these giant, water-loving animals lived in central Europe much more recently...

Scientists unveil Xiphodracon, a rare Jurassic sea dragon from Britain

On England’s Jurassic Coast, a remarkable fossil discovery has shed new light on the ancient reptiles that once dominated Earth’s oceans. A nearly complete skeleton...

Scientists reveal 1,000-year-old gut bacteria from ancient Mexican mummy

Scientists have uncovered remarkable details about the gut microbiome of a man who lived in Mexico around 1,000 years ago—long before the arrival of...

Early humans in Italy turned elephants into food and tools

New research has revealed how early humans living in what is now Rome skillfully butchered elephants for food and then repurposed their bones into...

Easter Island’s famous statues really did “walk,” and physics proves it

For centuries, the massive stone statues of Easter Island—known as moai—have inspired awe and mystery. How did the ancient people of Rapa Nui, with no...

Ancient murals at Teotihuacan may reveal the language of a lost civilization

More than 2,000 years ago, Teotihuacan was one of the greatest cities in the world. Located in central Mexico, it was home to around...

Sea sponges may have been Earth’s first animals, new study shows

What were the first animals to appear on Earth? New research points to a surprising candidate: sea sponges. A team of geochemists from MIT and...