Why the Maya built—and abandoned—their great cities
Why do people move to cities—and why do they leave?
Today, the reasons might include jobs, lifestyle, pollution, or even a pandemic.
But these same questions...
Archaeologists discover 5,000-year-old ceremonial site in Jordan
Archaeologists from the University of Copenhagen have uncovered a fascinating 5,000-year-old ceremonial site in Murayghat, Jordan, that could reveal how early societies adapted to...
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...
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...
Scientists discover Europe’s oldest blue pigment in Germany
Archaeologists in Germany have uncovered something that could change our understanding of early human creativity.
At a site in Mühlheim-Dietesheim, researchers found traces of a...
Ancient pottery unlocks secrets of prehistoric fishing nets
For the first time, archaeologists have digitally and physically reconstructed fishing nets from more than 6,000 years ago, thanks to traces left in ancient...
Ancient copper smelting site reveals clues to the birth of the iron age
A 3,000-year-old metal workshop in southern Georgia may hold the key to one of the most important turning points in human history: the invention...