Neandertals got picky about bones for their tools
Evidence continues to mount that the Neandertals, who lived in Europe and Asia until about 40,000 years ago, were more sophisticated people than once...
Modern humans and Neanderthals share a tangled genetic history
Our ancestors interbred with Neanderthals at multiple times. In recent years, scientists have uncovered evidence that Neanderthals and modern humans interbred. Previous research has shown that...
Scientists discover the ancestor of all animals in fossils
A team led by UC Riverside geologists has discovered the first ancestor on the family tree that contains most familiar animals today, including humans. The...
These ostrich eggshell beads were Facebook or Twitter’s likes in Stone Age
A clump of grass grows on an outcrop of shale 33,000 years ago. An ostrich pecks at the grass, and atoms taken up from the...
New timeline rewrites history of Easter Island’s collapse
Easter Island’s prehistoric societal collapse didn’t happen as researchers have long thought, according to a new study. Researchers have developed a chronology of monument-building and...
Easter Island society did not collapse prior to European contact, new study finds
Easter Island society did not collapse prior to European contact and its people continued to build its iconic moai statues for much longer than...
Scientists discover terrifying epilepsy demon on 2,700-year-old clay tablet
A 2,700-year-old cuneiform tablet from ancient Iraq depicts the demon that the ancient Assyrians thought caused epilepsy. It’s a previously overlooked element of the tablet...
Archaeologists find Bronze Age tombs lined with gold
Archaeologists with the University of Cincinnati have discovered two Bronze Age tombs containing a trove of engraved jewelry and artifacts that promise to unlock...
Scientists unearth the mystery of Easter Island’s Moai statues
Rapanui people likely believed the ancient monoliths helped food grow on the Polynesian island, study reveals. Rapa Nui (or Easter Island, as it is commonly...
Did modern humans cause Neanderthal extinction?
Neanderthal extinction could have occurred without environmental pressure or competition with modern humans, new study suggests. Small populations, inbreeding, and random demographic fluctuations could have...