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...
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...