Skip to content

Subscribe today

Every print subscription comes with full digital access

All Topics
- Health
- Humans
- Life
- Earth
- Physics
- Space

Magazine
Menu
About
For Students
Our Store

Donate

Science News

INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM SINCE 1921 SIGN IN

Search

Science News

INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM SINCE 1921

All Topics
- Earth
- Humans
- Life
  - Animals
  - Plants
  - Ecosystems
  - Paleontology
  - Neuroscience
  - Genetics
  - Microbes
- Physics
- Space
- Tech
  - Computing
  - Artificial Intelligence
- Chemistry
- Math
- Science & Society
Health
Humans
- Humans
- - Health & Medicine
    Some people have never gotten COVID-19. An obscure gene may be why
    
    By Jonathan LambertJuly 3, 2024
  - Health & Medicine
    A bizarre video of eyeballs illustrates our pupils shrink with age
    
    By Abdullahi TsanniJuly 2, 2024
  - Humans
    Does social status shape height?
    
    By Sujata GuptaJune 28, 2024
Life
- Life
  - Animals
  - Plants
  - Ecosystems
  - Paleontology
  - Neuroscience
  - Genetics
  - Microbes
- - Agriculture
    50 years ago, scientists ID’d a threat to California wine country
    
    By Aimee CunninghamJune 28, 2024
  - Neuroscience
    ‘Do I Know You?’ explores face blindness and the science of the mind
    
    By Laura SandersJune 28, 2024
  - Paleontology
    Stunning trilobite fossils include soft tissues never seen before
    
    By Lucas Van Wyk JoelJune 27, 2024
Earth
- Earth
- - Climate
    Why this year’s climate conditions helped Hurricane Beryl smash records
    
    By Carolyn GramlingJuly 2, 2024
  - Climate
    How powdered rock could help slow climate change
    
    By Ann Leslie DavisJuly 1, 2024
  - Agriculture
    50 years ago, scientists ID’d a threat to California wine country
    
    By Aimee CunninghamJune 28, 2024
Physics
- Physics
- - Physics
    Advanced nuclear reactors need a different type of uranium. Here’s 4 things to know
    
    By Emily ConoverJuly 3, 2024
  - Earth
    Something weird is happening to Earth’s inner core
    
    By Nikk OgasaJune 25, 2024
  - Physics
    A black hole made from pure light is impossible, thanks to quantum physics
    
    By Emily ConoverJune 24, 2024
Space
- Space
- - Astronomy
    A stellar explosion may add a temporary ‘new star’ to the night sky this summer
    
    By Jay BennettJuly 1, 2024
  - Astronomy
    We may finally know the source of mysterious high-energy neutrinos
    
    By Mara Johnson-GrohJune 26, 2024
  - Physics
    A black hole made from pure light is impossible, thanks to quantum physics
    
    By Emily ConoverJune 24, 2024

Feature

Ancient Mesopotamians Made Rock from Silt

Share this:

Email
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Pocket
Reddit
Print

By Science News

Magazine Issue: Vol. 153 No. #26, June 27, 1998

Having trouble viewing this? Open in a new window

Questions or comments on this article? E-mail us at feedback@sciencenews.org | Reprints FAQ

A version of this article appears in the June 27, 1998 issue of Science News.

We are at a critical time and supporting climate journalism is more important than ever. Science News and our parent organization, the Society for Science, need your help to strengthen environmental literacy and ensure that our response to climate change is informed by science.

Please subscribe to Science News and add $16 to expand science literacy and understanding.

Related Stories

Health & Medicine
Some people have never gotten COVID-19. An obscure gene may be why

By Jonathan LambertJuly 3, 2024
Physics
Advanced nuclear reactors need a different type of uranium. Here’s 4 things to know

By Emily ConoverJuly 3, 2024
Climate
Why this year’s climate conditions helped Hurricane Beryl smash records

By Carolyn GramlingJuly 2, 2024

Science News

Science News was founded in 1921 as an independent, nonprofit source of accurate information on the latest news of science, medicine and technology. Today, our mission remains the same: to empower people to evaluate the news and the world around them. It is published by the Society for Science, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) membership organization dedicated to public engagement in scientific research and education (EIN 53-0196483).

Science News Explores
Science News Learning

Subscriber Services

Subscribe
Renew
Give a Gift Subscription
Customer Service

Follow Science News on Facebook
Follow Science News on X
Follow Science News via RSS
Follow Science News on Instagram
Follow Science News on YouTube
Follow Science News on TikTok

More Information

FAQ
Newsletters
Rights & Permissions
Advertise
Contact

Society for Science

About the Society
Society Store
Donate
Careers

© Society for Science & the Public 2000–2024. All rights reserved.

1719 N Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036 202.785.2255

Terms of Service Privacy Policy

Log in

Subscribers, enter your e-mail address for full access to the Science News archives and digital editions.

Not a subscriber?
Become one now.

Client key* E-mail Address*