Archaeology
- Archaeology
Archaeology’s top discoveries of 2024 include preserved brains and a lost city
From the plight of ancient Egyptian scribes to the identities of ancient Maya sacrifices, 2024 brought a rich medley of insights into human history.
- Space
These discoveries in 2024 could be groundbreaking — if they’re true
Did microbes ever live on Mars? Did an "elevator" help build Egypt’s first pyramid? Some signs pointed to yes this year, but confirmation is still needed.
- Archaeology
The oldest known ritual chamber in the Middle East has been found
Engravings and other evidence suggest ancient humans attended religious ceremonies in the cave as early as 37,000 years ago.
- Archaeology
Neandertals may have built a hearth specifically to make tar
Findings from a cave in Gibraltar suggests Neandertals may have used complex fire structures to obtain adhesives from plants.
- Archaeology
Ancient Central Americans built a massive fish-trapping system
Earthen channels directed fish into ponds that formed seasonally, providing a dietary bounty for Maya civilizations starting around 4,000 years ago.
- Anthropology
How does a fossil become a superstar? Just ask Lucy.
Geologic good fortune, skilled scientific scrutiny and a catchy name turned Lucy into an evolutionary icon.
- Archaeology
A digital exam reels in engraved scenes of Stone Age net fishing
Nearly 16,000-year-old portrayals of fish surrounded by nets had evaded detection until a new technique took magnification to a new level.
- Archaeology
A huge, ancient Maya city has been found in southern Mexico
Lasers revealed that the city spanned roughly the same area as Beijing and may have been among the most densely populated in the region.
- Archaeology
A race to save Indigenous trails may change the face of archaeology
As construction of a pipeline nears, an effort to preserve an Indigenous trail in Canada tests whether heritage management can keep up with advances in archaeology.
- Archaeology
Silk Road cities reached surprising heights in Central Asia’s mountains
Drones with lasers revealed hidden urban centers that may have aided trade and travel through mountainous regions during medieval times.
- Archaeology
Ancient Scythians had cultural roots in Siberia
A possible sacrificial ritual from around 2,800 years ago suggests mounted herders from Siberia shaped a Eurasian culture thousands of kilometers away.
- Archaeology
The world’s oldest cheese is now revealing some of its secrets
A DNA analysis of the kefir cheese, first found about 20 years ago on 3,600-year-old mummies in China, confirms its age and pinpoints its origins.
