Archaeology

Archaeology

America’s first settlers may have arrived 130,000 years ago

An archaeological site where mastodon remains were found suggests that the first Americans may have arrived unexpectedly early.

Fossils

This hominid may have shared Earth with humans

Newfound fossils in South Africa point to a far more recent age for Homo naledi than had been accepted. If correct, this hominid might have coexisted with humans — even interacted with our species.

Archaeology

Stone Age dentists treated cavities with tar

Is Italy the home of dentistry? That’s where treated tooth decay has been found, dating back 14 millennia. Cavities appear picked clean with sharp tools. Ouch!

Science & Society

Fossils point to Neandertal diets — and medicine use

Whether Neandertals were largely meat-eaters or vegans depended on their environment, fossils now suggest. Their teeth also indicate they used natural medicines.

Archaeology

Silk Road’s origins may date back millennia

The mountain treks of ancient herders helped mold a cross-continent trade network known as the Silk Road.

Archaeology

Space archaeologists need your help to protect ancient treasures

Explorers who search for ancient ruins in satellite images are asking for help from the public. Volunteers can visit a new website to sign up.

Archaeology

Cool Jobs: Hunting surprises in thinning glaciers

Meet three scientists who are tracking the meltdown of Earth’s glaciers. They share their adventures, predictions and unexpected discoveries.

Archaeology

‘Cousin’ Lucy may have fallen from a tree to her death 3.2 million years ago

A contested study suggests that Lucy, a famous fossil ancestor of humans, fell from a tree to her death.

Archaeology

The first farmers were two groups, not one

The humans that began farming 10,000 years ago in the Fertile Crescent may have been two cultures living side-by-side.

Archaeology

Neandertals: Ancient Stone Age builders had tech skills

Neandertals built stalagmite circles in a French cave 176,500 years ago. These structures show that these ancient human cousins had social and technical skills.

Archaeology

Hunter-gatherers roamed Florida 14,500 years ago

Tools and bones from a submerged site in Florida show that Stone Age people lived in North America earlier than was once thought.

Archaeology

Remains of long-ago child sacrifices found in Belize cave

Thousands of bones in Belize’s Midnight Terror Cave show that the Maya had a long tradition of human sacrifices. New data show that many had been children.