At a prehistoric archaeological site in Turkey, researchers have discovered two 8,500-year-old human teeth, which had been used as pendants in a necklace or bracelet. Researchers have never... more
Paleontologists have announced the discovery of a new genus and species of extinct protocetid whale, based on the fossilized remains found in the Western... more
At a prehistoric archaeological site in Turkey, researchers have discovered two 8,500-year-old human teeth, which had been used as pendants in a necklace or... more
The choices that societies make concerning the treatment of children can bring about the greatest of debates and prompt significant political action.... more
Canada's northernmost islands, Ellesmere and Axel Heiberg islands in Nunavut, were home to a vibrant, temperate forest 56 million years ago, according to fossil... more
An Australian research team say they have come up with a "lifespan clock" which provides accurate maximum age estimates for vertebrates, a key variable in the study of both living and extinct animals. more
Researchers from the Institute of Evolutionary Biology (IBE, a joint institute of the Pompeu Fabra University (UPF) and the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC)) in Barcelona... more
You may have heard that Earth's current sixth mass extinction stems from human causes, but what does this actually look like? I present to you Exhibit A: North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis), a species disappearing at an... more
A new find from Patagonia sheds light on the evolution of large predatory dinosaurs. Features of the 8-meter-long specimen from the Middle Jurassic suggest that it records a phase of rapid diversification and evolutionary experimentation. more
An Indonesian cave painting that depicts a prehistoric hunting scene could be the world's oldest figurative artwork dating back nearly 44,000 years, pointing to an advanced artistic culture, according to new research. more
In a cave in Indonesia, archaeologists have uncovered a stunning ancient painting of a hunting party that is thousands of years older than similar works found in Europe. more
By measuring the chemistry of fossilized seashells collected in Antarctica, researchers discovered that Earth was already experiencing carbon cycle instability before the asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs. more
A new find from Patagonia sheds light on the evolution of large predatory dinosaurs. Features of the 8-m long specimen from the Middle Jurassic suggest that it records a phase of rapid diversification and evolutionary experimentation. more
A newly described fossil whale represents a new species and an important step in the evolution of whale locomotion, according to a University of... more
New research from anthropologists at McMaster University and California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB), is shedding light on ancient dietary practices, the evolution of agricultural societies and ultimately, how plants... more
A team of researchers affiliated with several institutions in China, the U.S. and Russia has found evidence of ancient lice-like insects that fed on dinosaur feathers. In their paper published... more
Curiosity won't be NASA's only active Mars rover for much longer. Next summer, Mars 2020 will be headed for the Red Planet. While the newest rover... more
A storehouse of ancient treasures, including precious jewels and gold beads, has been uncovered by archaeologists on an island near Crete devoted to making... more
Reverse osmosis (RO) is one of the most effective desalination technologies for producing freshwater from seawater. The reverse osmosis membrane water reclamation processes is very energy intensive - not exactly an advantage given the... more
An ancient church from the fourth century, containing both early Christian and what may be pagan artifacts, has been unearthed in a buried town... more
An ancient church from the fourth century, containing both early Christian and what may be pagan artifacts, has been unearthed in a buried town... more
The British explorer George Dennis once wrote, "Vulci is a city whose very name … was scarcely remembered, but which now, for the enormous treasures of antiquity it has yielded, is exalted above every... more
A sandstone slab prized for its detailed dinosaur footprints may also contain the track of a sailing stone or "walking rock." Paleontologist Paul Olsen from Lamont-Doherty... more
Sea lilies, despite their name, aren't plants. They're animals related to starfish and sea urchins, with long feathery arms resting atop a stalk that keeps them anchored to the ocean floor. Sea lilies have... more
Bacteria and the viruses that infect them are engaged in a molecular arms race as ancient as life itself. Evolution has equipped bacteria with an arsenal... more
For years, Kim Cobb was the Indiana Jones of climate science. The Georgia Tech professor flew to the caves of Borneo to study ancient and current climate conditions. She jetted... more
Oil and gas groups were accused Saturday of seeking to influence climate talks in Madrid by paying millions in sponsorship and sending dozens of lobbyists to delay what scientists say is a necessary and... more
Paleontologists have discovered the remains of a previously unknown symmetrodont mammal that lived alongside dinosaurs in what is now China. The fossils provide a record of the final... more
St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum) is an ancient medicinal plant. It is known for the mild antidepressant properties of its bioactive compound hypericin, which is produced in the dark glands... more
Following a dramatic decline in numbers over the past decade, White's seahorse, also known as the Sydney seahorse, has recently been listed as an endangered species... more
Assyriologists in Leiden have been conducting research into ancient clay tablets from the Middle East for 100 years already. What exactly do these clay tablets tell us? And why is Leiden such a good place to study them? more
Historians often trace the dawn of human civilization back 10,000 years, when Neolithic tribes first settled and began farming in the Fertile Crescent, which stretches through... more
Herbivorous dinosaurs evolved many times during the 180 million-year Mesozoic era, and while they didn't all evolve to chew, swallow, and digest their food in the... more
Habitat loss is the primary driver of biodiversity decline worldwide, but the effects of fragmentation (the spatial arrangement of remaining habitat) are debated. We tested the... more
A joint research team led by Mao Fangyuan from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and... more
Herbivorous dinosaurs evolved many times during the 180 million-year Mesozoic era, and while they didn't all evolve to chew, swallow, and digest their food in the... more
Rechargeable lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are a revolutionary technology, found in everything from cellphones to cars. Their ubiquity and role in breaking dependence on fossil fuels earned a trio of researchers this year's... more
Resembling an overgrown house cat with black-tipped ears and a stubby tail, the Canada lynx, a native of North America, teeters on the brink of extinction in the U.S. The few lynx that now roam parts of Washington and the... more
The ancient Romans relied on long-distance timber trading to construct their empire, according to a study published December 4, 2019 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Mauro Bernabei from the National... more
Paleontologists in Lebanon have discovered the extremely well-preserved fossilized remains of a previously unknown Cretaceous-period flying reptile. Pterosaurs were highly... more
The runaway train that is climate change is about to blow past another milestone: global fossil-fuel carbon dioxide emissions will reach yet another record high. Driven by rising natural gas... more
The extinct sea scorpion species Jaekelopterus rhenaniae had eyes comparable to those of today's horseshoe crabs. The two-and-a-half-meter predator was... more
Just as our left hand is not superposable to our right hand, the mirror image of certain molecules cannot be overlapped onto it, even when turned or twisted. These two mirror images are referred... more
If a bone breaks or a tendon snaps, you know to seek treatment immediately. But your most fragile and precious cellular commodity, chromosomal DNA, breaks with astounding frequency- some estimate... more
The world's insects are headed down the path of extinction with more than 40 percent of insect species in decline according to the first global scientific review, published... more
If a bone breaks or a tendon snaps, you know to seek treatment immediately. But your most fragile and precious cellular commodity, chromosomal DNA, breaks with astounding frequency—some... more
It's well established that unsustainable human activity is damaging the health of the planet. The way we use Earth threatens our future and that of many animals and... more
Ancestors of modern bacteria cultured from an iron-rich lake in Democratic Republic of Congo could have been key to keeping Earth's dimly lit early... more
If you have a little paleontologist, a star-gazer or a budding chemist, one of these science-inspired toys may be right for your child. Here's a look at some... more
Ancient flying reptiles known as pterosaurs were much more diverse than originally thought, according to a new study by an international group of paleontologists. more
Nine human species walked the Earth 300,000 years ago. Now there is just one. Neanderthals were stocky hunters adapted to Europe’s cold steppes, their... more
Paleontologists in China have unearthed a nearly complete skeleton of a previously unknown Cretaceous mammal species with well-preserved middle ear bones. The ancient creature... more
Newly-hatched tortoises take their first steps at a Bangladesh conservation park, their feet barely visible under hard shells that carry the weight of the species on their backs. more
A long-standing enigma in paleoanthropology is the demise of Neanderthals about 40,000 years ago. There is general agreement that their disappearance coincides with migration... more
Small populations, inbreeding, and random demographic fluctuations could have been enough to cause Neanderthal extinction, according to a new study. more
Small populations, inbreeding, and random demographic fluctuations could have been enough to cause Neanderthal extinction, according to a study published November 27, 2019 in the open-access journal PLOS... more