Ancient

A newly discovered rock shelter in Tajikistan’s Zeravshan Valley shows evidence of repeated human occupation over 130,000 years. The site contains artifacts from Neanderthals, Denisovans, and Homo sapiens, suggesting it may have been a migration hub. Archaeologists believe the Inner Asian Mountain Corridor (IAMC) in Central Asia served as a migra...

China’s Zhurong rover has discovered formations on Mars that could signal the remnants of a once vast ocean. Landing in the Utopia Planitia region, the rover identified formations commonly linked to past water presence, supporting the theory that Mars was once home to a massive body of water. While the findings do not offer definitive proof, they...

Recent DNA findings from Pompeii reveal complex ancestry and social diversity, challenging earlier assumptions about family structures and cultural roles in the ancient city. Analysing skeletal remains has shown that some groups presumed to be family members were not biologically related, while traditional gender roles were also re-evaluated. This ...

A 3,775-year-old log, found by climate scientist Ning Zeng's team in Canada, has shown the potential of buried wood for long-term carbon storage. When covered by clay, the log retained most of its carbon, hinting at a cost-effective, natural solution for lowering atmospheric CO2 levels. Researchers suggest this low-cost strategy could lock away car...

A man has been arrested for allegedly stealing gold necklaces worth Rs 78 lakh from an ancient temple of Goddess Mahakali located atop Pavagadh Hills in Gujarat's Panchmahal district, police said on Wednesday.

The asteroid Apophis, named after the ancient Egyptian god of chaos, is set to pass extremely close to Earth in 2029, potentially causing seismic activity and landslides on its surface due to Earth's gravity. These changes could alter Apophis’ surface, providing a rare opportunity to observe asteroid dynamics in real-time. A team from Johns Hopki...

A skeleton found in Pommerœul, Belgium, shocked archaeologists when they discovered that it contained bones from at least five people, spanning from the Neolithic era to the Roman period. The bones were carefully arranged, possibly by the Romans who may have disturbed a Neolithic grave. DNA analysis and radiocarbon dating have confirmed the bones...

Researchers have highlighted the influence of ancient Mesopotamian trade symbols on cylinder seals in shaping the earliest forms of writing. These symbols, used in trade transactions, may have evolved into proto-cuneiform, marking a key cognitive shift from image-based to structured writing in early cities like Uruk. The findings aim to bridge unde...

New research from China University of Geosciences unveils how tectonic shifts eroded the once-stable North China Craton. Led by Professor Shaofeng Liu, this study explores flat-slab subduction processes, revealing three stages of deformation due to the ancient Izanagi plate’s horizontal movement beneath the Eurasian plate. This breakthrough redef...

The military stand-off between India and China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) found an amicable solution recently. However, another kind of tug-of-war between India and China - a continuous and ancient tectonic one - has been going on.

Archaeologists have uncovered a 4,000-year-old fortified town named al-Natah in northwest Saudi Arabia, illustrating the gradual shift from nomadic to urban lifestyles.

Hang Son Doong, located in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Vietnam, is the world’s largest cave with a vast network of underground passages, towering stalagmites, and two jungles. Discovered in 1990 by local Ho Khanh and later fully explored in 2009, it has since captivated researchers and visitors alike. Its unique geological features and recen...

Recent analysis of images captured by NASA's Voyager 2 has suggested that Miranda, a moon orbiting Uranus, may have once contained a significant ocean beneath its icy exterior. Research led by Tom Nordheim at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory reveals that this ocean could have existed hundreds of millions of years ago, driven by tidal forces...

In a groundbreaking find, Hong Kong scientists uncovered the city’s first dinosaur fossils on Port Island. The fossils are believed to date back to the Cretaceous period, representing a significant step for local palaeontology. The fossils will be displayed at the Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre for public viewing, while Port Island remains t...

Massive fields of magma underneath ancient volcanoes spewed out carbon dioxide long after eruptions on the surface had ended, potentially explaining why past global warming episodes lasted longer than expected, a study said Wednesday.

A newly discovered rock shelter in Tajikistan’s Zeravshan Valley shows evidence of repeated human occupation over 130,000 years. The site contains artifacts from Neanderthals, Denisovans, and Homo sapiens, suggesting it may have been a migration hub. Archaeologists believe the Inner Asian Mountain Corridor (IAMC) in Central Asia served as a migra...

China’s Zhurong rover has discovered formations on Mars that could signal the remnants of a once vast ocean. Landing in the Utopia Planitia region, the rover identified formations commonly linked to past water presence, supporting the theory that Mars was once home to a massive body of water. While the findings do not offer definitive proof, they...

Recent DNA findings from Pompeii reveal complex ancestry and social diversity, challenging earlier assumptions about family structures and cultural roles in the ancient city. Analysing skeletal remains has shown that some groups presumed to be family members were not biologically related, while traditional gender roles were also re-evaluated. This ...

A 3,775-year-old log, found by climate scientist Ning Zeng's team in Canada, has shown the potential of buried wood for long-term carbon storage. When covered by clay, the log retained most of its carbon, hinting at a cost-effective, natural solution for lowering atmospheric CO2 levels. Researchers suggest this low-cost strategy could lock away car...

A man has been arrested for allegedly stealing gold necklaces worth Rs 78 lakh from an ancient temple of Goddess Mahakali located atop Pavagadh Hills in Gujarat's Panchmahal district, police said on Wednesday.

The asteroid Apophis, named after the ancient Egyptian god of chaos, is set to pass extremely close to Earth in 2029, potentially causing seismic activity and landslides on its surface due to Earth's gravity. These changes could alter Apophis’ surface, providing a rare opportunity to observe asteroid dynamics in real-time. A team from Johns Hopki...

A skeleton found in Pommerœul, Belgium, shocked archaeologists when they discovered that it contained bones from at least five people, spanning from the Neolithic era to the Roman period. The bones were carefully arranged, possibly by the Romans who may have disturbed a Neolithic grave. DNA analysis and radiocarbon dating have confirmed the bones...

Researchers have highlighted the influence of ancient Mesopotamian trade symbols on cylinder seals in shaping the earliest forms of writing. These symbols, used in trade transactions, may have evolved into proto-cuneiform, marking a key cognitive shift from image-based to structured writing in early cities like Uruk. The findings aim to bridge unde...

New research from China University of Geosciences unveils how tectonic shifts eroded the once-stable North China Craton. Led by Professor Shaofeng Liu, this study explores flat-slab subduction processes, revealing three stages of deformation due to the ancient Izanagi plate’s horizontal movement beneath the Eurasian plate. This breakthrough redef...

The military stand-off between India and China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) found an amicable solution recently. However, another kind of tug-of-war between India and China - a continuous and ancient tectonic one - has been going on.

Archaeologists have uncovered a 4,000-year-old fortified town named al-Natah in northwest Saudi Arabia, illustrating the gradual shift from nomadic to urban lifestyles.

Hang Son Doong, located in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Vietnam, is the world’s largest cave with a vast network of underground passages, towering stalagmites, and two jungles. Discovered in 1990 by local Ho Khanh and later fully explored in 2009, it has since captivated researchers and visitors alike. Its unique geological features and recen...

Recent analysis of images captured by NASA's Voyager 2 has suggested that Miranda, a moon orbiting Uranus, may have once contained a significant ocean beneath its icy exterior. Research led by Tom Nordheim at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory reveals that this ocean could have existed hundreds of millions of years ago, driven by tidal forces...

In a groundbreaking find, Hong Kong scientists uncovered the city’s first dinosaur fossils on Port Island. The fossils are believed to date back to the Cretaceous period, representing a significant step for local palaeontology. The fossils will be displayed at the Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre for public viewing, while Port Island remains t...

Massive fields of magma underneath ancient volcanoes spewed out carbon dioxide long after eruptions on the surface had ended, potentially explaining why past global warming episodes lasted longer than expected, a study said Wednesday.