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Cover Stories
New rooms discovered in Sahura’s Pyramid
Pollen analysis suggests peopling of Siberia and Europe by modern humans occurred during a major Pleistocene warming spell
Visual psychological phenomenon may have stimulated early humans to make cave art
Long-term history of violence in hunter-gatherer societies uncovered in the Atacama Desert
10,000 years of violent conflict revealed by skeletons, weaponry, and rock art.
Archaeologists discover world’s oldest wooden structure
Stone age artists carved detailed human and animal tracks in rock art in Namibia
Indigenous trackers could identify the prints’ species, sex and age for 90% of analyzed engravings.
Ancient Neolithic ‘Horn Chamber’ reveals ritual performed in north-west Arabia
Studies detail nature and significance of apparent ceremonial offerings in mustatils, Neolithic structures where deposits of horns and skull parts suggest a sophisticated expression of deeply rooted beliefs.
Genomic model suggests population decline in human ancestors
The scent of the afterlife unbottled in new study of ancient Egyptian mummification balms
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Other Stories
Research reveals ancient Maya lessons on surviving drought
Huge variety of plant foods made their starvation unlikely.
Nits on ancient mummies shed light on South American ancestry
New technique means head lice can provide clues about ancient people and migration.
Scientists digitally ‘unwrap’ mummy of pharaoh Amenhotep I for the first time in 3,000 years
Study shows that 21st dynasty restorers ‘lovingly restored’ mummy, dispelling theory that they were bent on reusing old royal burial equipment.
New dates for Viking trade
Solar flare throws light on ancient trade between the Islamic Middle East and the Viking Age.
Humans Reached Remote North Atlantic Islands Centuries Earlier Than Thought
Faroes Settled Well Before Vikings Arrived, Lake Sediments Show.
Mystery solved: Footprints from site A at Laetoli, Tanzania, are from early humans, not bears
Findings provide conclusive evidence that multiple species of hominins co-existed on the landscape.
Volcanic eruptions contributed to collapse of China dynasties
Eruptions create sulfuric acid clouds in the upper atmosphere and can cool the climate.
A Child of darkness
The first partial skull of a child of Homo naledi begins to give us insight into all stages of life of this remarkable species.
More than ceremonial, ancient Chaco Canyon was home, new study says
Early puebloans impacted the ecosystem around Chaco Canyon earlier than previously believed.