Latest science news in Paleontology & Archaeology
Equatorial Guinea Adviser: The UNESCO Prize Stays
PARIS—Yesterday, UNESCO's executive board decided to suspend a controversial prize for the life sciences,...
Sloth has rib-cage bones in its neck
Unlike nearly every mammal that has seven vertebrae in its neck no matter how long or short its neck, sloths stand out as oddballs with up to 10.
Dead Sea Scrolls to Go Online
Gallery: Google, Israeli Antiquities Authority to Make Ancient Documents Available Over the Web
Swiss Archaeologists Unearth 5,000-Year-Old Door
"Elegant," Well-Preserved, and Cleverly-Designed Door May Be Oldest Ever Found in Europe
Evidence is weak for tropical rainforest 65 million years ago in Africa's low latitudes, paleobotanist says
Central Africa 65 million years ago was a low-elevation tropical belt, but still undetermined is whether the region's mammals lived beneath a lush rainforest canopy. Evidence is weak and unconvincing,...
Royal Society's prize is the last
Biochemist Nick Lane's book Life Ascending has won what will be the last Royal Society Science Book Prize.
Wolverine gets root canal in Winnipeg
Veterinary dentists in Winnipeg are performing four root canals on a wolverine - an animal often described as one of the world's fiercest creatures.
Giorgio Torraca obituary
He helped preserve the Sistine Chapel and the Leaning Tower of PisaThe Italian conservation scientist Giorgio Torraca, who has died aged 83 of complications from pneumonia, was a brilliant chemist and teacher who...
Britain's 'earliest hospital' discovered
Radio carbon analysis of site in Winchester provides date range of AD 960-1030 – preceding Norman conquestArchaeologists have uncovered a site that may house Britain's earliest known hospital. Radio carbon analysis at the...
Video | How to make a chimp from a man
Pauline Fowler gives a masterclass on modelling a prosthetic chimpanzee face for ape actor Peter Elliott
Just a Flesh Wound? U.K. Science Budget Spared Deep Cuts
Today, many U.K. scientists will likely see the glass as half-full. The U.K. government's...
Jellyfish Swarms: Menacing or Misunderstood?
Troublesome jellyfish blooms have prompted fears that jellyfish may come to dominate marine ecosystems thanks to humans, however, to some scientists this is premature and unfair.
How many species concepts are there?
It's an old question in biology: what is a species? Many answers have been given over the years – I counted 26 in play, and recently a new one, the "polyphasic" concept...
30,000-Year-Old Flour Finding Suggests Cavemen Craved Carbs
The newfound discovery of the oldest flour in the world suggests cavemen who were thought to live almost entirely on meat may have had a more balanced diet than was...
Study: Religious diversity increases in America, yet perceptions of Christian nation intensify
While America continues to become more religiously diverse, the belief that America is a Christian nation is growing more intense, according to research from Purdue University.
Penguin 'condos' built along Galapagos isles
"Condo" developers have built beach-front homes along the world-famous coastline of the Galapagos Islands — but it's all for a good cause.
Rotten experiments help to create picture of our early ancestors
An innovative experiment that involved studying rotting fish has helped to create a clearer picture of what our early ancestors would have looked like. The scientists wanted to examine the...
Tennessee fossil bones may be mastodon's
NASHVILLE, Oct. 19 (UPI) -- Bones found in a Tennessee backyard may be those of a mastodon and tools recovered may be those of prehistoric Americans, researchers say.
Steven Johnson: 'Eureka moments are very, very rare'
Where do good ideas come from? Usually as a result of collaboration, not geniusLet's start with the invention of air conditioning. This is only one of approximately a zillion topics addressed by the...
Ancient turtle bones discovered in Antarctica
An ancient turtle's fossils, dating from roughly 45 million years ago, were recently discovered in Antarctica.
Asteroid influenced evolution
The evolution of Ediacarans could have been influenced by a giant asteroid impact that caused extreme environmental stresses.
Neanderthal children were supersized
Neanderthal youngsters that made it to the "terrible twos" were large, sturdy and toothy, a study of the remains of a Neanderthal infant suggests. The child almost survived to such...
Does Constant Violence Desensitize or Bore Teens?
A brain imaging study sheds little light on a controversial topic
This play was all ancient Greek to me. But I liked it
The Cambridge Greek Play has survived for 128 years. But watching ancient tragedy in the original is still a revelatory experienceLast week, Cambridge University presented a play in ancient Greek. You'd really not...
Killer of Aspen Slows, but Worries About a Beloved Tree Remain
Tree lovers and scientists felt the impact of the die-off in the West, but sudden aspen decline appears to have stabilized.
Tsunamis More Likely to Hit California Than Thought?
Southern California, Seattle, and Taiwan are some of the places where tsunamis may be more likely than thought, a new study suggests.
100-million-year-old mistake provides snapshot of evolution
Research by University of Leeds plant scientists has uncovered a snapshot of evolution in progress, by tracing how a gene mutation over 100 million years ago led flowers to make...
From Junk to Collectible, Shaped by Time and Tide
A gathering for a hobby that seems an odd mix of amateur archaeology, environmental monitoring and antique collecting, with a little chemistry thrown in.