Latest science news in Paleontology & Archaeology
Scientists uncover transfer of genetic material between blood-sucking insect and mammals
(PhysOrg.com) -- Researchers at The University of Texas at Arlington have found the first solid evidence of horizontal DNA transfer, the movement of genetic material among non-mating species, between parasitic...
Has Evolution Trained Our Brains to Gorge on Food and Sex?
Romeo Guinea Pig Causes Baby Boom: A guinea pig called Sooty enjoyed a night of passion with twenty-four females after fooling his way into their cage in south Wales. Sooty wooed...
Scientists bag frog genome
Lab favorite arrives relatively late to the genetic revolution
Insect stole fungus gene to make plant pigment
Researchers at the University of Arizona conducted a genetic study of the pea aphid and found the insects make their own carotenoids, nutrients that give plants a red-orange colour.
Pictures: Ancient Egypt Crocodile Mummies Revealed
A crocodile's last meal and an ancient fishhook are among "exciting" details revealed by new CT scans of the 2,000-year-old mummies.
Can you hurt a chimp's feelings?
Video footage claiming to show chimps 'grieving' has sparked new debate over the ethical treatment of animals – but we should beware of jumping to conclusionsIs it an invasion of privacy to...
Spider Silk as Strong as Kevlar!
Since the time of the ancient Greeks, humans have been using spider silk to dress wounds. Scientists now know spider webs not only have healing qualities, they can be stronger...
Play as Mega Man in New 'Super Mario Brothers' Mashup
A new, unofficial recreation of the original "Super Mario Brothers" video game now allows gamers to play as characters from other iconic titles, including Mega Man and Link from "The...
Probing Question: What is seed banking?
Nearly 1,000 kilometers north of Norway stands an impressive vault. Dug deep below the permafrost into solid rock, so far north that four months out of the year the sun...
7 Biggest Diet Myths
Big diet myths that make scientists shake their heads. If you want to lose weight, first you must know these diet fallacies.
Getting a bird’s-eye view of the past
Sometimes, you have to step back to see the big picture. That’s the lesson that archaeology students are sharing with the public through a new exhibit at the Peabody Museum of...
The Science Of Caber Tossing
I went to the Scottish Games in Woodland, California last weekend, two young boys in tow. They weren't remotely interested in Scottish women doing traditional dances and they were vaguely...
Roller Coasters May Damage Your Ears
Roller coasters are a lot of fun, but conditions experienced during the rides may cause damage to your ears. Physicians at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit say they have found...
Population growth slows in L.A., California
California added 393,000 new people in 2009, while Los Angeles added 44,000, according to a new report from the state Department of Finance.
Volcanic ash link to large falcon
Volcanic ash from the eruption in Iceland is suspected in driving the world's largest species of falcon to the Western Isles.
How important is geographical isolation in speciation?
A genetic study of island lizards shows that even those that have been geographically isolated for many millions of years have not evolved into separate species as predicted by conventional...
Sign language study shows multiple brain regions wired for language
A new study from the University of Rochester finds that there is no single advanced area of the human brain that gives it language capabilities above and beyond those of...
Leaders' debate: The naked politician | Carole Jahme exposes the leaders' inner ape
Evolutionary psychologist Carole Jahme strips Gordon Brown, Nick Clegg and David Cameron of their political clothes to reveal their inner apesOne difference between chimpanzee dominance hierarchies and political hierarchies is that chimp behaviour...
Mystery of the Lionfish: Don't Blame Hurricane Andrew
Scientists are scrambling to fight the voracious lionfish (Pterois volitans) that have invaded the...
Afghans protest after lawmaker's relative is killed in raid
Shouting 'Death to America,' several hundred take to the streets after the brother-in-law of Safiya Sedeqi dies in a confrontation with NATO-Afghan forces. ...
Climate change will speed spread of invasive fish to northern Europe
Spanish and French researchers have evaluated the spread of the invasive mosquitofish Gambusia holbrooki, which is native to the United States and lives in Mediterranean rivers in Spain and France....
Syncrude dismissal bid rejected by judge
An Alberta provincial court judge has rejected Syncrude's request to dismiss the two charges it faces in the deaths of 1,600 ducks on a tailings pond north of Fort McMurray...
Out There: Residents on Long Beach island live in fear of sea wall failing
The quaint island community of Naples, with its million-dollar homes, famed canals and pirate statues, is protected by a crumbling concrete berm. ...
New Species of Ancient Flying Reptile Discovered
An ancient reptile with a 9-foot wingspan was soaring over the sea in what is now North Texas some 95 million years ago when – plop – it fell into...
Space balloon crashes on takeoff
Balloon breaks free from moorings and overturns parked car, narrowly missing onlookersThe launch of a giant space balloon in the Australian outback went badly wrong today when it broke from a mooring and...
Humans Interbred with Neanderthals, Study Suggests
Humans today could be part Neanderthal, according to a new study that found our ancestors interbred with an extinct hominid species some millennia ago.
USC bomb threat came from psychiatric ward, police sources say
The call to authorities about a bomb threat at USC originated from the psychiatric ward at County-USC Hospital, police sources said.
New Madrid Quakes May Not Have Been So Colossal
Analysis downgrades the notorious 19th century Midwestern temblors