Latest science news in Paleontology & Archaeology
Lady bugs to the rescue in the Galapagos: Biocontrol of insect pest is a major success, entomologists say
The Galapagos Islands, made famous by Charles Darwin, have unique flora and fauna threatened by invasive insects brought in by tourism and population growth. One of these insect invaders is...
Cosmic Log: King Tut’s extreme makeover
Science editor Alan Boyle's Weblog: In the years since King Tutankhamun's treasures started going on the road, Tut's historical image has gone through an extreme makeover. ...
Asia's most devastating droughts reconstructed
Asia's monsoon rains feed nearly half the world's population. A new study of tree rings provides a detailed record of at least four epic failures of the monsoon that have...
Retracing the tracks of dinosaurs reveals ecosystem the size of a continent
Researchers have uncovered the first evidence that a warm and moderate climate allowed dinosaurs to expand into one massive homogenous community across North America.
Shade trees studied for cooling effects
TAIPEI, Taiwan, April 22 (UPI) -- National Taiwan University researchers say they have determined which shade trees provide the best cooling in tropical and subtropical regions.
Egypt dig uncovers coins more than 2,250 years old
Archaeologists have uncovered bronze coins bearing the image of ancient Egyptian ruler King Ptolemy III in an oasis south of the capital, the culture ministry announced on Thursday.
Mysterious Sheep-Pig Creature's True Identity Revealed
Photos of a sheep-pig creature are circulating the internet. It's a pig, called a mangalista.
Rare gecko seen on NZ mainland for first time in century
New Zealand's largest gecko has been seen on one of the country's main islands for the first time in almost a century -- unfortunately, dead in a mousetrap, an official...
How Marmite spread its way through journalism | Mind your language
Love them or hate them, Marmite comparisons have increased massively since 2006 – why?After two fairly meaty blogs on electionspeak and swearing (never has there been such well-considered bad language), time for a...
Discovery of a primate more than 11 million years old
Catalan researchers have discovered in the rubbish dump of Can Mata in the Valles-Penedes basin (Catalonia) a new species of Pliopithecus primate, considered an extinct family of primitive Catarrhini primates...
Arizona State Settles DNA Case With Indian Tribe
The Havasupai people, who live in the Grand Canyon, had claimed that university researchers misused their DNA.
Bone-eating worm borehole fossils found
KIEL, Germany, April 21 (UPI) -- A German-led team of scientists says it has identified the first fossil boreholes of the worm Osedax, which consumes whale bones on the...
Clever crows can use 3 tools
Researchers have shown that crows from the South Pacific can learn to use three tools in succession to reach some food, demonstrating an advanced way of thinking.
Geological Society Presses on Climate Threat
Geologists update and strengthen their statement on evidence for a growing, and disruptive, human influence on climate.
Video: Why Twitter Turned Down $500 Million Buyout
Twitter co-founder Biz Stone tells Katie Couric why Twitter turned down a $500 million buyout offer from Facebook.
National Geographic Taps UC San Diego Students for Technology Solutions
A West Coast campus famous for its high-tech research is now becoming known for its global reach in cultural heritage. Faculty and students are already searching for the lost tomb...
Neanderthals may have interbred with humans twice
(PhysOrg.com) -- Extinct human species such as Neanderthals may still be with us, at least in our DNA, and this may help explain why they disappeared from the fossil record...
Mercury is higher in some tuna species, according to DNA barcoding
New research showing that that mercury levels are higher in some species of tuna could help consumers minimise their consumption of the silvery metal in their sushi and provide a...
Contraband could hide in plain sight, Duke research shows
DURHAM, N.C. -- As airport security employees scan luggage for a large variety of banned items, they may miss a deadly box cutter if they find a water bottle first. According...
World's rarest tree gets some help
The tree species known only as Pennantia baylisiana could be the rarest plant on Earth. In fact, the Guinness Book of World Records once called it that. Just a single...
Fossil of two-metre prehistoric 'sea scorpion' found in Scotland
A cast is to be made of tracks left by a two-metre long prehistoric scorpion in north east Fife.
How ancient flowering plants grew: Early angiosperms were weedy, fast-growing
Fossils of angiosperms first appear in the fossil record about 140 million years ago. Based on the material in which these fossils are deposited, early angiosperms must have been weedy,...
Mysterious desert lines were animal traps
Mysterious lines on the deserts of the Near East are massive ancient hunting tools, made up of low stone walls. Near East - Hunting - Social...
Egypt Pictures: Roman-Style Mummy, Tombs Found
Dwarf? Woman? Girl? The occupant of a tiny, Roman-style coffin remains largely a mystery even as the burial hints at a golden past.
UWE researchers reinvent the potters wheel
(PhysOrg.com) -- Broken the lid of your favourite ceramic teapot but can't buy a replacement? Worry not. Researchers from the Centre for Fine Print Research (CFPR) at the University of...
Crew set off to recreate Captain Bligh's epic South Pacific voyage
Four men set sail in the South Pacific to recreate the epic 7,000 km (4,350 mile) voyage of Captain William Bligh.
Stranded abroad – thank goodness everyone speaks Globish
Stuck in the Caribbean I am at least in a good spot to observe the world's new lingua franca at workI'm stranded by the flying lockdown in the Caribbean, but well placed...
Nanostructure of 5,000-year-old mummy skin reveals insight into mummification process
(PhysOrg.com) -- Using cutting-edge microscopy techniques, researchers have gained insight into how human mummies can be extremely well-preserved for thousands of years. A team of scientists from Germany and Italy...