Ancient DNA from China's 4,000-year-old Shimao city reveals its population's local origins, distant genetic ties, and organized patrilineal kinship. The study also found that most sacrificial victims were male, challenging previous assumptions and offering insights into early East Asian state formation.
The invention of glassblowing in the late first century BCE dramatically changed daily life in ancient Rome by making glass objects affordable and widely accessible.
A cave in the Pyrenees reveals evidence of 5,500-year-old copper mining activities, repeated prehistoric visits, and child remains, challenging views on ancient high-altitude use.
Archaeologists in Romania discovered a 350-square-meter prehistoric megastructure in a small settlement, challenging previous beliefs about such large buildings.
New research shows pigeons were semi-domesticated in Cyprus by 1400 BCE, pushing back direct evidence for domestication by nearly 1,000 years.
A new study combined archaeological, genetic, and isotopic evidence to reveal details of daily life, migration patterns, diets, and burial practices in Central Europe during the Late Bronze Age.
Fossil teeth found in Ethiopia reveal that early *Homo* and an unknown *Australopithecus* species coexisted 2.6 to 2.8 million years ago, challenging linear human evolution theories.
A new genetic study of over 3,200 Japanese individuals reveals a previously overlooked third ancestral group, challenging existing theories and linking ancient DNA to modern health conditions.
Archaeological discoveries on Velanai Island, northern Sri Lanka, reveal the earliest confirmed prehistoric settlement, challenging previous beliefs about early human occupation in the region.
Scientists are close to reconstructing Leonardo da Vinci's genetic profile by tracing his family lineage and identifying living male descendants, potentially revealing biological insights into his genius.
A remotely operated robot is exploring France's deepest shipwreck, a 16th-century merchant vessel, to retrieve artifacts and gather data on historical trade routes.