Records of aurorae in Mesopotamia from 2,600 years ago are helping astronomers understand and predict solar activity today.
Archaeology
Ancient Maya Farms Revealed by Laser Scanning
One agricultural network was 5 times larger than earlier estimates, and the fields may be an early source of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions.
Global Warming Is Conquering the Vikings
Ancient Arctic artifacts are disappearing as warming unfurls.
Ceramics Trace a 14th Century Indonesian Tsunami
Archaeological evidence suggests that communities on the northern coast of Sumatra devastated by a tsunami roughly 600 years ago opted to rebuild in the same area, a process repeated in 2004.
Ancient Tsunami Tied to Volcanic Flank Collapse in Italy
Stromboli’s volcanic cone may have suffered multiple flank collapses between the 14th and 16th centuries, triggering tsunamis that led to the abandonment of the island.
Magnetic Surveying Reveals Hidden Ancient Buildings and Streets
Buried buildings subtly distort natural magnetic fields, providing a magnetic surveying team with clues that helped archaeologists map an ancient city.
Neanderthals Likely Ate Rotten Meat
Neanderthals have long been painted as meat-eating machines. But could a new look at a dietary proxy and how it changes when meat rots uncover insights into what these extinct hominids really ate?
Boiled or Raw, Snail Shells Keep an Environmental Archive
Snail shells discovered at archaeological sites might still accurately record past weather and vegetation despite being the leftovers of a past meal.
Indonesian Cave Reveals Nearly 5,000 Years of Tsunamis
Researchers explore a coastal cave containing layers of sand deposited by 11 prehistoric tsunamis and demonstrate that the time period between massive waves is highly variable.
Pharaoh's Iron Dagger Made from a Meteorite, Study Confirms
After examining the metal under bombardment by X-rays, scientists find the composition of King Tutankhamun's knife blade matches "iron of the sky."