New Scientist - Humans https://www.newscientist.com/ https://www.newscientist.com/build/images/ns-logo-scaled.ed2dc11a.png https://www.newscientist.com daily 1 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2455299-dna-analysis-rewrites-the-stories-of-people-buried-in-pompeii/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Thu, 07 Nov 2024 16:00:01 +0000 Genetic analysis of five individuals preserved as plaster casts in the ruins of Pompeii contradicts established beliefs about the people and their relationships 2455299-dna-analysis-rewrites-the-stories-of-people-buried-in-pompeii|2455299 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2455253-ancient-egyptians-shaped-sheeps-horns-and-we-dont-know-why/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 06 Nov 2024 22:05:20 +0000 The earliest evidence of livestock with modified horns has been discovered in ancient Egypt – sheep skulls with horns that point in unnatural directions suggest humans forced them to grow that way 2455253-ancient-egyptians-shaped-sheeps-horns-and-we-dont-know-why|2455253 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26435164-200-before-the-stone-age-were-the-first-tools-made-from-plants-not-rocks/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Tue, 05 Nov 2024 16:00:00 +0000 Our ancestors probably used a wide range of plant-based tools that have since been lost to history. Now we're finally getting a glimpse of this Botanic Age mg26435164-200-before-the-stone-age-were-the-first-tools-made-from-plants-not-rocks|2454771 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2454631-ancient-mesopotamian-clay-seals-offer-clues-to-the-origin-of-writing/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Tue, 05 Nov 2024 00:01:09 +0000 Before Mesopotamian people invented writing, they used cylinder seals to press patterns into wet clay – and some of the symbols used were carried over into proto-writing 2454631-ancient-mesopotamian-clay-seals-offer-clues-to-the-origin-of-writing|2454631 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26435154-900-chilling-news-adds-fresh-meaning-to-2018-arctic-horror-drama/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 30 Oct 2024 18:00:00 +0000 A new study amplifies the horror of an excellent series about the doomed Franklin expedition. The Terror is a worthy tribute to the lost sailors, says Bethan Ackerley mg26435154-900-chilling-news-adds-fresh-meaning-to-2018-arctic-horror-drama|2453798 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2454310-a-bizarre-skeleton-from-a-roman-grave-has-bones-from-eight-people/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Thu, 31 Oct 2024 14:51:08 +0000 Radiocarbon dating and DNA analysis have revealed that a complete skeleton found in a 2nd-century cemetery is made up of bones from many people spanning thousands of years – but we don’t know who assembled it or why 2454310-a-bizarre-skeleton-from-a-roman-grave-has-bones-from-eight-people|2454310 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2453552-stone-age-network-reveals-ancient-paris-was-an-artisanal-trading-hub/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Mon, 28 Oct 2024 10:10:21 +0000 Ancient stone goods found across France may have been made by skilled craftspeople in what is now Paris, who traded along vast networks 2453552-stone-age-network-reveals-ancient-paris-was-an-artisanal-trading-hub|2453552 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2453247-dna-helps-match-well-man-skeleton-to-800-year-old-norwegian-saga/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Fri, 25 Oct 2024 17:00:58 +0100 The Sverris saga describes how castle invaders “took a dead man and cast him unto the well, and then filled it up with stones”, in what may have been an early act of biological warfare - and now researchers believe they have found the skeleton of the man in question 2453247-dna-helps-match-well-man-skeleton-to-800-year-old-norwegian-saga|2453247 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2452861-extremely-rare-bronze-age-wooden-tool-found-in-english-trench/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 23 Oct 2024 01:01:12 +0100 In a wetland on the south coast of England, archaeologists dug up one of the oldest and most complete wooden tools ever found in Britain, which is around 3500 years old 2452861-extremely-rare-bronze-age-wooden-tool-found-in-english-trench|2452861 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2452524-many-iron-age-swords-may-be-tainted-by-modern-forgery/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Mon, 21 Oct 2024 18:00:39 +0100 Ancient weaponsmiths combined bronze and iron to fashion swords during the early Iron Age – but modern forgers glue together elements from different weapons, making it difficult for researchers to study the ancient technology 2452524-many-iron-age-swords-may-be-tainted-by-modern-forgery|2452524 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26435130-400-the-archaeologist-fighting-claims-about-an-advanced-lost-civilisation/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Mon, 14 Oct 2024 17:00:00 +0100 Netflix’s Ancient Apocalypse peddles the idea that we have overlooked an extraordinary ancient civilisation. Flint Dibble explains why that is wrong, and why real archaeology is more exciting mg26435130-400-the-archaeologist-fighting-claims-about-an-advanced-lost-civilisation|2451556 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26435132-500-were-homing-in-on-the-best-ways-to-tackle-misinformation/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 16 Oct 2024 19:00:00 +0100 A debating technique known as the "truth sandwich" is helping archaeologists combat a false narrative about an advanced ancient civilisation forgotten in human history mg26435132-500-were-homing-in-on-the-best-ways-to-tackle-misinformation|2451879 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26435120-800-a-cave-in-france-is-revealing-how-the-neanderthals-died-out/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Tue, 08 Oct 2024 17:00:00 +0100 Discoveries from the genomes of the last Neanderthals are rewriting the story of how our own species came to replace them mg26435120-800-a-cave-in-france-is-revealing-how-the-neanderthals-died-out|2450640 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2451483-how-the-evolution-of-citrus-is-inextricably-linked-with-our-own/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Fri, 11 Oct 2024 18:00:11 +0100 Millions of years ago, our ancestors lost a gene for producing vitamin C and got a taste for citrus. Since then, we've cultivated the tangy fruits into global staples like sweet oranges and sour lemons 2451483-how-the-evolution-of-citrus-is-inextricably-linked-with-our-own|2451483 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2451525-gravity-may-explain-why-neanderthals-failed-to-adopt-advanced-weaponry/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Fri, 11 Oct 2024 19:00:32 +0100 Spear-throwing tools called atlatls allow humans to launch projectiles over great distances, but Neanderthals apparently never used them – and an experiment involving a 9-metre-tall platform may explain why 2451525-gravity-may-explain-why-neanderthals-failed-to-adopt-advanced-weaponry|2451525 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2451533-read-an-extract-from-rachel-kushners-creation-lake/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Fri, 11 Oct 2024 10:45:16 +0100 In the opening to Rachel Kushner's Booker-shortlisted novel Creation Lake, the latest pick for the New Scientist Book Club, we meet undercover operative Sadie Smith as she secretly reads the emails of an eco-activist group 2451533-read-an-extract-from-rachel-kushners-creation-lake|2451533 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2450368-ancient-dna-tells-story-of-toddler-who-lived-in-italy-17000-years-ago/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 02 Oct 2024 19:00:12 +0100 A young boy who lived towards the end of the last glacial period had dark skin, blue eyes and a congenital heart condition, a study of his genome reveals 2450368-ancient-dna-tells-story-of-toddler-who-lived-in-italy-17000-years-ago|2450368 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26335100-100-the-fascinating-truth-about-why-common-sense-isnt-really-that-common/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Tue, 24 Sep 2024 17:00:00 +0100 New research is revealing that common sense is a lot more idiosyncratic than we thought, with important implications for tackling political polarisation and the future of AI mg26335100-100-the-fascinating-truth-about-why-common-sense-isnt-really-that-common|2448800 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26335060-700-rachel-kushners-booker-shortlisted-creation-lake-is-top-notch/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Thu, 26 Sep 2024 15:15:00 +0100 For an undercover operative, Sadie Smith takes unnecessary risks as she infiltrates an eco-activist group. Why? And where do the Neanderthals fit into Creation Lake, Rachel Kushner's Booker-shortlisted climate fiction novel? Emily H. Wilson loved finding out mg26335060-700-rachel-kushners-booker-shortlisted-creation-lake-is-top-notch|2445098 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2449451-worlds-oldest-cheese-found-on-3500-year-old-chinese-mummies/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 25 Sep 2024 17:00:15 +0100 DNA and protein analysis has identified a white substance smeared on mummies in China as a kind of kefir cheese, made from cow and goat milk 2449451-worlds-oldest-cheese-found-on-3500-year-old-chinese-mummies|2449451 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2449076-ai-discovers-hundreds-of-ancient-nazca-drawings-in-peruvian-desert/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Mon, 23 Sep 2024 21:00:52 +0100 Archaeologists have used AI to discover hundreds of large-scale drawings depicting figures like llamas, decapitated human heads and killer whales armed with knives 2449076-ai-discovers-hundreds-of-ancient-nazca-drawings-in-peruvian-desert|2449076 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2447513-genome-of-neanderthal-fossil-reveals-lost-tribe-cut-off-for-millennia/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 11 Sep 2024 17:00:40 +0100 Analysis of DNA from a Neanderthal fossil found in a French cave indicates that it belonged to a group that was isolated for more than 50,000 years 2447513-genome-of-neanderthal-fossil-reveals-lost-tribe-cut-off-for-millennia|2447513 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2447538-ancient-people-of-easter-island-made-return-trips-to-south-america/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 11 Sep 2024 17:00:26 +0100 DNA analysis shows that people from Easter Island had contact with Indigenous Americans around the 1300s, and finds there was no population crash before the arrival of Europeans 2447538-ancient-people-of-easter-island-made-return-trips-to-south-america|2447538 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2447242-when-did-humans-leave-the-trees-for-the-savannah-or-did-they-at-all/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Tue, 10 Sep 2024 20:00:10 +0100 Ancient humans are said to have evolved to leave the trees, where our primate ancestors lived, in favour of open grassy savannahs – but we may have this idea wrong 2447242-when-did-humans-leave-the-trees-for-the-savannah-or-did-they-at-all|2447242 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2446880-greenland-voyage-sheds-light-on-little-known-ancient-arctic-culture/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Fri, 06 Sep 2024 16:00:37 +0100 On a recent expedition, researchers braved summer storms in northern Greenland to learn the secrets of the ancient peoples who lived there 4500 years ago 2446880-greenland-voyage-sheds-light-on-little-known-ancient-arctic-culture|2446880 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26335060-400-a-gripping-account-of-morality-shows-how-we-work-out-right-from-wrong/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 28 Aug 2024 19:00:00 +0100 Where do morals come from? In Animals, Robots, Gods, anthropologist Webb Keane argues imagination and differing senses of the world are key to discerning right from wrong mg26335060-400-a-gripping-account-of-morality-shows-how-we-work-out-right-from-wrong|2445095 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2445182-neolithic-engineers-used-science-knowledge-to-build-megalith-monument/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Fri, 23 Aug 2024 20:00:02 +0100 A monument in southern Spain that dates to between 3600 and 3800 BC appears to have been built with an understanding of geology and physics 2445182-neolithic-engineers-used-science-knowledge-to-build-megalith-monument|2445182 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2444473-cocaine-in-mummified-brains-reveals-when-europeans-first-used-the-drug/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Tue, 20 Aug 2024 13:00:17 +0100 The use of cocaine only took off in Europe during the 19th century, after the drug was chemically isolated from coca leaves, but new evidence suggests much earlier use 2444473-cocaine-in-mummified-brains-reveals-when-europeans-first-used-the-drug|2444473 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2443397-why-the-amazing-altamura-man-fossil-remains-a-mystery/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 14 Aug 2024 12:00:46 +0100 A Neanderthal skeleton was discovered encased in rock in an Italian cave 30 years ago, but it hasn’t been studied much due to a long-running impasse about how to safely excavate it 2443397-why-the-amazing-altamura-man-fossil-remains-a-mystery|2443397 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2443879-stonehenges-altar-stone-was-brought-all-the-way-from-scotland/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 14 Aug 2024 17:00:44 +0100 The nearest source of the altar stone at the centre of Stonehenge has finally been identified – and it is at least 750 kilometres away in north-east Scotland 2443879-stonehenges-altar-stone-was-brought-all-the-way-from-scotland|2443879 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2443538-ancient-plant-artefact-reveals-humanitys-epic-journey-to-australia/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Tue, 13 Aug 2024 01:01:07 +0100 We know that modern humans took one of two routes to first reach Australia, and now an ancient chunk of plant resin has tipped the evidence towards the northern option 2443538-ancient-plant-artefact-reveals-humanitys-epic-journey-to-australia|2443538 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2442686-hobbit-hominins-from-indonesia-may-have-had-even-smaller-ancestors/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Tue, 06 Aug 2024 17:00:27 +0100 An arm bone from an ancient human that lived 700,000 years ago on the island of Flores is the smallest ever found from an adult hominin, adding a new piece to the puzzle of Homo floresiensis 2442686-hobbit-hominins-from-indonesia-may-have-had-even-smaller-ancestors|2442686 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26335023-000-what-made-us-human-the-fossils-redefining-our-evolutionary-origins/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 31 Jul 2024 17:00:00 +0100 Fossils found 50 and 100 years ago seemed to pinpoint the moment humanity emerged – but defining a human has turned out to be far trickier than we thought mg26335023-000-what-made-us-human-the-fossils-redefining-our-evolutionary-origins|2441960 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2439519-bronze-age-hoards-hint-that-market-economies-arose-surprisingly-early/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Mon, 29 Jul 2024 17:00:00 +0100 An analysis of 20,000 metal objects from Bronze Age Europe suggests human economic behaviour may not have changed much over the past 3500 years 2439519-bronze-age-hoards-hint-that-market-economies-arose-surprisingly-early|2439519 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2440554-egyptian-pyramid-may-have-been-built-using-a-water-powered-elevator/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 24 Jul 2024 20:20:04 +0100 Ancient Egyptians may have relied on a vertical shaft that could be filled with water, along with a network of water channels and filtration structures, to build the Step Pyramid of Djoser 4500 years ago 2440554-egyptian-pyramid-may-have-been-built-using-a-water-powered-elevator|2440554 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2440715-neanderthal-cooking-skills-put-to-the-test-with-birds-and-stone-tools/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 24 Jul 2024 06:00:47 +0100 In an effort to understand ancient Neanderthal food preparation techniques, researchers butchered five wild birds using flint stone tools and roasted them 2440715-neanderthal-cooking-skills-put-to-the-test-with-birds-and-stone-tools|2440715 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2440063-butchered-bones-hint-humans-were-in-south-america-21000-years-ago/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 17 Jul 2024 20:00:52 +0100 Prehistoric mammal bones found at a construction site in Argentina appear to have been cut with stone tools, suggesting that humans lived in the region much earlier than previously thought 2440063-butchered-bones-hint-humans-were-in-south-america-21000-years-ago|2440063 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26334991-100-why-did-humans-evolve-big-brains-a-new-idea-bodes-ill-for-our-future/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Mon, 08 Jul 2024 17:00:00 +0100 Recent fossil finds suggest that big brains weren't an evolutionary asset to our ancestors but evolved by accident – and are likely to shrink again in the near future mg26334991-100-why-did-humans-evolve-big-brains-a-new-idea-bodes-ill-for-our-future|2438736 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2438941-denisovan-dna-may-help-modern-humans-adapt-to-different-environments/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Fri, 12 Jul 2024 13:00:37 +0100 Highland and lowland populations in Papua New Guinea have different gene variants derived from Denisovan archaic humans, indicating possible adaptations for lower oxygen levels and higher malaria risk 2438941-denisovan-dna-may-help-modern-humans-adapt-to-different-environments|2438941 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2439016-the-plague-may-have-wiped-out-most-northern-europeans-5000-years-ago/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 10 Jul 2024 17:00:21 +0100 DNA evidence from tombs in Sweden and Denmark suggests major plague outbreaks were responsible for the Neolithic decline in northern Europe 2439016-the-plague-may-have-wiped-out-most-northern-europeans-5000-years-ago|2439016 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2438905-when-did-human-ancestors-start-walking-on-two-legs/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Tue, 09 Jul 2024 20:00:17 +0100 Anthropologists have been arguing for 20 years about whether Sahelanthropus, a hominin that lived about 7 million years ago, was one of the first bipedal apes 2438905-when-did-human-ancestors-start-walking-on-two-legs|2438905 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2438604-britain-saw-centuries-of-economic-growth-under-roman-rule/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Fri, 05 Jul 2024 20:00:58 +0100 The technologies introduced by the Romans after they conquered Britain led to the kind of economic growth seen in the industrial age 2438604-britain-saw-centuries-of-economic-growth-under-roman-rule|2438604 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26334980-300-haunting-photos-bring-fictional-female-explorers-to-life/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 03 Jul 2024 19:00:00 +0100 Tonje Bøe Birkeland's photographs imagine the exploits of fictional female scientists and adventurers from the past mg26334980-300-haunting-photos-bring-fictional-female-explorers-to-life|2437772 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2438291-50000-year-old-picture-of-a-pig-is-the-oldest-known-narrative-art/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 03 Jul 2024 17:00:33 +0100 A new radiometric dating technique reveals that cave paintings on Sulawesi, Indonesia, are even older than previously thought, pushing back the earliest evidence of storytelling 2438291-50000-year-old-picture-of-a-pig-is-the-oldest-known-narrative-art|2438291 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2437993-ancient-denisovans-hunted-snow-leopards-on-the-tibetan-plateau/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 03 Jul 2024 17:00:00 +0100 Thousands of bones found in a Tibetan cave have been analysed to learn how mysterious ancient humans known as Denisovans lived 2437993-ancient-denisovans-hunted-snow-leopards-on-the-tibetan-plateau|2437993 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2437596-iron-age-skeletons-found-under-bridge-may-have-been-hit-by-a-tsunami/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 03 Jul 2024 11:00:59 +0100 Twenty people may have died 2000 years ago when an Iron Age bridge suddenly collapsed following a tsunami or flood, but scientists also cannot rule out that they were sacrificed 2437596-iron-age-skeletons-found-under-bridge-may-have-been-hit-by-a-tsunami|2437596 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26334980-500-how-ghost-cities-in-the-amazon-are-rewriting-the-story-of-civilisation/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Tue, 02 Jul 2024 17:00:00 +0100 Remote sensing, including lidar, reveals that the Amazon was once home to millions of people. The emerging picture of how they lived challenges ideas of human cultural evolution mg26334980-500-how-ghost-cities-in-the-amazon-are-rewriting-the-story-of-civilisation|2437794 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2437808-ancient-artefacts-suggest-australian-ritual-endured-for-12000-years/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Mon, 01 Jul 2024 17:00:43 +0100 Wooden sticks found in an Australian cave appear to match the accounts of a 19th-century anthropologist, suggesting the GurnaiKurnai people practised the same ritual at the end of the last glacial period 2437808-ancient-artefacts-suggest-australian-ritual-endured-for-12000-years|2437808 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2437407-skeletons-reveal-ancient-egyptian-scribes-had-bad-posture-at-work/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Thu, 27 Jun 2024 17:00:25 +0100 The skeletons of ancient Egyptian scribes reveal the health toll of sitting on the floor while performing administrative tasks like writing 2437407-skeletons-reveal-ancient-egyptian-scribes-had-bad-posture-at-work|2437407 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2437038-mysterious-rock-art-in-venezuela-hints-at-little-known-ancient-culture/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Thu, 27 Jun 2024 14:30:07 +0100 Pictograms and petroglyphs depicting abstract lines and shapes offer a rare glimpse into the culture of people who lived in South America thousands of years ago 2437038-mysterious-rock-art-in-venezuela-hints-at-little-known-ancient-culture|2437038 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2437263-neanderthal-child-may-have-had-downs-syndrome/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 26 Jun 2024 20:00:33 +0100 A fossil bone displaying features consistent with Down’s syndrome belonged to a Neanderthal child who survived beyond 6 years old, adding to evidence that these extinct humans cared for members of their community 2437263-neanderthal-child-may-have-had-downs-syndrome|2437263 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2436416-easter-islands-legendary-societal-collapse-didnt-actually-happen/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Fri, 21 Jun 2024 20:00:42 +0100 Historians have claimed the people of Easter Island overexploited natural resources, causing a population crash, but new evidence suggests they lived sustainably for centuries 2436416-easter-islands-legendary-societal-collapse-didnt-actually-happen|2436416 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2436564-worlds-oldest-wine-found-in-2000-year-old-roman-tomb/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Fri, 21 Jun 2024 16:59:52 +0100 An urn found in a tomb in Spain contained the cremated remains of a man, a gold ring and about 5 litres of liquid, which has been identified as now-discoloured white wine 2436564-worlds-oldest-wine-found-in-2000-year-old-roman-tomb|2436564 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2435467-did-rock-art-spread-from-one-place-or-was-it-invented-many-times/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Fri, 14 Jun 2024 17:00:09 +0100 Rock art is a truly global phenomenon, with discoveries of cave paintings and etchings on every continent that ancient humans inhabited – but how many times was it invented over human history? 2435467-did-rock-art-spread-from-one-place-or-was-it-invented-many-times|2435467 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26234950-100-evidence-of-consciousness-in-newborns-has-implications-for-their-care/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 12 Jun 2024 19:00:00 +0100 Babies cannot tell us what they are experiencing, so it is hard to know what they are conscious of. But new research suggesting they perceive the world consciously could change how we care for them, says Claudia Passos-Ferreira mg26234950-100-evidence-of-consciousness-in-newborns-has-implications-for-their-care|2434836 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2433595-ancient-snake-drawings-are-among-the-largest-known-rock-art-worldwide/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Tue, 04 Jun 2024 01:01:34 +0100 Rock art along the Orinoco river in South America is made up of some of the largest etchings we know of and could date back 2000 years 2433595-ancient-snake-drawings-are-among-the-largest-known-rock-art-worldwide|2433595 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26234933-100-these-scientific-rules-of-connection-can-supercharge-your-social-life/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Tue, 28 May 2024 18:03:00 +0100 Several psychological biases undermine our ability to make new friends. Understand them and you’ll know the secrets to building meaningful relationships that last mg26234933-100-these-scientific-rules-of-connection-can-supercharge-your-social-life|2433164 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2433274-ancient-egyptian-skull-shows-oldest-known-attempt-at-treating-cancer/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 29 May 2024 06:00:26 +0100 Cut marks on a 4000-year-old skull suggest ancient Egyptian doctors tried to treat a man with nasopharyngeal cancer 2433274-ancient-egyptian-skull-shows-oldest-known-attempt-at-treating-cancer|2433274 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2432435-early-humans-took-northern-route-to-australia-cave-find-suggests/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 22 May 2024 15:00:21 +0100 An excavation on Timor reveals humans first settled on the island 44,000 years ago, long after the earliest occupation of Australia – suggesting migration to the latter took another route 2432435-early-humans-took-northern-route-to-australia-cave-find-suggests|2432435 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2432356-modern-soldiers-test-ancient-greek-armour-to-show-it-worked-for-war/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 22 May 2024 20:00:11 +0100 An experiment inspired by Homer’s description of combat in The Iliad tested the capabilities of the Dendra armour suit from Greece’s Bronze Age 2432356-modern-soldiers-test-ancient-greek-armour-to-show-it-worked-for-war|2432356 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2430575-nomads-thrived-in-greece-after-the-collapse-of-the-roman-empire/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Fri, 17 May 2024 07:00:30 +0100 Analysis of pollen in sediment cores from a large lake in Greece shows that nomadic livestock herders took over the region after the collapse of the Western Roman Empire 2430575-nomads-thrived-in-greece-after-the-collapse-of-the-roman-empire|2430575 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2431679-a-lost-branch-of-the-river-nile-flowed-past-the-pyramids-of-egypt/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Thu, 16 May 2024 17:00:12 +0100 Soil core samples show an ancient riverbed under the desert near many Egyptian pyramids, revealing an ancient waterway that dried up thousands of years ago 2431679-a-lost-branch-of-the-river-nile-flowed-past-the-pyramids-of-egypt|2431679 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2430910-why-did-hominins-like-us-evolve-at-all/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 15 May 2024 10:00:36 +0100 Animal life on Earth existed for over half a billion years before hominins hit the scene – a complex combination of environmental changes, innovations in technology and competition may have led to us 2430910-why-did-hominins-like-us-evolve-at-all|2430910 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2430732-did-humans-evolve-to-chase-down-prey-over-long-distances/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Mon, 13 May 2024 17:00:17 +0100 Outrunning prey over long distances is an efficient method of hunting for humans, and it was widely used until recently, according to an analysis of ethnographic accounts 2430732-did-humans-evolve-to-chase-down-prey-over-long-distances|2430732 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2430389-oldest-known-human-viruses-found-hidden-within-neanderthal-bones/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Tue, 14 May 2024 07:00:17 +0100 Genetic analysis of 50,000-year-old Neanderthal skeletons has uncovered the remnants of three viruses related to modern human pathogens, and the researchers think they could be recreated 2430389-oldest-known-human-viruses-found-hidden-within-neanderthal-bones|2430389 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26234904-200-who-were-the-enigmatic-sea-peoples-blamed-for-the-bronze-age-collapse/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 08 May 2024 19:00:00 +0100 Around 3000 years ago, several empires and kingdoms in the Mediterranean collapsed, with a group of sea-faring warriors implicated as the culprit. But new evidence shows that many of our ideas about this turbulent time need completely rethinking mg26234904-200-who-were-the-enigmatic-sea-peoples-blamed-for-the-bronze-age-collapse|2430137 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2429497-astonishing-images-show-how-female-neanderthal-may-have-looked/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Thu, 02 May 2024 12:10:46 +0100 The skull of Shanidar Z was found in the Shanidar cave in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, and has been painstakingly put back together 2429497-astonishing-images-show-how-female-neanderthal-may-have-looked|2429497 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2427222-ancient-humans-lived-inside-a-lava-tube-in-the-arabian-desert/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 17 Apr 2024 20:00:09 +0100 Underground tunnels created by lava flows provided humans with shelter for thousands of years beneath the hot desert landscape of Saudi Arabia 2427222-ancient-humans-lived-inside-a-lava-tube-in-the-arabian-desert|2427222 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2427163-early-humans-spread-as-far-north-as-siberia-400000-years-ago/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Fri, 19 Apr 2024 13:00:49 +0100 A site in Siberia has evidence of human presence 417,000 years ago, raising the possibility that hominins could have reached North America much earlier than we thought 2427163-early-humans-spread-as-far-north-as-siberia-400000-years-ago|2427163 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2427141-ancient-maya-burned-their-dead-rulers-to-mark-a-new-dynasty/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Thu, 18 Apr 2024 01:01:56 +0100 In the foundations of a Maya temple, researchers found the charred bones of royal individuals – possibly evidence of a fiery ritual to mark the end of one dynasty and the beginning of another 2427141-ancient-maya-burned-their-dead-rulers-to-mark-a-new-dynasty|2427141 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426655-untangling-the-enigmatic-origins-of-the-human-familys-newest-species/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Fri, 12 Apr 2024 12:00:43 +0100 Five years ago, a fossil found in the Philippines was determined to be from a new species of hominin called Homo luzonensis. Since then, we’ve learned a bit more about the newest member of the human family 2426655-untangling-the-enigmatic-origins-of-the-human-familys-newest-species|2426655 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426091-australias-indigenous-people-were-making-pottery-over-2000-years-ago/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Tue, 09 Apr 2024 22:00:58 +0100 An excavation on an island in the Coral Sea shows that Indigenous Australians were producing ceramics long before the arrival of Europeans 2426091-australias-indigenous-people-were-making-pottery-over-2000-years-ago|2426091 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2425719-stone-age-blades-could-have-been-used-for-butchery-not-just-hunting/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Mon, 08 Apr 2024 12:40:06 +0100 A modern butchery experiment using replicas of Stone Age tools raises new questions about how often prehistoric peoples hunted large animals such as bison or mammoths 2425719-stone-age-blades-could-have-been-used-for-butchery-not-just-hunting|2425719 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2425569-the-biology-of-kindness-review-living-well-and-prospering/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Fri, 05 Apr 2024 11:00:58 +0100 Can cultivating positive behaviours and tweaking our lifestyles lead to healthier, happier lives – even longer lives? Discover the daily choices that may make the difference in a fascinating new book 2425569-the-biology-of-kindness-review-living-well-and-prospering|2425569 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26134840-500-the-unexpected-reasons-why-human-childhood-is-extraordinarily-long/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Mon, 25 Mar 2024 16:00:00 +0000 Why childhood is so protracted has long been mysterious, now a spate of archaeological discoveries suggest an intriguing explanation mg26134840-500-the-unexpected-reasons-why-human-childhood-is-extraordinarily-long|2423642 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2424152-ancient-people-carved-mysterious-symbols-near-dinosaur-footprints/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Tue, 26 Mar 2024 10:28:46 +0000 A unique site in Brazil features rock carvings closely associated with dinosaur tracks, suggesting prehistoric people saw the footprints as meaningful 2424152-ancient-people-carved-mysterious-symbols-near-dinosaur-footprints|2424152 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2423824-medieval-horses-buried-in-london-had-far-flung-origins/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Fri, 22 Mar 2024 18:00:16 +0000 Isotopic analysis of horse teeth from a medieval burial site suggest that the animals were imported to England from Scandinavia or the Alps, perhaps for use in battle or jousting 2423824-medieval-horses-buried-in-london-had-far-flung-origins|2423824 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2423408-why-falling-birth-rates-will-be-a-bigger-problem-than-overpopulation/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 20 Mar 2024 23:30:56 +0000 Birthrates are projected to have fallen below the replacement level, of 2.1 per woman, in more than three quarters of countries by 2050 2423408-why-falling-birth-rates-will-be-a-bigger-problem-than-overpopulation|2423408 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26134833-200-people-watch-sports-have-sex-make-children-study-finds/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 20 Mar 2024 18:00:00 +0000 Feedback is intrigued by new research into how major sports tournaments "were associated with increases in the number of babies born" nine months later - but only for supporters of the winning teams mg26134833-200-people-watch-sports-have-sex-make-children-study-finds|2422947 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2423345-ancient-canoes-hint-at-bustling-trade-in-mediterranean-7000-years-ago/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 20 Mar 2024 18:00:12 +0000 Italian canoes capable of transporting people and goods have been dated to the Neolithic period, suggesting there was a bustling trade across the Mediterranean Sea 2423345-ancient-canoes-hint-at-bustling-trade-in-mediterranean-7000-years-ago|2423345 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2423281-ancient-campsite-may-show-how-humans-survived-volcanic-super-eruption/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 20 Mar 2024 16:00:22 +0000 Evidence from an archaeological site in Ethiopia suggests ancient humans adapted their diet during a dry spell after the Toba volcano eruption 74,000 years ago 2423281-ancient-campsite-may-show-how-humans-survived-volcanic-super-eruption|2423281 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2423158-amazingly-preserved-bronze-age-village-reveals-life-in-ancient-england/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 20 Mar 2024 00:00:59 +0000 A settlement in the east of England burned down in a fire 3000 years ago, falling into a muddy waterway that preserved everything inside the houses including tools, fabric, cooking pots and more 2423158-amazingly-preserved-bronze-age-village-reveals-life-in-ancient-england|2423158 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2423106-human-brains-have-been-mysteriously-preserved-for-thousands-of-years/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 20 Mar 2024 00:01:29 +0000 Intact human brains 12,000 years old or more have been found in unexpected places such as shipwrecks and waterlogged graves, but it is unclear what preserved them 2423106-human-brains-have-been-mysteriously-preserved-for-thousands-of-years|2423106 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2422818-mammoth-carcass-was-scavenged-by-ancient-humans-and-sabre-toothed-cats/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Mon, 18 Mar 2024 16:00:10 +0000 A southern mammoth skeleton found in Spain bears cut marks from stone tools and bite marks from carnivore teeth, suggesting that both hominins and felids feasted on its meat 2422818-mammoth-carcass-was-scavenged-by-ancient-humans-and-sabre-toothed-cats|2422818 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26134821-700-how-neuroscience-can-help-you-make-tough-decisions-with-no-regrets/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Tue, 12 Mar 2024 16:00:00 +0000 Most people are too risk-averse when it comes to life's biggest choices. Learning how to overcome the cognitive biases at play can help you make better decisions - with no looking back mg26134821-700-how-neuroscience-can-help-you-make-tough-decisions-with-no-regrets|2421553 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2421957-did-the-people-of-easter-island-independently-invent-writing/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Thu, 14 Mar 2024 08:00:53 +0000 Wooden tablets containing a language of glyphs called Rongorongo may be evidence that the people of Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island, created their own writing system without the influence of European language 2421957-did-the-people-of-easter-island-independently-invent-writing|2421957 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2421578-indigenous-australians-have-managed-land-with-fire-for-11000-years/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Mon, 11 Mar 2024 16:00:20 +0000 Lake sediments reveal the ancient history of Aboriginal people’s use of fire to manage the landscape, a tradition that has benefits for biodiversity 2421578-indigenous-australians-have-managed-land-with-fire-for-11000-years|2421578 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2420679-ukraine-may-have-been-first-part-of-europe-colonised-by-early-humans/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 06 Mar 2024 16:00:56 +0000 Korolevo, a site in Ukraine where early humans made stone tools, has been dated to 1.4 million years ago, suggesting early humans moved from Ukraine into the rest of Europe 2420679-ukraine-may-have-been-first-part-of-europe-colonised-by-early-humans|2420679 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2420884-genomes-of-modern-indian-people-include-wide-range-of-neanderthal-dna/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 06 Mar 2024 15:27:26 +0000 A genetic study of nearly 2700 individuals has revealed the ancestry of Indian people, and gets scientists closer to reconstructing the genomes of ancient Neanderthals 2420884-genomes-of-modern-indian-people-include-wide-range-of-neanderthal-dna|2420884 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2417952-ancient-bronze-hand-may-offer-clue-to-the-origins-of-basque-language/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Tue, 20 Feb 2024 00:01:19 +0000 Archaeologists say a mysterious language inscribed on a 2000-year-old metal hand may be related to Basque, but linguists aren't convinced 2417952-ancient-bronze-hand-may-offer-clue-to-the-origins-of-basque-language|2417952 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26134783-600-is-it-time-for-a-more-subtle-view-on-the-ultimate-taboo-cannibalism/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 14 Feb 2024 18:00:00 +0000 New archaeological evidence shows that ancient humans ate each other surprisingly often - sometimes for compassionate reasons. The finds give us an opportunity to reassess our views on the practice mg26134783-600-is-it-time-for-a-more-subtle-view-on-the-ultimate-taboo-cannibalism|2417067 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26134780-500-our-human-ancestors-often-ate-each-other-and-for-surprising-reasons/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 14 Feb 2024 16:00:00 +0000 Fossil evidence shows that humans have been practising cannibalism for a million years. Now, archaeologists are discovering that some of the time they did it to honour their dead mg26134780-500-our-human-ancestors-often-ate-each-other-and-for-surprising-reasons|2416749 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2416721-when-does-a-bone-become-a-fossil/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Thu, 15 Feb 2024 11:00:42 +0000 As organic material in a bone gets replaced by minerals over time, it becomes a fossil. But that can happen at different rates even within the same individual 2416721-when-does-a-bone-become-a-fossil|2416721 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2417221-dogs-and-horses-buried-with-iron-age-people-may-have-been-beloved-pets/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 14 Feb 2024 19:00:32 +0000 A 2200-year-old burial ground in northern Italy includes people interred with dogs and horses, perhaps showing they had strong bonds with their animals 2417221-dogs-and-horses-buried-with-iron-age-people-may-have-been-beloved-pets|2417221 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2416773-submerged-wall-could-be-the-largest-stone-age-megastructure-in-europe/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Mon, 12 Feb 2024 20:00:29 +0000 A stone wall nearly a kilometre long found under the Baltic Sea may have been built by ancient hunters to channel deer into a confined space 2416773-submerged-wall-could-be-the-largest-stone-age-megastructure-in-europe|2416773 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2416647-hominins-may-have-left-africa-700000-years-earlier-than-we-thought/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Fri, 09 Feb 2024 17:20:42 +0000 Our hominin ancestors originated in Africa and the consensus is that they didn't leave there until about 1.8 million years ago, but stone tools found in Jordan challenge the idea 2416647-hominins-may-have-left-africa-700000-years-earlier-than-we-thought|2416647 https://www.newscientist.com/video/2416276-how-ancient-herculaneum-papyrus-scrolls-were-deciphered/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 07 Feb 2024 18:00:16 +0000 3D mapping and artificial intelligence has helped decipher an ancient Herculaneum papyrus scroll which had been digitally scanned 2416276-how-ancient-herculaneum-papyrus-scrolls-were-deciphered|2416276 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2415821-ancient-herculaneum-scroll-piece-revealed-by-ai-heres-what-it-says/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Mon, 05 Feb 2024 22:00:12 +0000 A Greek philosopher’s musings on pleasure, contained in ancient papyrus scrolls buried by Mount Vesuvius’s eruption 2000 years ago, have been rediscovered with the help of AI 2415821-ancient-herculaneum-scroll-piece-revealed-by-ai-heres-what-it-says|2415821 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2414915-mammoth-tusk-tool-may-have-been-used-to-make-ropes-37000-years-ago/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 31 Jan 2024 19:00:30 +0000 Experiments with a replica suggest that a piece of mammoth ivory with carved holes found in a cave in Germany was used by ancient humans to make ropes 2414915-mammoth-tusk-tool-may-have-been-used-to-make-ropes-37000-years-ago|2414915 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2415037-modern-humans-were-already-in-northern-europe-45000-years-ago/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=humans Wed, 31 Jan 2024 16:00:07 +0000 DNA from bones found in a cave in Germany has been identified as from Homo sapiens, showing that our species endured frigid conditions there as they expanded across the continent 2415037-modern-humans-were-already-in-northern-europe-45000-years-ago|2415037