A new archaeological study on Viking teeth showed that tooth decay was a prevalent problem in the Middle Ages, Cosmos Magazine reported. Researchers from Sweden’s University of Gothenburg studied nearly 3,300 Viking teeth found at the oldest known ruins of a Christian church and cemetery located...
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Many humans like drumsticks, not least because they are easy to eat. So too did one young dinosaur, the Gorgosaurus libratus, which lived around 75 million years ago. That’s according to paleontologists, who recently discovered the last meal of this relative of the Tyrannosaurus rex, marking the...
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Scientists discovered that the powerful zap of an electric eel doesn’t just stun prey but is actually strong enough to transfer environmental DNA into the cells of nearby animals, New Atlas reported. In a new study, a research team found that the eels – which are...
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Earlier this year, scientists suggested that the Earth has entered a new geological epoch that is characterized by humanity’s influence on the planet. Known as the Anthropocene, this new age began between 1950 and 1954, marking the point where humans were determined to have significantly impacted...
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In 1836, archaeologists exploring the Pyramid of Sahura in Egypt noticed a series of passages full of “debris and rubbish.” They suspected that the passages would lead them to some special store rooms, but nobody actually bothered to investigate – until now. Recent conservation and restoration work...
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The northern regions near the Arctic Circle, mostly deserted these days, have long been perceived as peripheral in analyses of prehistory. A 6,500-year-old cemetery now challenges that conception, Gizmodo reported. Located in the Finnish Lapland town of Tainiaro, 50 miles south of the Arctic Circle, this...
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Babies see the world differently than we do, a new study shows. In fact, children under six months old are actually not easily fooled by visual illusions unlike older children or adults, the Guardian reported. For their experiments, Japanese scientists showed a screen with red and green...
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Marine scientists recently discovered that dolphins have a secret ability to hunt the seas, the New York Times reported. Researcher Guido Dehnhardt and his team explained that newborn dolphins have hair at the top of their jaws. But once they are weaned, these whiskers fall off...
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A new study on fossilized footprints suggested that the ancestors of modern birds roamed the planet more than 210 million years ago, earlier than previously thought, according to Smithsonian Magazine. Previous research has shown that modern birds evolved from a group of carnivorous, bipedal dinosaurs that...
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Scientists discovered a peculiar planetary system not too far away from the Solar system, a finding that could provide new insights about how planets form and why the Milky Way galaxy favors a specific type of world, the Washington Post reported. In their paper, an international...
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Humans notice the details of their mates that make them unique. So too do African penguins, New Scientist reported. These creatures have spots on their chest that form a unique pattern for each specimen. The spots appear when they are around three to five months old...
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Axolotls are a wonder of nature: These amphibians have the ability to stay young – known as neoteny – and fully regenerate lost limbs. But sadly these unique abilities haven’t prevented the salamander species from becoming critically endangered. Mainly found in Mexico City’s Lake Xochimilco, censuses have...
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Photos and footage of anglerfish make them look petrifying at first glance, but some of these deep-sea predators are known for some odd behaviors. Case in point, scientists recently discovered that the whipnose anglerfish likes to swim around upside down, the New York Times reported. Anglerfish are...
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The world’s largest iceberg is on the loose after being grounded for more than 30 years in Antarctica’s frozen waters, the Guardian reported. Scientists surveying the frozen continent said recent satellite images showed the gargantuan-sized iceberg, named A23a, moving beyond Antarctica’s Wedell Sea. The iceberg had...
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Past research has shown that human-made noise pollution is making it harder for animals to behave naturally, including communicating with each other, foraging and reproducing. Urban-dwelling Australian magpies are not excluded from this impact, but scientists recently found evidence that smarter birds are better at handling...
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While most people get to rest on the weekend, plants work harder. Satellite data showed that human activity could be linked to levels of photosynthesis made by plants, and their capacity to hold carbon dioxide, reported New Scientist. Photosynthesis is a chemical reaction through which plants...
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A new study on 18th-century French love letters showed some rare insights into the lives of ordinary families affected during times of war, NPR reported. Historian Renaud Morieux of the University of Cambridge discovered a treasure trove of letters in the digital inventory of the United...
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A new study suggested there is some truth in the proverb, “it takes a village to raise a child,” Euronews reported. Anthropologist Nikhil Chaudhary and his team recently studied how modern-day hunter-gatherer societies fare in childcare responsibilities and compared them with contemporary parenting in Western countries. They...
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A new DNA study from mummified baboons in ancient Egypt is helping scientists uncover a mysterious port city previously not found on any maps, Live Science reported. Ancient Egyptians associated baboons with an underworld deity known as Babi, and the god of wisdom and magic, Thoth...
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Scientists recently found evidence that the majestic Great Sphinx of Giza in Egypt is not entirely man-made, Popular Mechanics reported. Located near the Great Pyramid, the Sphinx is one of the many monuments that define the craftsmanship of ancient Egyptians. But archaeologists have pondered over its origins. In...
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