Forensic Investigators Using Cutting-Edge Science Have Finally Solved a Medieval Murder Mystery
Researchers have used cutting-edge forensic science to solve a medieval mystery that has perplexed scholars for more than a century.
History
How a 500-Year-Old Bible Map Accidentally Helped Shape the Modern Idea of Territorial Borders
A backwards 1525 Bible map helped shape modern borders, influencing how we imagine territory, nations, and political space today.
A Medieval Poem Misled Historians About the Black Death for Centuries—Scholars Now Reveal the “Spider’s Web” of Plague Myths
A new study in the Journal of Arabic and Islamic Studies shows that a widely accepted belief about the Black Death’s rapid spread from Central Asia to the Mediterranean is not based on records or eyewitness accounts, but on a single medieval poem.
Russian Archaeologists Have Located a Lost Medieval ‘Necropolis’ Beneath One of the World’s Deepest Lakes
Archaeologists have found a lost Silk Road settlement including the remains of a submerged necropolis within the world's eighth-deepest lake.
Eerie Sightings of “Sea Serpents” Have Haunted Sailors for Centuries—We Went to a Famous Monster Hunter for Answers to the Mystery
Tales of sea serpents have haunted seafarers for centuries, and Scottish researcher Adrian Shine offers a naturalist's view on some of history's most famous cases.
Scotland’s Stone of Destiny Is Still on the Move—A New Study Reveals Its Missing Fragments Around the World
A new study reveals how fragments of Scotland’s Stone of Destiny traveled the world, reshaping its legend and legacy.
Officials Seek Answers as Mysterious Vehicle Revealed by Melting Ice in the Swiss Alps Prompts Speculation Online
Archaeologists are asking the public to help them identify a mysterious early 20th century vehicle revealed by melting ice in the Swiss Alps.
70,000-Year-Old Crayons: New Evidence Shows Ancient Neanderthals Created Artistic Tools
70,000 years ago, Neanderthals living in Ukraine’s Crimea region deliberately shaped ochre into crayon-like tools for making marks and designs.
Ancient DNA Reveals the Secret Killers That Wiped Out Napoleon’s Army in 1812
Ancient DNA reveals Napoleon’s army was decimated by hidden fevers, not typhus, during the disastrous 1812 Russian invasion.
From Historic Shipwrecks to Submarines, the Wisconsin Maritime Museum Offers Lessons in Canadian–American Relations
From WW II submarines to 19th-century trade shipwrecks, the Wisconsin Maritime Museum illuminates the history of Canadian-American relations.
Forgotten for Nearly a Century, a ‘Lost’ Fusion Breakthrough Has Been Unearthed—and Physicists Just Recreated It
A forgotten fusion experiment from 1938 has been unearthed, revealing a lost discovery that seeded a key concept in modern nuclear physics.
Scientists Discover Ancient Temple From ‘Lost Civilization’ That Mysteriously Disappeared Over 1,000 Years Ago
Scientists have discovered the temple of a mysterious lost civilization in the Bolivian Andes that suddenly disappeared over 1,000 years ago.
Artifacts Discovered in 20,000-Year-Old Ice Age ‘Ice Cave’ Could Rewrite Human History
Artifacts found in a 20,000-year-old ice age 'ice cave' in Australia's remote Blue Mountains named Dargan Shelter could rewrite human history
Study Confirms Controversial 23,000-Year-Old Human Footprints, Challenging Past Views on Peopling of the Americas
New radiocarbon dating of ancient mud samples confirm the controversial dating of 23,000-year-old footprints in White Sands, New Mexico.
Scientists Using LIDAR to ‘See’ Through the Dense Forest Canopy Make a Surprising 1,000-Year-Old Discovery
Dartmouth scientists using LIDAR-equipped drones to peer through Michigan's dense forest canopy have made a shocking 1,000-year-old discovery.
Is This the Tomb of Jesus? A 2000-Year-Old Site Beneath Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre Reveals Its Ancient Secrets
Archaeologists say new findings from one of Christianity’s holiest sites align with descriptions in the Gospels long associated with the tomb of Jesus.
Who Was Entombed in the Pyramids? Surprising New Burial Discoveries Challenge Past Narratives
Researchers have located laborers beneath a pyramid in Tombos, Sudan, revealing burial was more inclusive in ancient Egypt than expected..
Ancient Ritual Sacrifice? Archaeologists are Unraveling the Enigma of an Ancient Ecuadorian Burial
Researchers have discovered the remains of an ancient Ecuadorian woman who may have been involved in ritual sacrifice.
New Legislation Aims to Make Legendary Humanlike Creature California’s Official ‘Cryptid’
A new assembly bill introduced in California seeks to recognize a legendary humanlike creature as the state’s official “cryptid.”
Lost for 3,500 Years, Archaeologists Unearth Long-Missing Tomb of Pharaoh Thutmose II
A Pharaoh's tomb belonging to Thutmose II, lost in the depths of the Western Valleys of the Theban Necropolis, has been discovered.
Centuries-Old Rare Manuscripts Are Revealing the Human Toll of Rapid Climate Change
The “Little Ice Age” comes to life for modern researchers through rare surviving firsthand accounts.
Bone Powder Unearthed in Ancient Vessels Reveals New Clues About a Mysterious Early Chinese Culture
New research has revealed bone powder was a crucial substance as ancient China's Peiligang culture emerged from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle.
Did Wernher von Braun Actually Predict Elon Musk Would Rule Mars Over 70 Years Ago?
Did famed German-American aerospace engineer Wernher von Braun actually predict Elon Musk would rule Mars? The answer might surprise you.
Archaeologists Say New DNA Evidence Unveils an Iron Age Matriarchal Mystery
New compelling DNA evidence suggests Iron Age Britain may have been more matriarchal than previously thought.
Mystery of Ancient “Wheel of Ghosts” Endures as New Research Casts Doubt on Megalith’s Celestial Alignments
The mystery of the "Wheel of Ghosts" reopens as new data demonstrating the site's shifting geodynamics undermine its suspected use as an astronomical tool.
How Lead Pollution During Ancient Rome’s Glory Days Shockingly Lowered IQ Across Europe
New research finds that pollution from ancient silver and lead mining during the Roman Empire resulted in lowered intelligence across Europe.
Artifacts on Mars Could Help Track Humanity’s Expansion into Space Similar to Earthly Archaeology, Researchers Say
Scientists say artifacts on Mars left behind by humanity should be tracked and preserved for future study just like heritage sites on Earth.
Hidden Texts in Medieval Manuscripts Are Revealing Iceland’s Lost Secrets
Investigating the lost literary history of Iceland reveals religious upheavals and clever forgeries, new research has revealed.
7,000-Year-Old Weapon Shows “Unprecedented Degree” of Precision and Technical Mastery
Analysis of a 7,000-year-old weapon kit discovered in a European cave has revealed an unprecedented degree of precision and technical mastery.
Could New Evidence Solve the D.B. Cooper Hijacking Mystery? Some Longtime Researchers Aren’t Convinced.
New evidence could finally solve the decades-old D.B. Cooper mystery, but some longtime researchers into the famous hijacking aren't so sure.
12,000-Year-Old Stones May Be Earliest Evidence of This Transformative Technology
A new analysis of 12,000-year-old stones from Israel shows that they may be the earliest evidence of this society-changing technology.
New Testament Mystery of the “Miraculous Catch of Fish” May Have Been Solved, Scientists Say
Scientists are now pointing to striking similarities between the “miraculous catch of fish” and a well-known natural phenomenon.
5,000-Year-Old Symbols Predating Recorded History Could Hold the Key to Decoding Undecipherable Ancient Texts
Scientists have started to decode mysterious symbols found on 5,000-year-old cylinder seals to trace the invention of writing.
Thomas Edison, Ghost Hunter? The Forgotten History of Edison’s Mysterious “Spirit Phone”
Forgotten to history, Thomas Edison once sought to build a "spirit phone" to allow the living to communicate with the dead.
Lidar Imagery Reveals More Than 6,500 Unexplored Ancient Mayan Settlements, Including Pyramids
Lidar scanning technology has revealed over 6,500 ancient Mayan settlements, including pyramids hidden by dense jungle forests.
National UFO Historical Records Center Opens New Facility, Showcasing Largest UFO Archive in North America
America's most extensive collection of original historical documents related to UFOs has just found a new home.
An Ancient Norse Saga Could Hold the Key to Identifying the “Well-Man”
New research offers clues to the identity of the "Well-man," an enigmatic set of human remains that are described in an ancient Norse saga.
Ancient Underwater Caves Reveal Tantalizing Clues about Early Human Expansion
Researchers studying ancient underwater caves on the coast of Sicily say they've found tantalizing clues about the area's first inhabitants.
Shocking New Evidence Suggests Norse Hunters Met Indigenous North Americans 500 Years Before Columbus
Shocking genetic evidence from walrus tusks suggest that Norse hunters may have met indigenous North Americans centuries before Columbus.
New Research into Horseback Riding Complicates a 5,000-Year-Old Human Skeletal Mystery
Can horseback riding change the very structure of your skeleton? New research seems to complicate our understanding of how horses impacted early human skeletons.
New Evidence Reveals 16th-Century Spies With ‘Eyes Everywhere’ Infiltrated ‘Stranger Churches’
New research into the 'Stranger Churches' of 16th-century England shows a shady world of multilingual spies, espionage, and counterespionage.
Look: Over 300 New ‘Nazca Lines’ Geoglyphs Have Been Revealed by AI
A team of archaeologists using advanced AI software have identified over 300 previously identified Nazca Lines geoglyphs.
New Insights Challenge Idea of Violent Conflict in Iberia During Transition from Copper to Bronze Age
New findings propose a less violent explanation for the rapid demographic changes in southern Spain between the Copper and Bronze Ages than previously thought.
Easter Island Mystery Debunked: New Study Disputes “Ecocide” Theory and Island’s Supposed Dark Past
New genetic research helps debunk a popular theory about Easter Island and the mysterious decline of its indigenous population.
New Research Reveals Fear’s Hidden Role in Shaping Early Civilizations
Fear may have more significantly influenced the development of early civilizations than previously known, new research shows.
An Unexpected Discovery Could Rewrite the History of Cocaine Use in Europe
A surprise discovery reveals cocaine may have been widely available and used in Europe, centuries earlier than previously thought.
4,000 Years before Euclid, Neolithic Builders Likely Understood Geometry and other “Early Science” Concepts
A new analysis of the ancient Neolithic site Menga reveals its builders likely understood early science concepts like geometry.
Poisons in the Pages? New Research Shows Victorian-Era Books Could Poison Readers
Researchers have found that brightly colored books dating back to the Victorian era could contain poison in their pages.
New Clues to 3,500-Year-Old “Screaming Woman” Mummy Mystery Unearthed by Scientists
Scientists are searching for answers to what caused the mysterious death of an Egyptian mummy known as the "Screaming Woman" nearly 3,500 years ago.
Scientists Have Located ‘Hidden Elements’ Recovered from Early Astronomer Tycho Brahe’s Alchemy Laboratory
Recent discoveries are shedding light on the ingredients used by early astronomer and alchemist Tycho Brahe in his experiments.