All Stories by Bruce Bower
- Archaeology
A four-holed piece of ivory provides a glimpse into ancient rope-making
The tool, unearthed in Central Europe, suggests that locals made devices for stringing together sturdy cords over 35,000 years ago, researchers say.
- Climate
Cold, dry snaps accompanied three plagues that struck the Roman Empire
New climate data for ancient Italy point to temperature and rainfall influences on past infectious disease outbreaks.
- Genetics
How ancient herders rewrote northern Europeans’ genetic story
New DNA analyses show the extent of the Yamnaya people’s genetic reach starting 5,000 years ago and how it made descendants prone to diseases like MS.
- Anthropology
Spanish horses joined Indigenous South Americans’ societies long before Europeans came to stay
By the early 1600s, hunter-gatherers at the continent’s southern tip adopted horses left behind by colonial newcomers, new finds suggest.
- Archaeology
Ancient Maya power brokers lived in neighborhoods, not just palaces
Lidar discoveries and recent excavations are forcing archaeologists to rethink ancient Maya political structures.
- Archaeology
A mysterious ancient grave with a sword and mirror belonged to a woman
The items hint that she fought in or helped plan raids and defensive actions in what’s now southwestern England about 2,000 years ago, scientists speculate.
- Anthropology
Surprisingly long-lived wild female chimps go through menopause
Chimpanzees in Uganda are the first known example of wild, nonhuman primates experiencing the hormonal changes, raising questions about how menopause evolved.
- Archaeology
Neandertals hunted cave lions at least 48,000 years ago
A new study reports the first direct evidence of Neandertals slaying the big cats, and the earliest evidence of any hominids killing a large predator.
- Anthropology
Extreme cold may have nearly wiped out human ancestors 900,000 years ago
Ancestral populations had rebounded by about 800,000 years ago, heralding the evolution of people today, a contested DNA analysis suggests.
- Archaeology
Pre-Inca people stomped salutes to their thunder god on a special dance floor
Excavation of a drumlike platform in the Andes turned up a structure seemingly designed to absorb shocks and emit resonant sounds when stomped upon.
- Archaeology
A child’s ornate necklace highlights ancient farmers’ social complexity
The intricate necklace, reconstructed by researchers, was found on the remains of a child buried about 9,000 years ago in a Middle Eastern village.
- Archaeology
The oldest known horseback riding saddle was found in a grave in China
The well-used saddle, dated to more than 2,400 years ago, displays skilled leather- and needlework. Its placement suggests its owner was on a final ride.
