A recent study1 has provided new insights into the mysterious population collapse that occurred in Northern Europe over 5,000 years ago. This event, known as the Scandinavian "Neolithic decline," saw the abandonment of large settlements and the cessation of megalith construction. Traditionally, this decline was attributed to agricultural crises, bu…

Archaeologists in Peru have made a groundbreaking discovery1: the remains of a 4,000-year-old temple and theater. This finding promises to significantly enhance our understanding of ancient religious practices and social structures in the Andes. Field Museum scientist Luis Muro Ynoñán with the carving of a mythological bird creature in La Otra Band…

A prehistoric painting in Indonesia has been dated to at least 51,200 years ago, making it the earliest known example of "figurative" cave art in the world. This discovery may also represent the oldest known surviving example of a narrative scene, as proposed by a team of researchers in a recent study. Figurative artworks are those that clearly dep…

Modern humans carry a surprising legacy from our ancient cousins, the extinct Neanderthals. A new study1 suggests that archaic genes, inherited through interbreeding tens of thousands of years ago, may influence our susceptibility to autism. The Genetic Legacy of Interbreeding Neanderthals, a distinct species from modern humans, interbred with earl…

A hole in a bone awl must have been one of the great drivers of human expansion in its beginnings. For hundreds of thousands of years, early hominid species did not need much shelter; the climate in most of Africa made it unnecessary. However, as they expanded further north, the fossil record shows how they became sheltered. No clothing has been pr…

Introduction A remarkable discovery in southeastern Australia has unveiled archaeological evidence of what may be the oldest known culturally transmitted human ritual. Sticks found preserved in fireplaces within a cave, dating back to the end of the Last Ice Age, suggest that a ritual intended to cure or harm has been passed down through approximat…

A groundbreaking study1 has revealed that a Neanderthal child with Down’s syndrome survived until at least the age of six, providing the earliest-known evidence of the genetic condition and hinting at compassionate caregiving among Neanderthals. This discovery offers profound insights into the social dynamics and empathy within Neanderthal communit…