Oldest wooden tools found at ancient Greek site

May 24, 2026

Reported by AI

Researchers have identified the oldest known hand-held wooden tools used by humans, dating back around 430,000 years. The artifacts were uncovered at the Marathousa 1 site in Greece's Peloponnese region.

An international team from the University of Reading, the University of Tübingen, and the Senckenberg Nature Research Society led the work. The two objects, one made of alder wood and the other from willow or poplar, show clear marks from chopping, carving, and use. The study was published in the journal PNAS and extends the known timeline for such tools by at least 40,000 years.

Ice age humans in China crafted advanced stone tools

Archaeologists have uncovered evidence that early humans produced sophisticated stone tools in central China during a brutal ice age 146,000 years ago. The findings come from the Lingjing site and challenge previous assumptions about when human creativity emerged.

Neanderthal tooth shows earliest evidence of dentistry

May 13, 2026 Reported by AI

A 59,000-year-old tooth from a Siberian cave reveals that Neanderthals drilled into cavities to treat decay. The discovery pushes back the origins of dentistry by tens of thousands of years. Researchers identified clear marks from stone tools on the molar.

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Bulgarian femur hints at early bipedal apes in Europe

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Oldest confirmed dog remains date to 15,800 years ago in Turkey

Rainforest discovery shows humans lived in Africa 150000 years ago

Archaeologists have uncovered evidence that early humans inhabited dense rainforests in West Africa around 150000 years ago. The finding more than doubles the previous estimate for such habitation on the continent. It challenges long-held assumptions about early human adaptability.

Ice Age dice show early Native Americans grasped probability

April 03, 2026 Reported by AI

Native Americans crafted and used dice for games of chance over 12,000 years ago, according to a study published in American Antiquity. The artifacts, identified by Colorado State University graduate student Robert Madden, predate the earliest known Old World dice by millennia. The research reveals intentional reliance on random outcomes in structured games.

Science