Archaeology
Ancient DNA ties paratyphoid and relapsing fevers to Napoleon’s 1812 retreat
Heather Vogel Image generated by AI Fact checked
Scientists analyzing DNA from 13 soldiers buried in a mass grave in Vilnius, Lithuania, uncovered genetic traces of paratyphoid fever and louse-borne relapsing fever—offering the first direct confirmation of these pathogens in Napoleon’s Grande Armée. The study, published October 24, 2025, in Current Biology, links centuries-old eyewitness reports to modern genomics. ([sciencedaily.com](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251026021727.htm))
Egypt prepares to open grand egyptian museum on november 1
After more than two decades of planning and construction, Egypt is set to inaugurate the Grand Egyptian Museum, the world's largest archaeological museum, in an international celebration on November 1. The event will draw world leaders and prominent figures, marking a major cultural milestone for Cairo. Located on the Giza Plateau near the Pyramids, the museum houses over 100,000 artifacts.
Archaeologists uncover Paleolithic tools on Turkey's Ayvalık coast
New research reveals a once-submerged land bridge along Turkey's Ayvalık coast that may have enabled early humans to migrate from Anatolia to Europe. Archaeologists discovered 138 Paleolithic tools across 10 sites, challenging traditional theories of human dispersal. The findings, published in the Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology, suggest the region served as a key passageway during the Ice Age.
Ancient camel engravings found in Arabian Desert
Reported by AI
Researchers have uncovered massive camel engravings in Saudi Arabia's Nefud Desert, created by ancient artists thousands of years ago. These rock carvings, some up to 13 meters long, predate the domestication of camels and offer new insights into prehistoric life in the region. The discovery was made using satellite imagery and AI analysis.
Ancient rock art uncovered in Saudi Arabia's Nefud Desert
Archaeologists have discovered over 170 monumental rock engravings in northern Saudi Arabia, dating back 12,800 to 11,400 years. These life-sized animal depictions, created after a period of extreme aridity, highlight early human adaptation in the desert. The findings reveal connections to distant Neolithic communities and underscore a lost cultural identity.
Neanderthal crayons in Crimea suggest ancient symbolic art
Archaeologists have uncovered ochre artefacts in Crimea that show Neanderthals shaped and used them as crayons for drawing over 40,000 years ago. This discovery provides the strongest evidence yet of Neanderthals employing pigments symbolically, challenging previous assumptions about early human creativity. The findings highlight a shared evolutionary capacity for symbolic behavior dating back more than 700,000 years.