Archaeology

Chinese researchers have confirmed that iron fragments unearthed at the Sanxingdui Ruins were made of pure meteoritic iron. The three corroded pieces, found in Pit No. 7, likely formed an axe or ceremonial weapon. Carbon dating places the artifact in the late Shang Dynasty.

May 11, 2026 Ti AI ṣe iroyin

A genetic analysis of more than a thousand ancient British genomes shows the Roman conquest left only a small mark on the island's ancestry despite major cultural shifts.

Archaeologists in Egypt have unearthed a late Ptolemaic circular public bath and a Roman residential villa with multi-style mosaic floors in Alexandria's Moharam Bek area. The Supreme Council of Antiquities rescue excavation reveals a complete cultural sequence from Ptolemaic to Roman and Byzantine periods. The site demonstrates advanced urban planning in ancient Alexandria.

May 02, 2026 Ti AI ṣe iroyin

Ars Technica has compiled six intriguing scientific discoveries that nearly escaped notice. The roundup covers dolphin swimming physics, Roman ship repairs, and mushroom communication via urine. Published on May 2, these stories span physics, archaeology, and biology.

Scientists have found genetic evidence that modern humans reached New Guinea and Australia around 60,000 years ago, backing the long chronology over more recent estimates. The international team, led by researchers at the University of Huddersfield and the University of Southampton, analyzed nearly 2,500 mitochondrial DNA genomes from Aboriginal Australians, New Guineans, and Southeast Asian populations. Their work suggests early migrants used at least two routes through Southeast Asia.

April 09, 2026 Ti AI ṣe iroyin

Ethiopia's Authority for Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage announced discovery of Homo sapiens fossils from 100,000 years ago in the Middle Awash area of the Afar region. The study, led by Dr. Yonas Beyene with scientists from 24 countries, fills key gaps in Africa's human origins timeline.