Archeology

October 2, 2024

303 Newly Discovered Nazca Geoglyphs Depict a Wide Array of Animals and Humanoids

The enigmatic Nazca lines have long fascinated archeologists and the general public. These figurative geoglyphs or drawings have been long attributed to the Nazca people, a civilization that lived in the area of southwestern Peru from 200 BCE to 700 CE. Now, a recent study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) has shed new light on these markings that have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.

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September 21, 2024

Complex Life May Have Begun 1.5 Billion Years Earlier Than Believed

Humans, cats, dogs, chickens, rats, trees, fungi—today, complex life on Earth comes in a remarkable number of variations. Its evolution has taken many twists and turns over millions of years, including the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs and the development of “legs” for sea creatures to take to the land. But when did this prehistoric parade of evolution begin? Evidence of microbes has been discovered dating back 3.7 billion years.

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September 3, 2024

Matching Dinosaur Tracks Connect South America and Africa

Millions of years ago, our seven continents were squished together in a supercontinent, one giant land mass known as Pangea. When Pangea began to break up, it eventually produced chunks of land that—though separated by oceans—once fit together. Most obviously, South America and Africa fit together like puzzle pieces, reminiscent of the post-Pangea continent named Gondwana that they once formed. Evidence of this historic connection between the landmasses can be seen beyond the map.

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August 29, 2024

Roman Road Is Found Buried Under an English Village Schoolyard

History can seem distant and obscure. It can be hard to imagine scenes of everyday life long ago. But for several classes of lucky children in England, history came alive this year. The Brightwell-cum-Sotwell Primary School sits in a charming little village in Oxfordshire, England. It has playing fields standard for children's activities. But little did they know, they were playing football atop history.

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My Modern Met

Celebrating creativity and promoting a positive culture by spotlighting the best sides of humanity—from the lighthearted and fun to the thought-provoking and enlightening.