Paleo in the News

By weaving Kevlar or polyethylene nanofibers into standard neoprene in wetsuits, researchers found ways to limit injury during rare encounters with sharks.

Researchers in Italy discovered 400,000-year-old evidence that ancient humans butchered elephants for food and tools. At the Casal Lumbroso site near Rome, they found hundreds of bones and stone implements, many showing impact marks from butchery. The findings reveal a consistent prehistoric strategy for resource use during warmer Middle Pleistocene periods.

The global die-off of coral reefs signals a critical shift in Earth’s climate system with global environmental consequences along with economic ones.

New research along Turkey’s Ayvalık coast reveals a once-submerged land bridge that may have helped early humans cross from Anatolia into Europe. Archaeologists uncovered 138 Paleolithic tools across 10 sites, indicating the region was a crucial migration corridor during the Ice Age. The findings challenge traditional migration theories centered on the Balkans and Levant, suggesting instead that humans used now-vanished pathways across the Aegean.

Researchers have unearthed South America’s first amber deposits containing ancient insects in an Ecuadorian quarry, offering a rare 112-million-year-old glimpse into life on the supercontinent Gondwana. The amber, found in the Hollín Formation, preserved a diverse range of insect species and plant material, revealing a humid, resin-rich forest teeming with life.

Researchers have unearthed South America’s first amber deposits containing ancient insects in an Ecuadorian quarry, offering a rare 112-million-year-old glimpse into life on the supercontinent Gondwana. The amber, found in the Hollín Formation, preserved a diverse range of insect species and plant material, revealing a humid, resin-rich forest teeming with life.

Archaeologists in Saudi Arabia discovered over 170 ancient rock engravings that may be among the earliest monumental artworks in the region. Created between 12,800 and 11,400 years ago, the massive figures were carved when water and life returned to the desert. The art likely marked territories and migration routes, revealing social and symbolic sophistication. Artifacts found nearby show early Arabian peoples connected to distant Neolithic communities.

The growth spurt hints that the free-floating object evolves like a star, providing clues about rogue planets’ mysterious origins.

The findings show the insula fuses taste and certain smells into the sensation of flavor.

The advance hints at the possibility of portable muon-making devices that could help peer through solid materials for hidden contraband.

Solve our latest interactive crossword. We'll publish science-themed crosswords and math puzzles on alternating months.

A beautifully preserved skeleton found on the UK’s Jurassic Coast has been identified as a new species of the marine reptiles known as ichthyosaurs

Sensor data reveal greater noctule bats chasing, catching and chewing on birds during high-altitude, nighttime hunts.

Some dogs love playing with toys so intensely they can’t stop—offering scientists a window into behavioral addictions.

Protein is having a moment. But even if most people are eating enough protein, studies suggest they may not be eating the right mix.

From an alien-looking flat-faced longhorn beetle to an abandoned baby rhino, images at London’s Natural History Museum show what we stand to lose from the decimation of global biodiversity

Richard Robson, Susumu Kitagawa and Omar Yaghi developed metal-organic frameworks, structures that can collect water from air, capture CO₂ and more.

Age and gender bias in online images feeds into AI tools, revealing stereotypes shaping digital systems and hiring algorithms, researchers report.

Researchers confirmed that Rapa Nui’s moai statues could “walk” upright using a rocking motion, aided by rope and just a few people. Experiments with replicas and 3D models revealed design features like a forward lean and curved bases that made movement possible. Concave roads across the island further supported this transport method. The findings celebrate the innovation and intelligence of the ancient islanders.

Ultraprocessed foods can create powerful pulls similar to those of alcohol, nicotine or opioids, with worrisome consequences for our health.