Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news about fascinating discoveries, scientific developments and more. CNN — About half a billion years ago, a volcanic eruption near a shallow sea in what is now Morocco produced some of the most complete specimens ever found of trilobites, insect-like marine creatures, revealing … Read more
Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news about fascinating discoveries, scientific developments and more. The eyed needle, a sewing instrument made from bone, antler or ivory that first appeared about 40,000 years ago in southern Siberia, could hide key clues about the fashion’s beginnings, a new study suggests. Researchers … Read more
Nestled in the northwestern corner of Nebraska, Toadstool Geological Park is a geological treasure trove that offers a unique glimpse into the region’s prehistoric past. The park is best known for its striking rock formations of giant, narrow pedestals topped by mushroom-like sandstone slabs and fossil beds. Part of the Oglala National Grassland, it’s affectionately … Read more
Prehistoric humans hunt a woolly mammoth. A growing body of research shows that this species—and at least 46 other megaherbivores—were driven to extinction by humans. (Source: Engraving by Ernest Grise, photographed by William Henry Jackson. Courtesy Getty’s Open Content Program) AARHUS, Denmark — Imagine a world where elephants roamed Europe, giant ground sloths lumbered across … Read more
More than 500 million years ago, something in the ocean changed. [–> Some creatures evolved to build their own hard-shelled exterior. Others grew to sizes never seen before as the amount of oxygen on the planet’s surface finally reached a level high enough for complex creatures to exist. [–> Most important, for about 10 million … Read more
A Tel Aviv University study shows that Quina scrapers were first used 400,000 years ago, reflecting a shift in hunting practices due to the extinction of large game such as elephants. The research points to significant cultural and practical evolution in early human societies, linking tool technology to the sacred geographical sources of resources. A … Read more
An innovative technique used in a study of Neanderthal hearths – places where fires started – has been described by researchers as a ‘major’ development in archaeology, one that could help shed light on the behavior of prehistoric people. For a study published in the journal Naturean interdisciplinary team of researchers has discovered that a … Read more
This article was reviewed according to Science fact checked peer-reviewed publication trusted source proofread OK! The pole field at the site of Dispilio. Nearly 800 poles, mainly made of juniper and oak wood, were sampled and measured dendrochronologically. These data form the basis for the extremely accurate dating of this site. Dispilio is the first … Read more