The Guanche mummies represent a fascinating aspect of the ancient indigenous culture of the Canary Islands, specifically the Guanche people who inhabited the archipelago prior to its conquest by the Spanish in the 15th century. These mummies, discovered primarily on the islands of Tenerife and Gran Canaria, provide valuable insights into the funerary practices, beliefs, … Read more
In a remarkable excavation near Turkey’s capital, Ankara, archaeologists have unearthed a clay tablet that offers a glimpse into a tumultuous chapter of ancient history. Dated back 3,300 years, the tablet portrays a harrowing foreign invasion of the once-mighty Hittite Empire, adding layers of complexity to our understanding of the region’s past. Discovered at Büklükale, … Read more
Researchers and six eager students from the University of South Florida have unearthed a time capsule from antiquity during a riveting excavation in Malta, a Mediterranean gem steeped in history. Guided by the seasoned expertise of Davide Tanasi, a distinguished professor at USF’s Institute for Digital Exploration (IDEx), the team embarked on the Melite Civitas … Read more
When French archaeologists first began digging into the baked earth of their new colonial empire in Algeria in the mid-19th century, they fancied that they’d found kindred spirits in the Roman Empire that had come some 2,000 years before them. The French thought they were engaged in a “civilizing mission” through their colonial subjugation of … Read more
American humorist and writer Mark Twain is believed to have once said, “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes.” I’ve been working as a historian and complexity scientist for the better part of a decade, and I often think about this phrase as I follow different strands of the historical record and notice the … Read more
A recent paleontological discovery by a team at the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales-CSIC has unveiled a new chapter in the ancient history of felines. Their findings, published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, shed light on a previously unknown species of felid based on the analysis of a jawbone fossil found near present-day Madrid. Previous … Read more
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a multidisciplinary field of computer science that focuses on creating systems capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence. These tasks include learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, and language understanding. The ultimate goal of AI is to develop machines that can emulate and replicate human cognitive functions, making them capable of … Read more
In a fascinating turn of events, Yale paleontologists have unraveled the enigmatic mystery of Ezekiel’s Wheel. But before you conjure visions of biblical prophecies, let’s clarify that we’re talking about a peculiar, long-lost sea creature, not the chariot described in the Old Testament. This captivating discovery owes its resolution to Samuel J. Ciurca Jr., a … Read more
An international research effort has unveiled groundbreaking insights into the ancient history of galaxies, shedding light on the fundamental processes shaping our universe. Their findings, recently published in Nature Astronomy, reveal that using the James Webb Space Telescope, a team from Denmark and Australia delved billions of years into the past, back to the era … Read more
During an excavation in Malta, a team of researchers and six students from the University of South Florida made an extraordinary discovery – a remarkably well-preserved centuries-old house. Led by Professor Davide Tanasi, director of USF’s Institute for Digital Exploration (IDEx), the team worked on the Melite Civitas Romana Project, shedding light on life during … Read more
In a recent study published in Scientific Reports, a team of researchers led by Gustavo Darlim and Márton Rabi has unveiled a newly discovered species of ancient alligator from Thailand. This remarkable find, closely related to the Chinese alligator (Alligator sinensis), sheds light on the evolutionary history of Asian alligators. The scientists named the newfound … Read more
Researchers at Flinders University have made a groundbreaking discovery about the Red Lily Lagoon area in Northern Australia using sub-surface imaging and aerial surveys. The methods allowed them to see through floodplains and determine how the landscape was affected when sea levels rose around 8,000 years ago. The researchers found that the ocean had reached … Read more