Latest articles by Kristina Killgrove
Neanderthals' brains weren't to blame for their demise, new study suggests
Researchers examining the brains of living people found that they differed more substantially than Neanderthals' brains differed from modern humans', calling into question the reason our evolutionary cousins mysteriously disappeared.
Miniature camelid effigy: A silver llama with a wry smile that the Inca crafted 600 years ago
Astonishing Artifacts Llamas were vital to the Inca Empire and were seen as both useful pack animals and sacred beings.
DNA study of nearly 200 Indigenous genomes reveals unknown Asian 'ghost' population contributed to American ancestry
New genetic results reveal a previously unknown wave of people settled in South America 1,300 years ago and that Indigenous Americans carry remnants of a "ghost lineage."
Neanderthal toddlers grew faster than modern humans, probably because of the harsh environment they evolved in
A new study of a Neanderthal toddler reveals that our closest evolutionary relatives' growth patterns differed from those of modern humans.
Altar to Sol: A rare 1,900-year-old monument dedicated to the Roman god of light and used in a secret underground ritual
Astonishing Artifacts This unique carved altar represents the triumph of light over darkness in ancient Roman religion.
700-year-old mummy from Bolivia contains earliest confirmed evidence of strep throat bacteria in the Americas
A DNA analysis of pathogens from a pre-Hispanic mummy revealed that the bacterium that causes scarlet fever and strep throat was present in the Americas prior to European colonization.
Archaeologists discover perfectly circular ancient Egyptian temple that may have been used for sacred water rituals
The temple included a network of water infrastructure, revealing the importance of the ancient city and the Nile.
Anglo-Saxon burial holds an older sister cradling her little brother after they both died 1,400 years ago, possibly of an infectious disease
An ancient-DNA analysis of a rare Anglo-Saxon double burial revealed the people in the grave were brother and sister.
'Human evolution didn't slow down; we were just missing the signal': Large DNA study reveals natural selection led to more redheads and less male-pattern baldness
Over the past 10,000 years, evolution in West Eurasia has been selecting for light skin, red hair and resistance to HIV and leprosy in humans, according to a new study.
Stone Age tombs in Scotland reveal 'webs of descent' among male relatives
An analysis of DNA from Stone Age skeletons buried in Scotland reveals how people organized the burial of their dead.
Idol of Pomos: A 5,000-year-old fertility figurine from Cyprus that wears a miniature version of herself on a necklace
Astonishing Artifacts The cross-shaped figurine has become a potent symbol of Cyprus' contribution to prehistory.
Ancient Korean society practiced human sacrifice and high inbreeding, researchers find
A genomic analysis of dozens of ancient Korean skeletons revealed a special "sacrificial caste" of people.
Beadnet dress: A 4,500-year-old ancient Egyptian funeral 'gown' that was in vogue during the Old Kingdom
Astonishing Artifacts This rare example of an ancient Egyptian beaded dress was likely crafted specifically for a woman's funeral.
Native Americans invented dice and games of chance more than 12,000 years ago, archaeological study reveals
A new study shows that dice and games of chance date back thousands of years earlier than experts previously thought.
Tudor Heart: A Renaissance gold necklace featuring a French-English pun on the love between Henry VIII and his first wife, Katherine of Aragon
Astonishing Artifacts A chance discovery of a 16th-century necklace reveals new information about Tudor-era jewelry styles.
1,000-year-old altar and human sacrifices from Toltec Empire discovered in Mexico
Archaeologists found the altar and human bones during a construction project near Tula, an ancient city that was the capital of the pre-Hispanic Toltec Empire.
Chemistry student develops clear polish that turns your fingernail into a touch-screen stylus
Researchers have developed a prototype nail polish to help more people access electrically-charged touch screens.
Urfa Man: An 11,500-year-old life-size statue of a man holding his penis
Astonishing Artifacts Discovered in a city in southern Turkey, this life-size male statue may represent an important deceased ancestor.
Cannonball dating to the Alamo battle unearthed 1 day before 190th anniversary of the conflict that killed Davy Crockett
An intact bronze cannonball unearthed near the Alamo was likely used in the 1836 battle between Mexico and the Republic of Texas.
Unusual burials of Celtic 'warriors' discovered in France point to violent deaths
Archaeologists have unearthed a Celtic cemetery in France that holds 18 unusual seated burials.
Monte Verde, one of the earliest Indigenous sites in South America, is much younger than thought, study claims. But others call it 'egregiously poor geological work.'
A new analysis of archaeological layers at Monte Verde in Chile suggests that people lived there 4,200 years ago, not 14,500 years ago as originally proposed. But many experts point to errors in the methods.
Equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius: The only surviving larger-than-life-size statue of a pagan Roman emperor — a rarity that Michelangelo refurbished
Astonishing Artifacts The giant, one-of-a-kind statue of a Roman emperor on horseback depicts him addressing his troops.
Children wearing bronze 'warrior' belts discovered in 2,500-year-old cemetery in Italy
Archaeologists have uncovered the graves of two pre-Roman children who were buried like male warriors.
