Attila the Hun, who invaded and ravaged both the western and eastern halves of the Roman Empire during the fifth century A.D., died on his wedding night at age 58. It’s a matter of debate whether Attila died of natural causes, or whether his new wife, Ildico, murdered him. But despite his murky ending, does […]
Ancient Troy: The city and the legend
Troy is an ancient city and archaeological site in modern-day Turkey, but is also famously the setting for the legendary Trojan War in Homer’s epic poems the “Iliad” and the “Odyssey.” In legend, the city of Troy was besieged for 10 years and eventually conquered by a Greek army led by King Agamemnon. This “Trojan […]
South African fossils may rewrite history of human evolution
Fossils found at the Sterkfontein Caves in South Africa may be much older than previously thought. #South #African #fossils #rewrite #history #human #evolution
Why do people believe in conspiracy theories?
Conspiracy theories lurk all over the internet and cover a dizzying range of topics — from the idea that the moon landings were faked to the belief that Earth is flat. Often, believers will readily dismiss any and all evidence that contradicts such claims, and suggest that witnesses or experts who dispute the ideas are […]
Great auks and seal-headed men: a window into ice age Provence | Archaeology
It was in 1985 that the diver Henri Cosquer discovered, along the coast from Marseille, what has been called an “underwater Lascaux” after the famous cave network in the Dordogne. After several failed attempts, he managed to follow a narrow tunnel, 120ft below the surface of the sea, for almost 400ft and emerged in a […]
Three people gored by bison in a month at Yellowstone National Park. Why do these attacks happen?
A bison approaches a walkway full of visitors in Yellowstone National Park. (Image credit: Shutterstock) (opens in new tab) Three people have been gored by bison in a single month at Yellowstone National Park, with the two most recent attacks coming just two days apart. Park officials warned visitors to be respectful of the enormous […]
When did Earth’s first forests emerge?
From Earth’s tallest living plants, California’s redwoods, to the planet’s largest tropical rainforest, the Amazon, stately forests may seem timeless. But like every species or ecosystem, they have a birth date. In fact, though plants first arrived on land about 470 million years ago, trees and forests didn’t hit the scene until nearly 390 million […]
Listeria outbreak tied to 22 hospitalizations, 1 death
A Listeria outbreak has sickened 23 people in the U.S., resulting in 22 hospitalizations and one death, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced (opens in new tab) Thursday (June 30). These cases occurred between Jan. 24, 2021 and June 12, 2022, with 16 of the 23 cases occurring this year, the agency […]
Stunning solar eclipse caught by NASA in incredible closeup
A sungazing spacecraft captured the moon passing in front of the face of the sun Wednesday (June 29). NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (opens in new tab) caught the solar eclipse (opens in new tab) in action from its unique vantage point in space, the only spot where this eclipse was visible. “At the peak of […]
It’s raining anchovies in San Francisco
It’s raining fish in San Francisco, and locals are finding anchovies in unlikely places around the Bay Area, including sidewalks, driveways, rooftops and bus stops. Experts believe the fishy precipitation is the result of a surge in coastal anchovy populations, SF Gate (opens in new tab) reported. Earlier this month, the Otolith Geochemistry and Fish […]