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The ancestors of all modern humans split off from a mystery population 1.5 million years ago and then reconnected with them 300,000 years ago, a new genetic model suggests. The unknown population contributed 20% of our DNA and may have boosted humans' brain function...In a study published Tuesday (March 18) in the journal Nature Genetics, researchers presented a new method of modeling genomic data, called "cobraa," that has allowed them to trace the evolution of modern humans (Homo sapiens).By applying their new method to modern human DNA data published in the 1000 Genomes Project and the Human Genome Diversity Project,...

A stunning gold ring lost at a medieval castle in Slovakia over 700 years ago has been rediscovered. The jewelry was likely worn by a bishop and includes an unusual Sri Lankan reddish-purple sapphire set in a band flanked by lions...Beljak Pažinová led a team of researchers in studying the ring, which was discovered at Zvolen Castle in central Slovakia. A treasure hunter found the ring in 2001, but archaeologists didn't receive it until March 2023...Although rings were common accessories for both men and women in medieval Europe, the discovery of a gold ring with a valuable gemstone is extremely...

The human ability to walk and run efficiently on two feet arose around 2 million years ago with our Homo erectus ancestors. But our earlier relatives, the australopithecines, were also bipedal around 4 million years ago. Given the long arms and different body proportions of species like Australopithecus afarensis, though, researchers have assumed that australopithecines were less capable of walking on two legs than modern humans. In a study published online Dec. 18 in the journal Current Biology, a team of researchers modeled the skeletal and muscular anatomy of Lucy to determine her maximum running speed, the energetic costs associated...

The discovery of butchered bones belonging to a glyptodont, a giant relative of the armadillo, suggests that humans were living in Argentina 20,000 years ago. Ancient humans may have butchered and eaten a giant armadillo-like creature around 20,000 years ago in what is now Argentina, a new study finds. The discovery of the butchered bones supports a growing body of evidence that people spread throughout the Americas much earlier than previously assumed. During the Late Pleistocene epoch (129,000 to 11,700 years ago), ice sheets and glaciers covered much of the planet, particularly during the Last Glacial Maximum, a period around...

The ornate object was covered in dirt but well preserved, inspiring the farmer, who wishes to remain anonymous, to send photos to archaeologists at the nearby Silesian Museum in Opava. Jiří Juchelka(opens in new tab), head of the Silesian Museum's archaeology department, told Radio Prague International(opens in new tab) (RPI) that the 20-inch-long (51 centimeters) object — made out of gold with inclusions of silver, copper and iron — was likely the front of a leather belt. "It is decorated with raised concentric circles and topped with rose-shaped clasps at the end," Based on the style of the decoration, she...

Cadbury has temporarily pulled its "real treasure hunt" ad campaign after archaeologists and the government accused it of advocating looting. The Treasure Island ads encouraged children to "grab your metal detector and go hunting for Roman riches", but failed to warn that digging without permission is illegal. It suggested a number of sites across the UK and Ireland where "treasure's fair game". The confectioner took the online ad site down on Monday after being inundated with messages from archaeologists who described the campaign as "irresponsible" - a view endorsed by the government. The arts minister, Michael Ellis, said the ad...

Researchers may have found the "Mona Lisa" model's skeleton. (Photo : Wikimedia Commons) Scientists are on a mission to find the model for the "Mona Lisa," they plan to dig up centuries-old graves and digitally reconstruct the face of a choice skeleton. Experts believe the model for the famous "Mona Lisa" painting was Leonardo da Vinci's neighbor, Lisa Gherardini Del Giocondo, ANSA reported. Several skeletons found in a Florence convent last year could be the remains of the model. Experts plan to identify the most likely candidate and compare the DNA with a body believed to be her son. "Right...