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Using a form of artificial intelligence, researchers have discovered four new Nazca geoglyphs in Peru, according to a new study recently published in the Journal of Archaeological Science. The Nazca lines are UNESCO-protected geoglyphs dating from between 100 BCE and 300 CE that depict humans, camelids, birds, orcas, felines, and snakes. There are a range of theories surrounding their purpose, including that the Nazca geoglyphs depict deities, are a form of irrigation, or are a calendar with astrological alignments, though it remains unclear. Related Articles A hand holds a stone, penis-shaped object. Penis-Shaped Stone Used for Sharpening Weapons Found in...

The mystery of why ancient South American peoples who created the mysterious Nazca Lines also collected human heads as trophies has long puzzled scholars who theorize the heads may have been used in fertility rites, taken from enemies in battle or associated with ancestor veneration. A recent study using specimens from Chicago's Field Museum throws new light on the matter by establishing that trophy heads came from people who lived in the same place and were part of the same culture as those who collected them. These people lived 2,000 to 1,500 years ago. Archaeologists determined that the severed heads...

Archaeologist 'strikes gold' with finds of ancient Nasca iron ore mine in Peru WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Kevin J. VaughnJanuary 29, 2008 A Purdue University archaeologist discovered an intact ancient iron ore mine in South America that shows how civilizations before the Inca Empire were mining this valuable ore. "Archaeologists know people in the Old and New worlds have mined minerals for thousands and thousands of years," said Kevin J. Vaughn, an assistant professor of anthropology who studies the Nasca civilization, which existed from A.D. 1 to A.D. 750. "Iron mining in the Old World, specifically in Africa, goes back...

Watkins Glen International Watkins Glen International continues a road-racing tradition that dates back to 1948 -- when sports cars competed on the streets of the village at the southern tip of scenic Lake Seneca. The circuit, which at one time hosted the F1 United States Grand Prix, has grown to become one of the most respected facilities in the northeast. This thread dedicated to our armed forces and families worldwide. Here's to the Liberation of Californistan from the Caliban October 7th!

<p>Swinging, the practice of swapping romantic partners, has had a makeover.</p> <p>Gone are the big-hair, gold-chain '70s-style swingers who gathered in suburban tract homes. Today's energetic couplings have made their way into mainstream resorts and upscale commercial venues.</p> <p>"There are people who see the market potential and are opening clubs and agencies to cater to the lifestyle," said Tony Lanzaratta, a former Los Angeles police officer who is executive director of NASCA, a national organization of swingers. "The lifestyle tour and travel industry has more than tripled in the last five years."</p>