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News tagged with ancient

Study finds modern dog breeds genetically disconnected from ancient ancestors

Cross-breeding of dogs over thousands of years has made it extremely difficult to trace the ancient genetic roots of today's pets, according to a new study led by Durham University.

Biology / Plants & Animals

created May 21, 2012 | popularity 4.7 / 5 (7) | comments 1 | with audio podcast

Ancient Bethlehem seal unearthed in Jerusalem

Israeli archaeologists have discovered a 2,700-year-old seal that bears the inscription "Bethlehem," the Israel Antiquities Authority announced Wednesday, in what experts believe to be the oldest artifact ...

Other Sciences / Archaeology & Fossils

created May 23, 2012 | popularity 3.4 / 5 (16) | comments 28

Castor oil: Action mechanism of one of the oldest drugs known to man elucidated

Castor oil is known primarily as an effective laxative; however, it was also used in ancient times with pregnant women to induce labour. Only now have scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung ...

Chemistry / Biochemistry

created May 21, 2012 | popularity 3 / 5 (2) | comments 3 | with audio podcast

Painted ancient Maya numbers reflect calendar reaching well beyond 2012 (w/ Video)

A vast city built by the ancient Maya and discovered nearly a century ago is finally starting to yield its secrets.

Other Sciences / Archaeology & Fossils

created May 10, 2012 | popularity 4.5 / 5 (16) | comments 15 | with audio podcast

Cairo Calendar shows Egyptians discovered binary Algol first

(Phys.org) -- Algol, aka the Demon Star, is actually a binary star in the Perseus constellation, and has been the subject of speculation for hundreds of years. Now a group of Finnish researchers propose that ...

Space & Earth / Astronomy

created May 02, 2012 | popularity 4.6 / 5 (5) | comments 5 | with audio podcast report

Foxtail millet genome sequence completed

BGI, in cooperation with Zhangjiakou Academy of Agricultural Science, has completed the genome sequence and analysis of foxtail millet (Setaria italica), the second-most widely planted species of millet. This study provid ...

Biology / Biotechnology

created May 13, 2012 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Archaeologists discover lost language

Evidence for a forgotten ancient language which dates back more than 2,500 years, to the time of the Assyrian Empire, has been found by archaeologists working in Turkey.

Other Sciences / Other

created May 10, 2012 | popularity 4.7 / 5 (7) | comments 5 | with audio podcast

Internet allows virtual Giza tour in 3D

Vicarious travellers and students of history can take a virtual stroll through the vast necropolis build by the ancient Egyptians in the Giza Plateau, thanks to a 3D Internet project launched this week.

Other Sciences / Archaeology & Fossils

created May 11, 2012 | popularity 4.7 / 5 (3) | comments 2

Study reveals how ancient viruses became genomic 'superspreaders'

Scientists have uncovered clues as to how our genomes became riddled with viruses. The study, supported by the Wellcome Trust, reveals important information about the so–called 'dark matter' of our genome.

Biology / Cell & Microbiology

created Apr 23, 2012 | popularity 4.8 / 5 (4) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Space diamonds reveal supernova origins

Space diamonds may now be an astrophysicist's best friend.

Physics / Condensed Matter

created Feb 15, 2012 | popularity 4.8 / 5 (9) | comments 9 | with audio podcast

Whale population size, dynamics determined based on ancient DNA

Estimates of whale population size based on genetics versus historical records diverge greatly, making it difficult to fully understand the ecological implications of the large-scale commercial whaling of the 19th and early ...

Biology / Plants & Animals

created May 09, 2012 | popularity 4 / 5 (1) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

New study of hunter-gatherers suggests social networks sparked evolution of cooperation

Ancient humans may not have had the luxury of updating their Facebook status, but social networks were nevertheless an essential component of their lives, a new study suggests.

Other Sciences / Social Sciences

created Jan 25, 2012 | popularity 4 / 5 (3) | comments 1 | with audio podcast

Scientists suggest that cancer is purely man-made

(PhysOrg.com) -- Cancer is a modern, man-made disease caused by environmental factors such as pollution and diet, a study by University of Manchester scientists has strongly suggested.

Medicine & Health / Cancer

created Oct 14, 2010 | popularity 3.8 / 5 (100) | comments 70 | with audio podcast

Thawing permafrost 50 million years ago led to extreme global warming events

In a new study reported in Nature, climate scientist Rob DeConto of the University of Massachusetts Amherst and colleagues elsewhere propose a simple new mechanism to explain the source of carbon that fed a ...

Space & Earth / Earth Sciences

created Apr 04, 2012 | popularity 4.3 / 5 (28) | comments 47 | with audio podcast

A new glimpse into ancient human history

Analyzing DNA from four ancient skeletons and comparing it with thousands of genetic samples from living humans, a group of Scandinavian scientists reported that agriculture initially spread through Europe because farmers ...

Biology / Evolution

created Apr 30, 2012 | popularity 5 / 5 (10) | comments 1