Showing posts with the label
Indigenous Cultures
A long-standing debate in the field of cultural evolution has revolved around the question of how and why human societies become more hierarchical. Some theorize that material changes to a society…
A team of scientists including researchers from Washington State University has shown for the first time that nicotine residue can be extracted from plaque, also known as "dental calculus,"…
New genetic research reveals the complex demographic history of Vanuatu, explaining how Austronesian languages were retained throughout its history despite near-total replacement of early Austronesia…
A thousand-year-old tooth has provided genetic evidence that the so-called "Taíno," the first indigenous Americans to feel the full impact of European colonisation after Columbus arrived in…
A previously unknown language has been found in the Malay Peninsula by linguists from Lund University in Sweden. The language has been given the name Jedek. Jedek is an Austroasiatic language spoken …
When it comes to naming colors, most people do so with ease. But, for odors, it's much harder to find the words. One notable exception to this rule is found among the Jahai people, a group of hun…
Tropical forests span a huge area, harbor a wide diversity of species, and are important to water and nutrient cycling on a planet scale. But in ancient Amazonia, over 500 years ago, clearing tropica…
Yukon archaeologist Greg Hare says it was just luck that led him in 2016 to find a nearly 1,000-year-old hunting artifact, half exposed in a remote patch of ice. A unique barbed antler arrow point wi…
Almost a year after it began, archaeologists continue excavating a large site in downtown Napa – one that could have been home to Native Americans as long as 2,000 years ago. Credit: Napa Valley Regi…
Genetic analysis of ancient DNA from a 6-week-old infant found at an Interior Alaska archaeological site has revealed a previously unknown population of ancient people in North America. The findings,…
A young researcher has combined cutting-edge data analysis and ancient artefacts to gain fresh insights into our country's pre-European history. Obsidian has long been a useful reference for arch…
We often associate virtual reality (VR) with thrilling experiences we may never be able to have in real life – such as flying a jet fighter, exploring the oceans or going on a spacewalk. But research…
Storytelling promoted co-operation in hunter-gatherers prior to the advent of organised religion, a new UCL study reveals. Credit: UCL The research shows that hunter-gatherer storytellers were essent…
