Researchers have dated the earliest step in the formation of the solar system - when microscopic interstellar dust coalesced into mountain-sized chunks of rock - to 4,568 million years ago, within a range of about 2,080,000 years. The dates established by analyzing a particular type of meteorite, called a carbonaceous chondrite, which represents the oldest material left over from the formation of ... read full post picked by AutumnLotus 7 months ago

New evidence from the Monte Verde archaeological site in southern Chile confirms its status as the earliest known human settlement in the Americas and provides additional support for the theory that one early migration route followed the Pacific Coast more than 14,000 years ago. picked by AutumnLotus 3 months ago

Tiny slivers of diamond forged on an infant Earth may contain the earliest traces of life, a study has shown.

Analysis of the crystals showed they contain a form of carbon often associated with plants and bacteria. picked by AutumnLotus 3 weeks ago

They are notorious for guiding exasperated motorists down footpaths, into ponds or to the wrong city entirely. But the modern-day sat-nav is likely to pose far fewer problems for lost drivers than its 1927 forerunner. The Plus Four Wristlet Route Indicator, which has gone on display at a National Trust house, is thought to be the first navigation device for motorists. picked by AutumnLotus 3 months ago

Is this painting the earliest realistic depiction of a total eclipse of the Sun? Some historians believe it is. This painting was completed in 1735 by Cosmas Damian Asam, a painter and architect famous in early eighteenth century Germany. Clearly drawn is not only a total solar eclipse, but the solar corona and the diamond ring effect visible when sunlight flows only between mountains on the Moon. picked by FreeMind 6 months ago

New evidence shows humans lived in North America more than 14,000 years ago, 1,000 years earlier than had previously been known. Discovered in a cave in Oregon, fossil feces yielded DNA indicating these early residents were related to people living in Siberia and East Asia. picked by AutumnLotus 4 months ago

The Cairo toe was made of paper-mache. Cool. picked by misswinkle 12 months ago

Archaeologists from UCLA and the University of Groningen (RUG) in the Netherlands have found the earliest evidence ever discovered of an ancient Egyptian agricultural settlement, including farmed grains, remains of domesticated animals, pits for cooking and even floors for what appear to be dwellings. picked by AutumnLotus 5 months ago

Analysis of the crystals showed they contain a form of carbon often associated with plants and bacteria. The rare gems were found inside zircon crystals, formed a few hundred million years after the Earth came into being. picked by deEPCHIll 2 weeks ago

Earth's first animal was the ocean-drifting comb jelly, not the simple sponge, according to a new find that has shocked scientists who didn't imagine the earliest critter could be so complex. picked by AutumnLotus 3 months ago

In one of the earliest hints of "modern" living, humans 164,000 years ago put on primitive makeup and hit the seashore for steaming mussels, new archaeological finds show. picked by AutumnLotus 9 months ago

Archaeologists from the Institute of Prehistory and Early History of the University of Vienna have found an amulet inscribed with a Jewish prayer in a Roman child’s grave dating back to the 3rd century CE at a burial ground in the Austrian town of Halbturn. This amulet shows that people of Jewish faith lived in what is today Austria since the Roman Empire. picked by AutumnLotus 4 months ago

Twelve shell beads discovered in a cave in eastern Morocco have been dated at more than 80,000 years old, making them one of the earliest examples of human culture. The beads are colored with red ochre and show signs of being strung together. picked by neilharvey 1 year ago

Turns up what may be the earliest case of cancer ever found there.

/Side note: I visited the museum where that Viking burial ship is exhibited. Awesome. picked by suebe 3 months ago

The Richat Structure, Oudane, Mauritania(50 km in diameter - 30 miles). Originally thought to be a crater, this volcanic dome is most likely a product of erosion, an ancient geological artefact in the middle of featureless Maur Adrar desert, in Africa's Western Sahara. The earliest space missions used it as a landmark, the adventurous 4x4 enthusiasts consider it to be their playground, and scienti... read full post picked by Turtle 9 months ago

Recorded almost 20 years before the first recording credited to Thomas Edison picked by tigertony 4 months ago

Archaeologists have revived the debate over whether a spectacular Bronze Age disc from Germany is one of the earliest known calendars. picked by DrNothing 1 year ago

The painting dates from 650 A.D. and has been found in caves in Afghanistan's Bamiyan Valley. The discovery reverses a common perception that the oil painting, considered a typically Western art, originated in Europe, where the earliest examples date to the early 12th century A.D. picked by MandolinOrange 5 months ago

A team of Chinese and American scientists has discovered a new mammal from the 165 million-year-old lakebeds of the Jurassic Period in Northern China. It sheds light on the earliest mammalian evolution, especially the convergent evolution of teeth among early mammals, and leads scientists to think that mammals were far more diverse in the age of dinosaurs than previously thought. picked by AutumnLotus 9 months ago

The earliest known gold jewelry made in the Americas has been discovered in southern Peru. The gold necklace, made nearly 4,000 years ago, was found in a burial site near Lake Titicaca. picked by AutumnLotus 4 months ago