Tag Archives: Ancient

‘Toothpick grooves’ in ancient fossil human teeth may not be from toothpicks after all

‘Toothpick grooves’ in ancient fossil human teeth may not be from toothpicks after all

For decades, small grooves on ancient human teeth were thought to be evidence of deliberate tool use – people cleaning their teeth with sticks or fibres, or easing gum pain with makeshift “toothpicks”. Some researchers even called it the oldest human habit. But our new findings, published in the American Journal of Biological Anthropology, challenge this long-held idea about human …

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Ear seeding: can an ancient wellness technique really de-puff your face? | Natasha May

Ear seeding: can an ancient wellness technique really de-puff your face? | Natasha May

TikTok users have a well-known obsession with efforts to “de-puff” the face in the pursuit of a “snatched” jawline and to combat “face bloating” and “cortisol face”, which has already been debunked as not a medical term. The latest trend going viral is “ear seeding” – a needle-free form of acupuncture applying beads (often secured in place by adhesive) to …

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The ancient part of your brain that controls your consciousness, found by scientists

The ancient part of your brain that controls your consciousness, found by scientists

For decades, scientists have thought that human consciousness arises from the newest and most sophisticated parts of the brain. But a Cambridge scientist now claims that the fundamental basis of our experience may be controlled by a far more primal structure. In a review of over a century of scientific research, neuroscientist Dr Peter Coppola examined stimulation studies, animal experiments, …

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New look at ancient skull challenges timeline of human evolution – The Washington Post

New look at ancient skull challenges timeline of human evolution  The Washington Post Million-year-old skull rewrites human evolution, scientists claim  BBC A skull unearthed in China challenges the timeline of human evolution, scientists say  CNN 1 million-year-old skull from China holds clues to the origins of Neanderthals, Denisovans and humans  Live Science Study of 1m-year-old skull points to earlier origins of modern humans  The Guardian …

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Scientists Blast Dinosaur Eggs With Lasers to Check Their Ancient ‘Atomic Clocks’ : ScienceAlert

Scientists Blast Dinosaur Eggs With Lasers to Check Their Ancient ‘Atomic Clocks’ : ScienceAlert

Researchers in China have opened a new window into the deep past by blasting dinosaur eggs with a laser, dating them directly for the first time. A micro-laser was used to vaporize small portions of an eggshell, which released a cloud of radioactive uranium atoms. Since uranium decays into lead at a known, steady rate, researchers could ascertain the eggs’ …

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Somehow, Earth’s ancient core froze solid. Now we finally know why

Somehow, Earth’s ancient core froze solid. Now we finally know why

We may finally know what triggered Earth’s inner core to freeze, helping unlock one of the planet’s longest-standing geological puzzles. The inner core is a solid ball of iron about 2,400km (1,500 miles) wide, surrounded by a molten outer core. Its growth powers Earth’s magnetic field, which shields the planet from harmful solar radiation. But exactly how the core first …

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112-Million-Year-Old Amber Samples Preserve a Snapshot of an Ancient Forest

112-Million-Year-Old Amber Samples Preserve a Snapshot of an Ancient Forest

A beetle in amber sample – Credit: Senior Researcher Enrique Peñalver In the blockbuster 1993 film Jurassic Park, Steven Spielberg’s screenwriters tell the story of scientists who recover dinosaur DNA from a mosquito entombed in amber and use it to clone the animals back into existence. Today, a recent paleontological discovery comes to the very doorstep of that fictional tale, bringing much …

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Incredible Discovery Reveals Ancient Creature That Predated The Dinosaurs : ScienceAlert

Incredible Discovery Reveals Ancient Creature That Predated The Dinosaurs : ScienceAlert

A tiny, reptilian fossil has been excavated from layers of ancient sandstone, where it was preserved for over 240 million years – predating the dinosaurs. The little lizard-like creature pinches the record for the oldest known lepidosaur. Until now, this title was held by Wirtembergia, which lived 3-7 million years later. Lepidosaurs are a group containing lizards, snakes, and the …

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4 Longevity Insights: What Ancient Tribes Teach Us About Living Longer

4 Longevity Insights: What Ancient Tribes Teach Us About Living Longer

The idea of living like our ancestors has become something of a wellness craze. Take the Paleo diet, barefoot running, and cold plunges — trends that encourage you to shed the comforts of modern living. But anthropologist Michael Gurven, a professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara, says these fads miss the deeper meaning of how our ancestors survived …

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