Latest science news in Paleontology & Archaeology
New dinosaur species was built like a tank
A husband and wife team of paleontologists has discovered a newfound species of armored dinosaur that lived 112 million years ago in what is now Montana.
Oldest known spider's web found in amber
(PhysOrg.com) -- Pieces of amber containing parts of a spider's web have been found in East Sussex and dated back to the Cretaceous period 140 million years ago, which makes...
Obituary: Qian Xuesen
Scientist regarded as the father of China's space programmeQian Xuesen, who has died aged 98, was one of the greatest Chinese scientists of the modern era, and a man widely regarded as...
New Analyses Of Dinosaur Growth May Wipe Out One-third Of Species
Paleontologists Mark Goodwin and Jack Horner have dug for 11 years in Montana's Hell Creek Formation in search of every dinosaur fossil they can find, accumulating specimens of all stages...
Just when you thought spiders couldn't get creepier
Scientists discover the biggest known species of orb-weaving arachnid, and find that another subsists on an unusual diet. ...
Divers probe Mayan ruins submerged in Guatemala lake
GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) - Scuba divers are exploring the depths of a volcanic lake in Guatemala to find clues about an ancient sacred island where Mayan pilgrims flocked to worship...
Largest Bat In Europe Inhabited Northeastern Spain More Than 10,000 Years Ago
Spanish researchers have confirmed that the largest bat in Europe, Nyctalus lasiopterus, was present in north-eastern Spain during the Late Pleistocene. The Greater Noctule fossils found in the excavation site...
Klondike Holds Clues to Ancient Environment
Alaska, Siberia and the Canadian Yukon remained ice-free during the ice age and was home to unique organisms.
One disease, not one demographic
The Asian continent has nearly four billion people living in 47 different countries, and each of these groups has their own unique set of health issues. But when they come...
Inequality, 'silver spoon' effect found in ancient societies
The so-called 'silver spoon' effect - in which wealth is passed down from one generation to another - is well established in some of the world's most ancient economies, according...
First Detailed Documentation Of Tsunami Erosion
For the first time, a group of scientists working in the Kuril Islands off the east coast of Russia has documented the scope of tsunami-caused erosion and found that a...
Is algae secret ingredient in mass extinctions?
Mass extinctions that wiped entire species off the face of the Earth are often blamed on catastrophic occurrences, but a new hypothesis points to a different culprit: lowly algae.
Did Ancient Earth Go Nuclear?
Natural fission reactors may have irradiated early life [Read more]
UT Southwestern Ophthalmologist Cavanaugh Wins Cornea Society's Highest Honor
Dr. H. Dwight Cavanagh, vice chairman of ophthalmology at UT Southwestern Medical Center, has been named the 2009 recipient of the prestigious Castroviejo Medal, one of the top ophthalmology prizes...
Witch Bottle Discovered; Made to Ward Off Evil Spirits?
In time for Halloween, archaeologists have unearthed a witch bottle—a stone jug that may have contained toenails, hair, and other bodily bits to deter witches and other evildoers.
Ghostly 'dance of a sea dragon'
The dance of the weedy sea dragon, one of the most elegant courtship rituals in the animal kingdom, is filmed by a BBC crew.
Esquire looks to energize print with 3-D animation
(AP) -- Hold Esquire's December issue in front of a webcam, and an on-screen image of the magazine pops to life, letters flying off the cover. Shift and tilt...
Grant to fund exploration of fossil plants in Patagonia
Dinosaurs may be the focus of much Cretaceous fossil hunting, but a Penn State researcher and his colleagues are hot on the trail of fossil plants in Patagonia, Argentina, thanks...
Tree "Mummies" Found, Traced Back to Viking Era
Remarkably well-preserved pines that lived during Viking times have been discovered near a fjord in southwestern Norway, scientists say.
Opinion: The malaria myths of climate change
Contrary to oft-repeated claims, climate change is unlikely to cause a major rise in malaria, says medical entomologist Paul Reiter.
2012 Cataclysm: Ancient Astronomy to Modern Myth?
Our skeptic, Ben Radford, takes on three authors to calibrate the claims of planetary disaster in 2012.
The Dawn Of Academic Chemistry
Philipps University, in Marburg, Germany, celebrates the 400th anniversary of the earliest chemistry professorship.
Halloween 2009: Top Costumes, History, Myths, More
Get the facts on Halloween history, today's most popular costumes, record-breaking pumpkins, and more in National Geographic News's 2009 Halloween roundup.
Gossip In The Workplace: A Weapon Or Gift?
Gossip in the workplace can be a weapon in reputational warfare or a gift and can offer clues to power and influence not found on organizational charts. New research details...
Starfish 'pump up' to cool down
Starfish have a remarkable strategy to avoid overheating in the sun, according to new research.
Secrets In A Seed: Clues Into The Evolution Of The First Flowers
Researchers have explored a piece of Darwin's "abominable mystery" -- how flowering plants originated, rapidly diversified, and rose to dominance -- by exploring the microscopic anatomy of seed development in...
Three dino types may be just three dino ages
New study suggests three dinos groups are actually one group at different growth stages
Comets Didn't Wipe out Sabertooths, Early Americans?
A cold snap that killed off much of North America's wildlife and early humans about 13,000 years ago was not caused by a comet impact as previously suggested, scientists say.