Articles by

Bruce Bower

Ancient DNA unveils disparate fates of Ice Age hunter-gatherers in Europe

Ice sheets expanded across much of northern Europe from around 25,000 to 19,000 years ago, making a...

Homo sapiens may have brought archery to Europe about 54,000 years ago

Homo sapiens who reached Europe around 54,000 years ago introduced bows and arrows to that continent, a...

Hominids used stone toolkits to butcher animals earlier than once thought

Nearly 3 million years ago, hominids employed stone toolkits to butcher hippos and pound plants along what’s...

Chemical residue reveals ancient Egyptians’ mummy-making mixtures

Scientists have unwrapped long-sought details of embalming practices that ancient Egyptians used to preserve dead bodies. Clues...

Complex supply chains may have appeared more than 3,000 years ago

Long-distance supply chains, vulnerable to disruptions from wars and disease outbreaks, may have formed millennia before anyone...

Lasers reveal sites used as the Americas’ oldest known star calendars

Olmec and Maya people living along Mexico’s Gulf Coast as early as 3,100 years ago built star-aligned...

Homo naledi may have lit fires in underground caves at least 236,000 years ago

An ancient hominid dubbed Homo naledi may have lit controlled fires in the pitch-dark chambers of an...

Some Maya rulers may have taken generations to attract subjects

Commoners may have played an unappreciated part in the rise of an ancient Maya royal dynasty. Self-described...