anthropology

The Tollense Valley battle site contains hundreds of victims.

We sometimes think human prehistory was much more peaceful than today. But archaeological evidence suggests otherwise.

The Staffordshire Hoard contains the one of the richest collections of Anglo-Saxon gold ever found.

Scientists and historians have made incredible finds—from the oldest human-made art to long-lost shipwrecks—in the 20 years since Mental Floss began.

Researcher samples cave sediments for DNA.

New archeological evidence pushes back the arrival of the first North Americans 15,000 years and suggests they occupied the Americas during the Last Glacial Maximum, 26,000 to 19,000 years ago.

From fossilized feces to antediluvian rodent nests, ancient objects are getting their DNA analyzed for clues about the past.

From left to right: Kaa-xoo-auxc (Garfield George), Jisgang (Nika Collison), Megan Humchitt, Haa’yuups (Ron Hamilton), and Chief Wigviłba Wákas (Harvey Humchitt) performing traditional ceremony before the move of the Great Canoe at the American Museum of Natural History in New York.

For its planned multimillion-dollar redesign of its iconic Northwest Coast Hall, the American Museum of Natural History is collaborating with Indigenous leaders on an ambitious new conservation project.

From the origins of our species to clues about the future of the universe, scientific discoveries achieved in the last decade transformed our understanding of our world. Here are 14 of the most momentous.

The discovery is the first of its kind, researchers write in a paper published in 'Latin American Antiquity.'

In an effort to substantiate an old tale of an Inuit who crafted a knife out of feces, a Kent State University professor attempted to forge a similar tool from his own poop. The results stunk.

Archaeologists plan to use the 3D model to find out exactly what the woman’s face looked like, warts and all.

The paleo diet recommends eating low-carb foods like our ancient ancestors if we want to reach optimum health. But it turns out that early humans in the Paleolithic era dined on more than just meat.

There are many mysteries surrounding Stonehenge, but we thought we knew who built it. Now, a study suggests that the 5000-year-old structure was the work of Aegean immigrants and their decedents rather than native Britons.

Archaeologists and geneticists are looking at how human hair, and its countless hair types, evolved over millennia. Their research could shed light on the habits of our ancestors.

Dance is an art form, but it also has a foundation in science. Here's what the experts say about learning how to dance and making the most of your moves.

People in wheelchairs can now travel to Machu Picchu in Peru without spending a fortune.

When you really think about how recent some discoveries we take for granted are, Pluto and Clint Eastwood have a lot in common.

All that stood between them and better stone tools was a little hill. And yet.

It's calling into question what we thought we knew about the mysterious culture.

Scientists speak to residents in Aitape.

"We have dramatic proof that living by the sea isn't always a life of beautiful golden sunsets," as one researcher put it.

Smithsonian Institution, Wikipedia/Public Domain

Bones, stone tools, and the footprints of early human ancestors are just a few of the legendary paleoanthropologist's discoveries.

Sweet potatoes might have played a big role.

10 Prehistoric Battle Sites Around the World

20 Amazing Historical Discoveries in the Last 20 Years

Humans First Arrived in North America 30,000 Years Ago, New Studies Suggest

9 Ancient Objects That Have Had DNA Tests

The American Museum of Natural History Moves Its Great Canoe—for the First Time in 60 Years—to Its Revitalized Northwest Coast Hall

14 Incredible Scientific Discoveries of the Decade

Archaeologists Uncover Infant Remains Wearing Skulls of Older Children

An Exercise in Poo-Tility: Scientist Tries to Make a Knife Out of Poop

Scientists Are Creating a 3D Model of an 18th-Century ‘Vampire Witch’ Who Was Tortured to Death

5 Rules for the Paleo Diet from Actual Paleolithic Humans

Stonehenge Builders Likely Descended From Immigrants, Genetic Analysis Says

Unraveling the History of Human Hair

5 Scientific Steps That Will Make You a Better Dancer

Machu Picchu Is Wheelchair-Accessible for the First Time Ever

10 Discoveries and Inventions That Are More Recent Than You Think

Homo Erectus Might Have Been Really 'Lazy'

Intriguing New Theory Might Explain the Fate of Easter Island's Civilization

Teen Archaeologist Finds a Tooth That's More Than 500,000 Years Old

Ice Age Human Footprints in Canada Reveal a Walk on the Beach Taken 13,000 Years Ago

UK Archaeologists Have Found One of the World’s Oldest 'Crayons'

The Most Complete Fossil of an Early Human Relative Goes on Display

6000-Year-Old Skull Might Belong to World's Oldest Tsunami Victim

6 Pioneering Facts About Mary Leakey

Researchers Unveil an Unusual New Theory For How Easter Island’s Statues Were Made