As artificial intelligence becomes more integrated into the workplace, many employees worry that machines could replace them. Workplace experts say that fear is understandable. But they also say humans still have skills that AI cannot easily match. Those strengths include empathy, relationship-building, critical thinking, ethical judgment, and the ability to make decisions in uncertain situations.

Human skills keep their value

Maria Flynn, president and CEO of Jobs for the Future, said the skills most resistant to AI are the ones most closely tied to human behavior.

Those include building trust, resolving conflict, motivating others, and making ethical decisions, she said. Flynn’s organization calls them “durable skills” because they keep their value through economic shifts, new technology, and labor market disruption.

Employers are looking for these skills in many fields, including technical roles such as IT support, Flynn said. They want workers who can communicate clearly, take initiative, and lead when needed.

Empathy remains hard to automate

Empathy remains one of the clearest examples. Humans can read tone, body language, and emotion in ways AI still struggles to understand. Those skills matter in jobs that depend on care, trust, and sensitivity.

Marco Iansiti, a professor of business administration at Harvard Business School, said he saw that during a hospital stay. Nurses, he said, offered more than routine care. They gave comfort, built trust, and created a human connection.

As AI changes the workplace, experts say the most valuable skills may still be the most human ones.

Empathy, critical thinking, relationship-building and ethical judgment could help workers stay relevant as companies adopt more AI tools. pic.twitter.com/dhcZ1RcmPA

— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) June 12, 2026

AI may still help in hospitals, he said. It can take over paperwork and other routine tasks. That could give nurses more time to focus on patients.

Relationships still matter at work

Relationships also remain difficult to automate. Salespeople, managers, and client-facing workers often rely on years of trust and personal knowledge. A client who has worked with the same person for years may not transfer that trust to an AI system, Iansiti said.

Human connection also matters when conflict arises. Flynn said people are still needed to manage expectations, calm tensions, and help teams move forward.

Colleen Adler, a director analyst in Gartner’s human resources practice, said managers and co-workers still shape how employees feel at work. AI may assist with tasks, but it does not yet match the tone of human connection, she said.

Workers need critical thinking

Critical thinking is another skill gaining importance. AI systems can produce quick answers, but they can also make mistakes.

Amalia Kaufman, a course developer and instructor at the University of California, Irvine Division of Continuing Education, said workers need subject knowledge to judge AI output. They must know when information is wrong and check facts before using it.

A study published in Science also found that AI chatbots were more likely than humans to flatter users and validate their feelings. That makes human judgment even more important.

Ethical judgment requires oversight

Experts say ethical judgment may be harder for AI to copy. Iansiti said AI can appear to understand conscience because it has read about ethics. But it lacks emotion, lived experience, or responsibility.

That matters in high-stakes decisions, including hiring or the use of military force. Guardrails can help guide AI systems, Iansiti said, but human oversight remains necessary.

AI can process large amounts of data. But experts say people still bring context, experience, and judgment to gray areas where there is no clear answer.

As AI changes work, Flynn said, employees should be able to identify and explain the human skills they bring. Those skills may help workers remain valuable in a future shaped by machines.

Researchers working at the ancient Greek city of Termessos (Greek: Τερμησσός) in modern-day Turkey have identified two Greek inscriptions that are shedding new light on the city’s political identity and ritual life in antiquity.

Located in the mountains of ancient Pisidia near modern Antalya, Termessos was part of the wider Greek world that emerged across Anatolia during the Hellenistic period. Perched more than 1,000 meters (aprox. 3,000 ft) above sea level, the city is renowned for its dramatic landscape, well-preserved ruins, and long association with Alexander the Great.

The discoveries were made during ongoing studies at the site inside Güllük Mountain National Park, one of the eastern Mediterranean’s most striking archaeological landscapes.

Inscription proclaims civic independence

Researchers identified one inscription on a heavily weathered section near a collapsed city gate. They made the text readable using digital modeling and modern documentation techniques.

According to researchers, the inscription contains a phrase that may be translated as: “May the rights of the independent Termessians endure forever.”

Prof. Dr. Mustafa Koçak of Antalya Bilim University, director of the excavation, explained that the inscription once stood at the entrance of the city, where it announced Termessos’ status to visitors entering the settlement.

The message is particularly significant because of the city’s famous encounter with Alexander the Great. Ancient sources record that Alexander failed to capture Termessos in 333 BC during his campaign through Anatolia. The episode helped establish the city’s reputation as a formidable mountain stronghold.

The newly deciphered text provides rare written evidence of how the people of Termessos understood their own civic identity and autonomy. Placed at the city gate, the inscription served not only as a marker of entry but also as a public statement of political identity.

Oracle reveals ancient divination practices

Researchers also identified a second inscription linked to divination using astragali, small ankle bones typically taken from sheep or goats. In antiquity, these bones were thrown like dice to seek guidance from the gods, a practice widely known throughout the Greek world.

Prof. Dr. Fatih Onur of Akdeniz University’s Department of Ancient Languages and Cultures explained that such systems used either five or seven bones. The Termessos inscription belongs to the seven-bone system, which produced 120 possible combinations. The resulting numbers directed users to specific written responses.

Three inscription blocks of this type have survived, and one remains visible at the site today. Researchers believe travelers and merchants may have consulted the oracle before journeys, trade, or other important decisions.

According to Onur, the responses were written in poetic language, suggesting that the texts were intended for ritual use rather than simple instruction.

New insight into life at Termessos

Together, the inscriptions offer a rare glimpse into both public and private life in ancient Termessos. One reflects the city’s civic identity and independence, while the other reveals how people sought divine guidance in everyday life.

For archaeologists, the discoveries deepen understanding of a city that stood at the crossroads of local Pisidian traditions and the broader Greek and Hellenistic world that shaped the eastern Mediterranean for centuries.

Conservation experts and archaeologists are uncovering new details about the tomb of Emperor Otto I while carrying out an extensive restoration project at Magdeburg Cathedral.

Since January 2025, the Saxony-Anhalt Cultural Foundation and the State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology have led efforts to preserve the heavily damaged burial site of Otto the Great, the 10th-century ruler who laid the foundations of the Holy Roman Empire.

Excavations uncover clues to the tomb’s history

The relocation of the sarcophagus also allowed archaeologists to investigate its foundation for the first time. Excavations revealed large sandstone blocks beneath the tomb, including reused building stones marked by late medieval stonemasons. The findings suggest that the sarcophagus was moved several times over the centuries.

Excavations produced numerous artifacts, including coins, glass beads, ceramics, roof tiles, clothing pins, and fragments of painted plaster from earlier cathedral structures. Researchers also uncovered a lead bullet beneath the floor, reflecting Magdeburg’s turbulent history.

Archaeologists restoring the tomb of Emperor Otto I in Magdeburg Cathedral have uncovered medieval foundations, underground passages and centuries-old artifacts. pic.twitter.com/B1PNeRTlwq

— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) June 12, 2026

Researchers also uncovered layers of rubble linked to medieval and early modern construction activities in the cathedral’s High Choir. A network of underground passages, some possibly dating to the Middle Ages, was also documented.

Despite the discoveries, archaeologists found no evidence showing whether Otto I’s tomb occupied the same location in an earlier cathedral that once stood on the site. The original placement of the emperor’s burial, therefore, remains uncertain.

Damage prompted conservation efforts

Otto I, who was crowned emperor in 962, established one of medieval Europe’s most powerful empires. His tomb in Magdeburg Cathedral is considered one of Germany’s most important medieval monuments.

The project began after routine inspections in 2024 revealed serious deterioration in the emperor’s tomb. Researchers identified several threats to the monument, including corroded iron fittings, rising moisture from the ground, and fluctuating humidity levels inside the cathedral.

Scientific analyses confirm the emperor’s remains

As part of the conservation work, experts carried out extensive non-invasive documentation of the sarcophagus and its surroundings. The marble cover slab, weighing about 300 kilograms (660 pounds), was removed so researchers could examine the damaged wooden coffin inside.

Anthropological and genetic analyses later confirmed that the human remains belonged to Otto I, supporting centuries-old historical accounts of his burial at the cathedral.

The emperor’s remains are scheduled to be reinterred on Sept. 1, 2026, in a newly designed coffin currently being created through a competition organized by the Saxony-Anhalt Art Foundation.

Restoration work addresses long-term damage

To protect the monument for the future, conservation teams moved the limestone sarcophagus from its original location in early 2026 using a specially designed transport structure. The sarcophagus now sits inside a secure enclosure within the cathedral, where restoration work is underway.

Specialists are removing corroded iron nails and clamps, many believed to date to the 19th century. As the metal rusted over time, it expanded and placed pressure on the stone, increasing the risk of cracking. Conservators are also removing harmful iron residues from the marble cover slab.

Cathedral remains open during conservation work

Church services continue as normal during the project, while visitors can still view major features of the cathedral, including the High Choir and its famous 13th-century sculptures. Officials said the public will continue to receive updates as restoration and research progress.

Archaeologists are excavating a prehistoric cave in northern Israel that could provide rare insights into early human life, how they adapted, and developed new technologies hundreds of thousands of years ago.

The cave was discovered on the outskirts of Fureidis, south of Haifa, near the Zichron Ya’acov interchange. The excavation is being led by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) in partnership with researchers from the University of Haifa. Funding for the project is being provided by Ayalon Highways Company.

Researchers date the cave to between 250,000 and 400,000 years ago, placing it within the Acheulo-Yabrudian cultural complex, a group of prehistoric cultures that existed in the Levant during the final stages of the Lower Paleolithic period.

Exceptionally preserved prehistoric site

The site has drawn attention because of its exceptional state of preservation. “It is very rare to find a site in such a state of preservation,” said Dr. Kobi Vardi, head of the IAA’s Prehistory Branch and one of the excavation directors. “Every prehistorian who visits the site is absolutely thrilled.”

Vardi said the cave is comparable in importance to the famous Nahal Me’arot caves in northern Israel, which date to the same period. “The site, which is no less important than the well-known Nahal Me’arot site, and dates to the same period, will allow us to study in high resolution how humans lived at that time,” he said.

Excavations have already uncovered animal bones belonging to fallow deer, gazelles, and ancient horses. Researchers have also found evidence of a nearby water source, suggesting the area may have attracted prehistoric hunter-gatherer groups.

Clues to ancient technology and daily life

The Acheulo-Yabrudian culture is known for advanced stone-tool production. Archaeologists say people living during this period produced carefully crafted flint tools, including handaxes, scrapers, and blades. These technologies reflect an important stage in human development.

Researchers believe the cave may help answer key questions about a period that preceded the rise and spread of both Neanderthals and modern humans.

“We have been fortunate to excavate a unique site of global importance that has been protected from the ravages of time thanks to the exceptional conditions that existed here,” said Prof. Ron Shimelmitz of the University of Haifa.

“This time capsule belongs to a unique period at the end of the Lower Paleolithic era, just before Neanderthals and modern humans became dominant and spread across many regions,” he said.

Evidence of growing social complexity

According to Shimelmitz, the Acheulo-Yabrudian period marked a turning point in human evolution. Gradual changes in technology, social organization, and behavior began to emerge during this era, laying the foundations for more complex societies.

Researchers believe people started living in larger groups and spending longer periods at the same locations. Evidence from similar caves points to repeated use of fire and extended occupation, suggesting increasingly organized camp life and stronger social cooperation.

“These are findings that many researchers associate with the development of social cooperation and the transmission of knowledge, as part of the processes of human evolution,” Shimelmitz said.

Plans for future research

The IAA and the University of Haifa plan to launch a broader research program at the site. Researchers also hope the cave will eventually be opened to the public, allowing residents, students, and visitors to explore one of the region’s most important prehistoric discoveries.

Ancient footprints carved into rocks across Scandinavia may have served a much deeper purpose than simple decoration. New research suggests these unusual carvings, known as podomorphs, could have helped Bronze Age people create lasting connections with places and with each other.

The study, led by Fredrik Fahlander and published in the Oxford Journal of Archaeology, challenges traditional views that treated the carvings mainly as symbols or images. Instead, the research argues that the footprints were active parts of social and ritual life during the Nordic Bronze Age, which lasted roughly from 1700 BC to 500 BC.

A unique feature of Scandinavian rock art

Rock art from the Nordic Bronze Age includes several common motifs, such as boats, people, animals, and circles. Footprints stand out from the rest.

Unlike other designs, the carved footprints are often close to life size. They appear throughout southern Scandinavia and are found both along coastlines and inland. Researchers note that similar footprint carvings are rare elsewhere in Europe during the same period.

The carvings show both bare feet and footprints left by leather footwear. Many include lines that appear to represent shoe straps. Some are deeply hollowed out, while others are outlined with grooves. Researchers believe the artists deliberately made them resemble real footprints left in sand, mud, or snow.

For decades, archaeologists proposed various explanations. Some suggested the footprints represented gods, ancestors, or the dead. Others linked them to rituals, remembrance, or claims over territory. Yet many of those theories struggled to explain the wide variety of footprint sizes, shapes, and arrangements found across Scandinavia.

Looking beyond symbolism

Fahlander approached the carvings from a different angle. Instead of asking what the footprints represented, the study examined how they were made, where they were placed, and how they interacted with the surrounding landscape.

The research focused on the Mälaren region of eastern Sweden, where more than 600 footprint carvings have been documented across over 140 sites. Most appear near former shorelines and waterways. Many face toward water or natural channels where rainwater regularly flows across the rock surface.

Some footprints were carved directly across quartz veins or placed within mineral-rich sections of rock. Others were positioned around natural cracks and depressions that collect water. These patterns suggest the locations were carefully chosen rather than random.

The study argues that the carvings were intended to interact with the natural qualities of the rock. Water, minerals, and landscape features may have played important roles in how people understood the footprints and their power.

Footprints may have linked people together

Many paired carvings are not identical. One footprint is often larger than the other. Some differ in design, orientation, or level of detail. This suggests they may not represent a single person’s two feet. Instead, researchers propose that two different individuals may have contributed to the pair.

According to the study, a lone footprint may have served as an invitation for another person to add a matching one later. The result would be a permanent connection carved into stone.

Researchers suggest these paired footprints could have marked friendships, agreements, family ties, marriages, or other important relationships. Some examples show the footprints connected by grooves or enclosed within shared shapes, strengthening the impression of a deliberate bond.

The idea fits a broader pattern seen in Bronze Age Scandinavia, where objects were often deposited in pairs during rituals.

More than simple images

The study concludes that the footprint carvings were likely much more than artistic symbols. They may have been seen as extensions of real people who remained connected to them over time.

Unlike ordinary footprints that disappear from sand or soil, these impressions were carved into stone to last for generations. Researchers believe that permanence was part of their purpose.

While the exact meaning of every footprint remains uncertain, the research suggests they helped Bronze Age communities materialize personal relationships and social connections in a lasting way. Nearly 3,000 years later, those carved traces may still preserve echoes of the people who created them.

A highly anticipated gene therapy human trial is now testing whether scientists can make aging cells behave like younger ones, a development that could open a new chapter in regenerative medicine. The study, focused on keeping cells young through a process known as partial reprogramming, has treated its first patient with a form of glaucoma that can lead to blindness.

The trial is being conducted by Life Biosciences, a biotechnology company based in Boston. Researchers are testing a gene therapy designed to activate three specific genes inside cells. The goal is to restore some of the traits of younger cells without changing their identity or normal function.

Scientists have long been interested in the possibility of reversing some effects of aging at the cellular level. The new trial marks one of the first major efforts to test that idea in people.

Scientists test partial reprogramming in humans

Glaucoma was chosen as the first target because the disease damages neurons in the optic nerve, which carries visual information from the eye to the brain. Once injured, these nerve cells normally do not regenerate. Researchers hope the treatment will encourage damaged neurons to repair themselves and restore lost function.

The approach is based on a concept called partial reprogramming. Scientists discovered years ago that four genes could transform adult cells into stem-cell-like cells. While that breakthrough created powerful research tools, it also raised concerns because fully reprogrammed cells lose their specialized roles.

The new strategy takes a more controlled approach. Instead of using all four genes, researchers activate only three. The aim is to roll back some signs of aging while allowing cells to remain the specialized cells they were meant to be.

Mouse studies sparked interest

Interest in the field grew after a 2020 study led by geneticist David Sinclair. His team reported that activating the three genes in mice with damaged optic nerves promoted nerve regeneration and improved vision. The treatment also appeared to reverse vision loss in older mice and animals with glaucoma.

Scientists have launched the first human trial of a gene therapy designed to make aging cells act young again. The treatment uses three genes to partially reprogram cells and is being tested in glaucoma patients. pic.twitter.com/A7nVv2vmdi

— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) June 10, 2026

Those findings generated excitement among scientists studying aging and longevity. They suggested that some effects of aging might not be permanent and that cells may retain the ability to recover youthful functions under the right conditions.

Since then, Life Biosciences has carried out additional studies in rodents and monkeys. According to the company, those experiments did not reveal serious safety problems. The human trial is now intended to determine whether the treatment can be used safely in patients.

Safety concerns remain

Although several animal studies have reported promising results, some researchers worry that changing a cell’s biological age could have unintended consequences. One concern is that reprogrammed cells might begin dividing uncontrollably, increasing the risk of cancer.

Matt Kaeberlein said the technology offers enormous potential if it can be shown to work safely in people. At the same time, he noted that the field remains in its early stages and that researchers must carefully watch for serious side effects.

Experts say the eye may be one of the safest places to begin testing the approach. Any unexpected effects are likely to remain localized, reducing the risk of widespread damage elsewhere in the body.

A key milestone for longevity research

Researchers view the trial as an important milestone for a field that has largely been confined to laboratory and animal studies. Success could eventually lead to treatments for diseases linked to aging and tissue degeneration. Failure, however, could reinforce concerns about the risks of altering cellular identity.

For now, scientists are watching closely as the first participants receive a therapy designed to answer one of medicine’s most ambitious questions: Can aging cells truly be persuaded to act young again?

Archaeologists working in southern Kazakhstan have documented more than 1,200 petroglyphs and a rare Old Turkic runic inscription in Burkhansai Gorge. This discovery sheds new light on ancient pastoral life, cultural traditions, and early writing in Central Asia.

The site lies in the Zhualy District of Kazakhstan’s Jambyl Region. Researchers say the rock carvings span several historical periods, from the end of the third millennium BC through the medieval era and later times. The current count is considered preliminary, and archaeologists expect additional discoveries as surveys continue.

Among the most significant finds is a short inscription written in Old Turkic runiform script. The five-character text has been interpreted as “Er atym Aba,” meaning “My name is Aba.” Researchers believe it may have been carved more than 1,000 years ago.

Rock art reveals a long history of human activity

Researchers say Burkhansai Gorge preserves evidence of human activity across thousands of years rather than representing a single period of occupation.

According to Anatoly Shayakhmetov of the A. Kh. Margulan Institute of Archaeology, the petroglyphs are distributed across five groups that follow the course of a stream through the gorge. The carvings date to different periods, including the Bronze Age, Early Iron Age, Middle Ages, and later historical eras.

Archaeologists have also identified three burial grounds, known as Burkhansai 1, Burkhansai 2, and Burkhansai 3. The cemeteries are believed to date to the Early Iron Age and medieval periods.

The earliest carvings are estimated to be about 4,000 years old. Many depict goats, one-humped camels, and hunting scenes. Researchers say these images reflect communities that relied on herding and hunting while moving through mountain landscapes.

The combination of rock art and burial sites suggests the gorge served as more than a place for carving images. Researchers believe it formed part of a wider cultural landscape used by different communities over many centuries.

Rare inscription preserves a personal message

Researchers describe the runic inscription as one of the site’s most important discoveries.

Boris Zheleznyakov of the A. Kh. Margulan Institute of Archaeology said the text was written in the Talas script, a regional form of Old Turkic writing found across parts of Central Asia. He suggested the person who carved the inscription may have been marking his presence or association with the area.

The inscription was later examined by Old Turkic writing specialist Vladimir Tishin, who interpreted the text as “My name is Aba.”

Unlike large royal inscriptions that commemorate rulers or political events, the Burkhansai inscription appears to preserve the words of an ordinary individual. Researchers say that personal quality makes the discovery especially valuable.

The find also contributes to the study of Old Turkic literacy and the spread of writing traditions across Central Asia during the medieval period.

Southern Kazakhstan served as a cultural crossroads

The discovery adds to Kazakhstan’s reputation as one of Central Asia’s richest regions for rock art. Researchers note that mountain gorges and river valleys often acted as long-term cultural archives where generations left carvings, inscriptions, and burial sites.

Southern Kazakhstan was historically connected to the Talas Valley, the Western Tien Shan, and the ancient Silk Road city of Taraz. For centuries, the region served as a meeting point for pastoral groups, traders, and settled communities.

Researchers say Burkhansai’s access to water, shelter, and travel routes may explain why evidence from so many different periods survived in one location.

Researchers plan a further study of the site

Archaeologists are continuing to classify the petroglyphs, investigate the burial grounds, and search for nearby settlements that may help explain how ancient communities used the surrounding landscape.

Researchers also plan to publish a comprehensive study of the site and seek state protection for the archaeological complex.

For now, Burkhansai Gorge stands as a remarkable record of human activity spanning millennia. Its rock carvings reveal how people lived, hunted, and traveled through the region, while a simple inscription preserves the name of one person whose mark on the landscape has survived for more than a thousand years.

Researchers examining the remains of an Iron Age woman in northern Scotland have found signs that her brain may have been intentionally removed more than 2,000 years ago.

The discovery, made at a burial cairn in Sutherland, also revealed long-distance family connections, suggesting prehistoric communities maintained social and cultural ties across wide areas of Scotland.

The findings were published in the journal Antiquity and come from an investigation of two individuals buried in a low stone cairn at Loch Borralie, near the northwestern tip of mainland Scotland. The burial contained the remains of an adult woman and a juvenile boy.

Rare glimpse into Iron Age burial practices

Understanding funerary traditions in Iron Age Britain has long been difficult because human remains rarely survive. Soil conditions often destroy bone over time. North-west Scotland is one of the few regions where environmental conditions have preserved skeletal remains, offering researchers a rare opportunity to study how ancient communities treated their dead.

Researchers from the United Kingdom and the United States examined the remains to determine who the individuals were, where they came from, and whether they were related to each other or other groups in the region.

“We knew that in the north-west of Scotland, including the Northern and Western Isles, the circulation and deposition of human remains were particularly prominent,” said lead author Dr. Laura Castells Navarro of the University of York.

Evidence points to deliberate brain removal

To investigate the burial, researchers combined osteological analysis, isotope testing, and ancient DNA studies.

The most striking discovery involved the adult woman. Researchers found fine cut marks on the inside of her skull and identified unusual modifications to several long bones, including the upper arm, forearm, and thigh bones. The bones had been shaped so that their ends tapered into points.

According to the researchers, the evidence suggests the woman’s brain was intentionally removed after death, and some of her bones were deliberately carved before burial.

The purpose of these actions remains unclear. However, researchers believe the treatment may indicate that the woman held a special place within her community.

“The motivation behind the extensive manipulation of the skeletal remains of Individual 1 is very difficult to interpret,” Castells Navarro said. “However, the care with which she was reassembled and deposited in the cairn possibly suggests she commanded a level of reverence and respect by her community.”

DNA reveals connections across Scotland

The study also uncovered evidence of extensive mobility among Iron Age communities.

Isotope analysis indicated that both individuals likely spent their childhoods about 80 kilometers southeast of Loch Borralie. Ancient DNA revealed genetic links to people living in Orkney, roughly 175 kilometers northeast of the site, and Applecross, around 225 kilometers to the southwest.

Researchers also determined that the woman and the boy were closely related, most likely maternal second cousins.

The findings suggest that family groups moved regularly around Scotland’s northern coast and islands while maintaining relationships across considerable distances.

“More broadly, our research shows that prehistoric maritime communities periodically moved around the north coast and Northern Isles of Scotland, possibly in small groups,” Castells Navarro said. “This movement allowed for the spread and maintenance of cultural practices and traditions.”

New clues to prehistoric social networks

Taken together, the evidence of possible brain removal, deliberate bone modification, and long-distance family connections points to a complex society linked by shared traditions and social networks.

While researchers cannot determine exactly why the woman’s remains were altered, the burial suggests that some Iron Age communities maintained ongoing relationships with the dead and practiced funerary rituals that extended far beyond simple burial.

The findings provide a rare glimpse into beliefs and customs that shaped life in prehistoric Scotland more than two millennia ago.

A collection of 22,000-year-old jewelry discovered in northern Spain is offering new insights into how Ice Age hunter-gatherers expressed identity, exchanged ideas, and maintained social networks across vast distances.

Researchers found that people living in and around Llonín Cave used shells, animal teeth, bones, and even fossils to create personal ornaments over thousands of years, revealing changing patterns of social life during the Upper Paleolithic.

The study, led by Daniel Pérez-García de los Salmones and published in PLOS One, analyzed 271 ornaments recovered from Llonín Cave in northern Spain. The cave preserves a long archaeological sequence dating from roughly 23,500 to 11,000 years ago, covering several major cultural periods of the Late Ice Age.

A cave filled with symbolic objects

The ornaments included marine shells, red deer teeth, fish vertebrae, bone fragments, and a fossilized tube worm. Most were intentionally modified and worn as pendants or beads. Researchers identified at least 17 genera and 15 species used in their production. Marine shells made up the largest share of the collection, while red deer canine teeth were the most common animal-derived ornaments.

Microscopic analysis showed that many pieces had been worn for long periods. Friction from cords, clothing, or skin leaves polish marks, grooves, and rounded edges around perforations. More than 90% of the analyzed ornaments displayed signs of use.

A new study from Llonín Cave in northern Spain suggests Ice Age hunter-gatherers used shells, animal teeth, bones, and fossils to create ornaments that expressed identity, marked social ties, and connected communities across long distances.#Archaeology #IceAge #Jewelry #Spain pic.twitter.com/DXcBNuubUJ

— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) June 9, 2026

Researchers also found evidence that some ornaments were made inside the cave. Unfinished deer tooth pendants and partially worked animal teeth suggest that people crafted jewelry on site rather than simply acquiring finished pieces from elsewhere.

Long-distance connections across Ice Age Iberia

One of the most striking discoveries involved shells that likely originated from the Mediterranean coast. The species Tritia mutabilis does not naturally occur along the Cantabrian coast of northern Spain, where Llonín Cave is located.

Its presence suggests that people exchanged objects or maintained contact networks stretching hundreds of kilometers across the Iberian Peninsula.

The cave occupied a strategic position between the Atlantic coast, the Ebro Valley, and routes leading toward the Pyrenees. Researchers argue that these pathways helped facilitate the movement of materials, ornaments, and cultural traditions between distant groups.

From individual identity to group identity

The study found that ornament styles changed over time. During the Upper Solutrean period, around 23,500 to 22,000 years ago, jewelry showed great diversity in materials, manufacturing methods, and designs. Researchers believe these ornaments likely served as markers of individual identity and personal expression.

Later, during the Middle Magdalenian period, ornament production became more standardized. Shell beads were more uniform in size and style, and many appear to have arrived at the cave already finished.

Researchers suggest that this shift reflects larger social gatherings where ornaments may have been used to signal group membership or strengthen alliances among different communities.

A window into Ice Age society

The findings suggest that personal ornaments were far more than decorative objects. They helped communicate identity, social relationships, and cultural connections during a time when hunter-gatherer groups were spread across changing Ice Age landscapes.

According to the researchers, Llonín Cave stands out as an important site for understanding how prehistoric people used jewelry to navigate both everyday life and wider social networks. The collection shows that even 22,000 years ago, people were connected through systems of exchange, shared traditions, and symbolic communication that stretched far beyond their local communities.

Archaeologists in Turkey have uncovered four headless female figurines dating back about 8,000 years, a discovery that is offering new insight into ritual practices among some of Anatolia’s earliest farming communities.

The terracotta figurines were found at Kanlıtaş mound near the Inönü district of Eskişehir in northwestern Turkey. Excavations at the site have been conducted since 2013 under the direction of Anadolu University.

Kanlıtaş is considered one of the earliest known settlements in the region spanning modern-day Eskişehir, Afyonkarahisar, and Kütahya. Researchers say the site provides important evidence about daily life, settlement patterns, and cultural traditions during the Neolithic period.

Figurines discovered inside ancient structures

Professor Ali Umut Türkcan, who leads the excavation team and teaches archaeology at Anadolu University, said the figurines were uncovered within fill layers at the bases of rectangular buildings.

Researchers determined that the artifacts belong to the final phase of the Neolithic period. All four figurines depict women. The largest measures about 12 to 13 centimeters (5 inches) in length, while the others are approximately 5 to 6 centimeters long.

Although female figurines are common at Neolithic sites across Anatolia, the Kanlıtaş examples stand out because of their condition and context. Several were found with their heads intentionally broken off.

Eskişehir’in İnönü ilçesindeki Kanlıtaş Höyüğü’nde bulunan 8 bin yıllık 4 başsız figürün Neolitik dönem yapı ritüellerinde kullanıldığı tespit edildi. pic.twitter.com/MkBkOCI6Wt

— Punto360 (@punto360tr) June 9, 2026

“The presence of headless or broken-headed female figurines in spaces that appear to have been intentionally sealed suggests they may have been left as offerings during the closure of structures,” Türkcan said.

Researchers believe the figurines were deliberately deposited when buildings were abandoned or taken out of use. Similar practices have been identified at other Neolithic settlements, including Çatalhöyük in central Turkey, one of the world’s most extensively studied prehistoric sites.

Distinctive features set the figurines apart

The Kanlıtaş figurines also display characteristics that distinguish them from many other Neolithic figurines found in Turkey.

Türkcan noted that the figures place unusual emphasis on the hip area. This stylistic feature resembles female figurines discovered in parts of the Balkans, particularly regions once associated with the Neolithic Vinca culture.

The similarity suggests that communities living in different parts of southeastern Europe and Anatolia may have shared artistic traditions or symbolic ideas during the Neolithic era.

Discovery may strengthen evidence of cultural links

Researchers also pointed to possible connections between Kanlıtaş and the broader Porsuk cultural sphere of western central Anatolia. Archaeologists have long debated links between the Porsuk culture and Neolithic communities in the Balkans.

According to Türkcan, radiocarbon dating results indicate that the Porsuk culture may predate some neighboring cultural traditions. The findings could help explain how cultural influences spread between Anatolia and southeastern Europe thousands of years ago.

The discovery adds to growing evidence that Neolithic communities maintained complex social and symbolic traditions. The figurines not only provide clues about ritual behavior but may also help researchers better understand cultural interactions across a wide region.

The excavation team plans to publish the findings in a comprehensive scientific monograph and reference volume in the coming years. Further research may reveal more about the role these Neolithic figurines played in the beliefs and practices of early communities in Turkey.

Ancient Peru geoglyphs in the Chillón Valley near Lima are offering new clues about how early communities may have used and organized the landscape thousands of years ago.

A new study suggests that some of these large ground markings were placed in ways that cannot be fully explained by chance, although researchers caution that the evidence does not yet prove a direct connection to ancient roads or ritual practices.

The research, led by Christian Mesía-Montenegro and published in PLOS One, examined geoglyphs in two areas of Peru’s middle Chillón Valley known as Huarabí and Pichausa.

The study combined field surveys, drone mapping, and statistical modeling to investigate whether the location of the geoglyphs was related to nearby routes used for movement through the rugged valley landscape.

Geoglyphs are large designs or markings created on the ground. Peru is best known for the famous Nazca Lines, but similar features exist in several other parts of the country. Many remain poorly studied compared with the better-known geoglyphs of southern Peru.

Researchers examine overlooked geoglyph sites

The geoglyphs documented at Huarabí and Pichausa differ from many of Peru’s famous geometric and animal-shaped figures. Instead, they consist of irregular line patterns located within quebradas, or dry valleys, that cut through the landscape.

Researchers conducted systematic surveys between 2021 and 2022 and recorded geoglyphs across multiple sectors of the Chillón Valley. The study focused on four irregular geoglyph groups, two at Huarabí and two at Pichausa. It also examined six locations near Huarabí where surface pottery fragments from the Formative Period were found.

Ancient geoglyphs in Peru's Chillón Valley are shedding new light on how early communities may have used and organized the landscape. pic.twitter.com/HkbOKhx2Ic

— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) June 9, 2026

The Formative Period on Peru’s central coast spans a time when early ceremonial centers, agriculture, and ceramic traditions were developing. Nearby archaeological sites include several U-shaped ceremonial structures that played important roles in the region’s ancient communities.

Statistical tests challenge simple explanations

Rather than simply measuring distances between geoglyphs and routes, researchers used Monte Carlo simulations. This method allowed them to compare the actual placement of the geoglyphs with thousands of hypothetical random placements across the landscape. The results showed a contrast between the two study areas.

At Huarabí, the geoglyphs differed from what would be expected under the researchers’ chance-placement models. At Pichausa, however, the geoglyphs generally matched patterns that could be produced through random placement. The findings suggest that Huarabí may have followed a different spatial logic than Pichausa.

Even so, the researchers emphasize that the results do not automatically mean the geoglyphs were intentionally built beside roads or movement corridors.

Instead, the analysis shows only that the Huarabí geoglyphs were less easily reproduced by the statistical models used in the study. Other factors, including terrain, visibility, erosion, and landscape features, could also have influenced where the geoglyphs were created.

Pottery provides limited clues about age

One of the study’s most important findings concerns chronology. At Huarabí, researchers identified diagnostic pottery fragments that resemble ceramics from the Formative Period. The pottery suggests human activity occurred near the geoglyphs during that era.

However, the artifacts were found on the surface rather than in sealed archaeological deposits. As a result, they cannot directly date the construction of the geoglyphs.

No comparable pottery evidence was discovered at Pichausa, making the age of those geoglyphs even less certain. Because of these limitations, the researchers avoid claiming that the geoglyphs themselves were definitely built during the Formative Period.

Questions remain about ancient landscape use

Researchers conclude that Huarabí should currently be viewed as a geoglyph locality associated with nearby Formative-period activity rather than as a securely dated Formative geoglyph complex.

They argue that future work should focus on obtaining direct dates, studying visibility across the landscape, and developing more detailed models of how ancient people moved through the valley.

While the findings do not solve the mystery of the Chillón Valley geoglyphs, they provide one of the most detailed examinations to date of how these large ground markings may have related to movement, settlement, and ritual activity in ancient Peru.

The Pentagon has sharply reduced the number of religion codes used by the U.S. military, replacing a list of about 220 faith groups and denominations with 31 broader religious categories.

The updated system, which is expected to take effect in July, has sparked debate among veterans, chaplains, lawmakers, and religious groups over its potential impact on faith representation within the armed forces.

The new categories include Buddhism, Hinduism, Baha’i, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism, and a designation for people with no religious affiliation. Christian denominations make up most of the recognized categories.

Pentagon says change is administrative

Military officials said the change is intended to simplify record-keeping and improve data collection for military chaplains. The Pentagon explained that the revised list is not meant to determine which religions are officially approved or recognized by the government.

Service members whose faiths are not among the 31 listed categories will still be able to identify their religion and include it on military dog tags, officials said.

Critics question the impact on religious diversity

The policy change has drawn criticism from some veterans, former chaplains, and religious groups who argue that the consolidation could reduce the visibility of minority faiths within military records.

The Office of the Secretary of War is announcing a significant change to the Department’s categorization of religious affiliation. In a long overdue move, we reduced the list from over 200 unmanageable categories to 31. With this move, we are returning to the original intent of… https://t.co/dgHX5ytzjJ pic.twitter.com/eho537O08J

— Sean Parnell (@SeanParnellASW) June 5, 2026

A former U.S. Army chaplain said that the move raises concerns about the military’s commitment to religious diversity.

“When I raised my hand to become an Army chaplain, I swore that I would support and defend the Constitution,” the former chaplain said. “The First Amendment is the free exercise of religion for everybody. That’s what I was buying into.”

The update also arrives amid broader debate over Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his public use of Christian prayers while discussing military operations. Some critics have questioned whether such expressions blur the line between personal faith and official government leadership.

Latter-day Saints’ designation draws attention

The revised system has also sparked concern among members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Under the new classification structure, the church appears as a separate category rather than being included among the military’s Christian denominations.

That decision prompted criticism from Mike Lee, a Republican senator from Utah and a member of the church.

“Can anyone tell me why The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was left out of the list of Christian churches?” Lee wrote on X.

Can anyone tell me why The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was left out of the list of Christian churches? pic.twitter.com/t4u6PI29ON

— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) June 6, 2026

Smaller faith groups lose separate classifications

According to an analysis, the consolidation removed separate classifications for numerous faith traditions, spiritual movements, and nonreligious belief systems. Those no longer listed individually include Eckankar, Heathen, Native American spiritual traditions, Rosicrucianism, Druidism, Deism, Asatru, Paganism, Humanism, Unitarian Universalism, Wicca, Shamanism, and Atheism, among others.

Defense Department officials have emphasized that the changes are administrative rather than ideological. Sean Parnell, a Defense Department official, said the military continues to place a high value on the First Amendment and the free exercise of religion for all service members.

A painting found in a German family home has revealed how Nazi-era imagery may have been hidden beneath a more acceptable postwar scene. The work is linked to Erich Mercker, a Munich painter who lived from 1891 to 1973. Mercker had a successful career and painted several works during the Nazi period. Some included hidden Nazi symbols and political themes.

One of his known works, “Die Stätte des 9. November,” showed the Feldherrnhalle in Munich. The site carried strong meaning for the Nazi Party. It was tied to Adolf Hitler’s failed 1923 coup, also known as the Beer Hall Putsch.

Postwar versions removed Nazi symbols

After World War II, Mercker continued to paint the same Munich scene. But later versions appeared different. He removed soldiers, wreaths, and Nazi symbols. He also replaced the Nazi flag with the blue-and-white flag of Bavaria.

The works appeared under less politically charged titles, including “Feldherrnhalle” and “München am Odeonsplatz.”

Filmmaker and producer Dr. Thomas Schuhbauer found one version in his parents’ home. They had received it as a wedding gift in 1966.

At first, the painting looked like a postwar version of the scene. It showed the Bavarian flag and no clear Nazi symbols. But some details raised questions. The Nazi memorial at the Feldherrnhalle was still partly visible. That memorial was destroyed after Germany’s surrender in 1945. Reddish paint traces also appeared near the flag.

X-ray scans reveal hidden image

Schuhbauer contacted Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin, known as HZB. He began working with Dr. Ioanna Mantouvalou, a physicist at TU Berlin and HZB. Mantouvalou specializes in X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, or XRF.

X-ray scans have revealed Nazi symbols hidden beneath a postwar painting linked to Munich artist Erich Mercker.

Researchers found a red Nazi flag, wreaths, soldiers and raised arms painted over beneath a later Bavarian scene. pic.twitter.com/qrkIfazLhm

— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) June 9, 2026

The method lets researchers identify chemical elements in materials without damaging them. It can also reveal paint layers beneath the surface.

The XRF scans showed that Nazi imagery had been painted over. A red Nazi flag lay beneath the Bavarian flag. Researchers also found covered wreaths on the monument, soldiers in the scene, and raised arms of passersby.

The overpainted areas contained high levels of titanium white. That pigment did not appear elsewhere in the painting. A tube of oil paint labeled “Titanium White 10103 Schmincke” was later found among Mercker’s paint tubes.

Evidence points to later alteration

Researchers said the evidence suggests that Mercker may have altered the painting himself. Some changes appeared rushed or careless.

The study, published in npj Heritage Science, also situates the painting within a broader postwar context. The authors noted that many artists faced little public criticism for their Nazi-era collaboration until well into the 1960s.

The painting now belongs to the Munich Documentation Centre for the History of National Socialism. The case shows how science, art history, and family memory can work together. It also shows how political symbols can disappear from view without fully leaving the historical record.

Archaeologists in Denmark are recreating a puzzling Iron Age feature to understand better its purpose more than 2,500 years after it was built. Known as hulbælter in Iron Age, or “hole belts,” the structures consist of long rows of shallow pits that stretch across the landscape.

Dating to around 500–300 B.C., some extend for hundreds of meters, while others run for several kilometers. Researchers have identified nearly 50 examples across Denmark, particularly in central and western Jutland. Despite decades of study, archaeologists still do not know exactly why the pits were dug.

Hole belts remain one of Denmark’s oldest mysteries

The pits are not graves, ordinary postholes, or waste pits. Instead, they form organized belts three to six meters (9.8 to 19.6 feet) wide, with individual holes typically measuring only 30 to 40 centimeters (0.98 to 1.3 feet) deep.

Similar features have been reported in Sweden and the Netherlands, but they are far more common in Denmark. Their unusual layout suggests they were built for a specific purpose rather than as isolated features.

To investigate, researchers at the Saxo Institute at the University of Copenhagen have launched a large-scale experimental archaeology project.

Researchers rebuild an Iron Age landscape

Led by associate professor Henriette Lyngstrøm, the project brings together 30 archaeology students at Sagnlandet Lejre, an open-air research center and reconstructed Iron Age village.

The team is rebuilding a hole belt from scratch using reconstructed tools and ancient techniques. Researchers are measuring the time, effort, and coordination needed to create the features. The goal is to move beyond theory and test how the belts may have functioned in everyday life.

Digging reveals the scale of Iron Age labor

One part of the project focuses on reconstructed wooden spades based on Iron Age finds. Archaeologists once thought some of these tools may have been paddles. However, traces of soil, stones, and wear patterns suggest they were used for digging.

Archaeologists in Denmark are recreating mysterious 2,500-year-old Iron Age "hole belts" to uncover their purpose.

Were they defensive barriers, storage pits, boundary markers, or something else entirely?#Archaeology #IronAge #Denmark #AncientHistory pic.twitter.com/o3ZrDywejZ

— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) June 8, 2026

Tests showed that wooden spades could create the pits, but the work was slow and physically demanding. The tools also required frequent sharpening.

The findings indicate that constructing long hole belts would have required planning, organization, and coordinated labor. Researchers say such projects likely involved leadership and cooperation within Iron Age communities.

Food storage theory gets a real-world test

Researchers also examined whether some pits could have been used for storage. Graduate student Angelyn Sørensen placed a chicken inside a ceramic jar buried in a reconstructed pit. On a day when air temperatures reached about 20 degrees Celsius, the meat warmed only slightly, rising from around 10 to 12 degrees.

The results suggest that covered pits could help moderate temperatures, although the experiment does not prove a storage function.

Experiments test the defensive barrier theory

The strongest results came from tests of the defensive theory. Earlier studies showed that sheep and cattle could cross similar pit zones without difficulty. However, when researchers staged mock combat exercises, the pits made movement more difficult for attackers.

Participants struggled to maintain balance, move quickly, and fight while crossing the uneven terrain.

Researchers stress that no single explanation has been confirmed. Still, the experiments show that the hole belts were carefully planned features that required labor, organization, and a clear purpose. Their exact role remains uncertain, but the project is bringing archaeologists closer to understanding one of Denmark’s most enduring Iron Age mysteries.

A new study suggests that the carved symbols at Göbekli Tepe may have been part of a sophisticated belief system that connected timekeeping, sacred space, death, and the heavens.

Published in the International Journal of Culture and History, the research by Oleksandr Zavalii compares imagery from the famous Vulture Stone at Göbekli Tepe with ritual symbols from the later Trypillia culture of present-day Ukraine, Moldova, and Romania.

The study argues that both societies may have used similar symbolic frameworks to understand the cosmos and organize religious life.

Göbekli Tepe, in southeastern Türkiye, dates to roughly 9600-8200 BCE and is considered one of the world’s earliest monumental ritual centers. Zavalii focuses on several of its carved pillars, particularly Stele 43, known as the Vulture Stone.

Researchers interpret the Vulture Stone as a cosmological map

The monument features birds, snakes, a scorpion, geometric symbols, and a headless human figure. Zavalii argues that the arrangement was deliberate. The upper portion contains bird figures, circles, and abstract signs that may represent celestial forces.

The lower section contains animals and human imagery associated with the earthly world, death, or the underworld. Rather than viewing the carvings as isolated images, the study interprets them as parts of a broader symbolic language.

The Vulture Stone has attracted astronomical interpretations for years. In 2017, researchers Martin Sweatman and Dimitrios Tsikritsis proposed that some animal figures represented constellations and may have recorded events linked to the debated Younger Dryas impact hypothesis.

Did the builders of Göbekli Tepe share cosmological ideas with ancient farmers?

A new study compares the site's famous Vulture Stone with Trypillia ritual symbolism and suggests both cultures may have used same concepts to understand time, sacred space, death and the heavens. pic.twitter.com/hO1lHtUvYu

— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) June 8, 2026

A later study by Sweatman suggested that V-shaped marks on the pillar could represent a lunisolar calendar. However, these interpretations remain controversial.

Researchers associated with the German Archaeological Institute have argued that repeated rebuilding and possible roofing of the structures complicate claims that the site functioned as an open-air observatory.

Numerical patterns may reflect concepts of sacred time

According to Zavalii, Stele 43 contains eleven rectangular symbols, while some circular enclosures at Göbekli Tepe include eleven T-shaped pillars. The repeated appearance of the number may have marked divisions of the year or important intervals between solar events.

Stele 33 provides additional evidence for this interpretation. The pillar contains snake-like figures, animals, and abstract motifs. Zavalii highlights the recurring numbers two, three, eleven, and thirteen, suggesting they may have been associated with concepts such as duality, solar cycles, and lunar rhythms.

In this reading, thirteen snake heads could symbolize the lunar year, while eleven may relate to the organization of solar time. Rather than functioning as a precise calendar, the symbols may have formed part of a sacred system used to represent the passage of time.

Trypillia comparison reveals shared symbolic themes

The study’s most distinctive contribution is its comparison with the Trypillia culture, which flourished thousands of years later in Eastern Europe.

Zavalii points to similarities between Göbekli Tepe’s symbols and Trypillian ritual objects, temple layouts, and ceramic designs. Particular attention is given to the Nebelivka Temple and distinctive “binocular-shaped” ritual artifacts.

The study suggests these forms, along with circular and crescent motifs, may have expressed ideas about duality, seasonal cycles, and sacred time.

The research does not claim a direct cultural connection between the two societies. Instead, it proposes that early farming communities may have developed comparable symbolic solutions for understanding the relationship between the sky, ritual practice, and community life.

Debate over Göbekli Tepe’s meaning continues

Other interpretations of Göbekli Tepe remain influential. Archaeologist Klaus Schmidt and later researchers emphasized the site’s role as a ritual gathering place linked to ancestor veneration and communal ceremonies.

Additional studies have connected the site’s headless figures, vulture imagery, and human remains to funerary practices and beliefs about death and transformation. Meanwhile, archaeologist Giulio Magli proposed that some enclosures may have been aligned with the appearance of Sirius in the night sky.

Together, these theories highlight the complexity of Göbekli Tepe. Zavalii’s study adds a new perspective by suggesting that the site’s carvings formed part of a larger symbolic system in which architecture, ritual, memory, and celestial cycles were closely intertwined.

For more than 1,000 years, the Cerne Abbas Giant has stood on a hillside in Dorset, England, surviving wars, epidemics, and centuries of social change. Now, conservationists say increasingly unpredictable weather is threatening the famous chalk figure and forcing an earlier-than-usual restoration effort.

The 55-meter-tall (180-foot) giant, carved into a hillside above the village of Cerne Abbas, is one of Britain’s most recognizable landmarks. The figure depicts a naked man carrying a large club. For generations, residents helped maintain its bright white appearance by filling its outline with fresh chalk.

Today, the site is managed by the National Trust, which has traditionally re-chalked the giant about once every decade. However, conservation teams say changing weather conditions are making that increasingly difficult.

Weather speeds up restoration work

Around 300 staff members and volunteers are taking part in the latest restoration project. The effort involves carrying nearly 17 tons of fresh chalk up the steep hillside and packing it into the giant’s trenches by hand.

Workers first remove old and discolored material before mixing fresh chalk with water to create a paste. The new chalk is then pressed into the outline, helping restore the figure’s distinctive appearance.

The need for faster restoration became clear in 2019 when heavy autumn rainfall washed away much of the newly applied chalk shortly after conservation work had been completed.

England's famous Cerne Abbas Giant has survived for more than 1,000 years. Now, heavier rainfall, algae growth and erosion are forcing conservationists to restore the massive chalk figure earlier than planned. pic.twitter.com/0ShiLZzOYt

— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) June 8, 2026

Conservationists also have concerns about algae growth. Mild, damp winters and warmer summers can create conditions that allow algae to spread across the chalk surface, causing the giant’s bright white outline to appear green and faded.

“In recent years, we’ve noticed algae growth starting to dull the giant’s bright white outline,” National Trust ranger Luke Dawson said.

Dawson cautioned against directly linking the changes to climate trends at a single site. “It’s one of these things we cannot really prove,” he told BBC News. “It is more just observation of what we are seeing up there.”

Researchers continue to debate the Giant’s origins

The Giant’s origins remain one of England’s enduring archaeological mysteries. Over the years, researchers suggested it could represent a prehistoric fertility symbol, the Roman hero Hercules, or even a satirical image of Oliver Cromwell.

Scientific dating has narrowed the timeline considerably. Researchers believe the figure was likely created between 700 and 1100 CE during the late Saxon period.

The Saxon dating has renewed interest in the Hercules theory. In a 2021 study published in the journal Speculum, researchers from the University of Oxford argued that the giant was originally carved as an image of Hercules.

They suggested it may have served as a landmark and gathering point for West Saxon forces during Viking attacks in southern England.

Conservation efforts expand beyond the hillside

The National Trust is also working to protect the landscape surrounding the Giant. A recent fundraising campaign helped secure 130 hectares of nearby grassland containing rare wildlife and important archaeological remains.

“The Giant was never meant to exist in isolation,” National Trust archaeologist Steve Timms said in a press release. He said protecting the surrounding landscape will help researchers better understand how people used and understood the area over thousands of years.

Researchers studying a cave in South Africa have found evidence that could push the record of ancient fire use back hundreds of thousands of years.

The findings come from Wonderwerk Cave in South Africa’s Northern Cape Province, a site that has produced some of the oldest known evidence of human activity. The study was published in the journal PLOS One.

Researchers uncover evidence in a deeper cave layer

Previous excavations at Wonderwerk Cave revealed signs of fire use about one million years ago. Researchers based that conclusion on burnt animal bones, heat-altered stone tools, and burned sediments found in a layer known as Stratum 10.

In the new study, archaeologists examined an older layer called Stratum 11. There, they found small mammal bones that showed signs of exposure to heat.

To determine the age of the deposits, researchers analyzed cave sediments using magnetostratigraphy and cosmogenic burial dating. Together, the two methods indicated that the remains were deposited between 1.07 million and 1.79 million years ago.

If confirmed, the discovery could represent the oldest evidence yet found for the use of fire by early humans.

New technique helps identify burned bones

Researchers used a method known as bone luminescence to confirm that the fossils had been exposed to fire.

The technique involves shining high-energy blue light onto fossilized bones under a microscope. Burned bones respond by glowing bright red when viewed through a specialized filter. This allows scientists to detect evidence of heating that may not be visible through traditional examination methods.

Researchers at South Africa's Wonderwerk Cave have uncovered burned animal bones dating between 1.07 and 1.79 million years ago. If confirmed, the discovery could represent the oldest known evidence of fire use by early humans.#Archaeology #HumanEvolution #Anthropology #Science pic.twitter.com/PJX3doqUVa

— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) June 8, 2026

The analysis showed that several of the bones from Stratum 11 had been subjected to high temperatures.

Researchers also ruled out wildfires as the likely source of the burning. The fossils were discovered about 30 meters (98 feet) from the cave entrance, deep inside the cave, and beyond the reach of flames from natural fires outside.

Findings suggest repeated fire use

The study does not show that early humans could make fire whenever they wanted. It also does not provide evidence for routine cooking. Instead, the findings suggest that groups occupying the cave may have repeatedly carried fire into the site and managed it there.

Researchers said the pattern and distribution of burned bones in both Stratum 10 and Stratum 11 point to multiple combustion events rather than a single accidental fire.

Because evidence of ancient fire use is often difficult to distinguish from natural burning, the question of when humans first controlled fire remains one of archaeology’s most debated topics. The new findings add important evidence to that discussion and provide a deeper look into the behavior of some of humanity’s earliest ancestors.

A pair of gold-plated earrings discovered in a burial is offering archaeologists a rare glimpse into the lives of elite women on the medieval Eurasian steppe in southern Siberia.

The burial, found in southern Siberia’s Sayan Mountains, contained a remarkable collection of objects that point to wealth, social status, and long-distance cultural connections stretching across Inner Asia more than 1,000 years ago.

Researchers uncovered the grave at the Sayany-Pogranichnoye-4 cemetery near the Idzhim River in Russia’s Krasnoyarsk region. The burial contained the remains of an adult woman and a newborn child, along with jewelry, a knife, a spindle whorl, a Chinese-style mirror fragment, and an extensive collection of horse equipment.

According to researchers from the Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk State University, and Archaeology of Khakassia, the grave belongs to a rare category of elite medieval burials. Only a few dozen comparable examples have been documented across the Sayan-Altai region.

Earrings mark social standing

The most personal items in the burial were a pair of gold-plated earrings found near the woman’s skull, suggesting she was buried wearing them.

The earrings were made of bronze with traces of gilding and featured ring-shaped hoops, hanging pendants, and bead-like terminals.

Laboratory analysis revealed a sophisticated design. The main ring and upper bead were made from copper alloyed with tin and lead, while the lower bead contained mostly silver along with smaller amounts of copper, gold, and lead. Researchers believe it may have been crafted to resemble a pearl.

Similar earrings have been found in elite female burials in the Altai Mountains and Mongolia, particularly among ancient Turkic communities. Researchers say these ornaments likely served as visible symbols of rank and identity.

Horse equipment reflects wealth and prestige

The burial also contained an impressive collection of horse gear, including stirrups, iron bits, gilded bronze fittings, bridle decorations, buckles, plaques, and pendants. A horse-skin deposit, consisting of the animal’s skull and limbs, placed with its hide, accompanied the grave. Such deposits are commonly associated with high-status nomadic burials.

One stirrup attracted particular attention. Decorated with silver wire inlay on iron, a technique known as damascening, it displayed intricate patterns across its neck, arch, and footrest. Researchers said the design closely resembles decorative styles used in China during the late Tang Dynasty between the late ninth and early 10th centuries.

A second stirrup was undecorated. Archaeologists suggest this difference may have been intentional, with the ornate stirrup displayed on the horse’s more visible side as part of a public display of status.

Chinese mirror points to distant connections

Another notable object was a fragment of a cast metal mirror decorated with a traditional Chinese “grape” motif featuring vines, leaves, grape clusters, and a bird. Mirrors of this type were popular among Tang aristocrats during the seventh and eighth centuries.

Although broken, the mirror fragment appears to have been curated for a long period before burial. Its worn edges suggest it retained symbolic value even after it could no longer function as a mirror. Across Eurasia, mirrors often carried ritual, protective, or ceremonial meanings.

A rare portrait of elite life

Radiocarbon dating places the burial broadly between the late ninth and early 13th centuries. However, the styles of the earrings, mirror, and horse equipment indicate the woman was most likely buried during the second half of the ninth century or the 10th century.

For archaeologists, the grave is significant because it combines evidence of personal identity with the ceremonial importance of horses in steppe society. Together, the artifacts reveal a world where social prestige, mobility, and cultural exchange were closely connected.

More than a millennium after her burial, the woman’s gold-plated earrings remain a powerful reminder of the status and influence she carried during life.

Archaeologists in Cyprus have uncovered a massive Late Roman wall at the ancient city of Amathous that may have formed part of a defensive system protecting the summit of the acropolis.

The structure, discovered on the site’s Western Terrace, offers new evidence of efforts to fortify one of the island’s most important ancient urban centers during the Late Roman period.

Details of the defensive wall

The wall reaches up to 2 meters (6.6 feet) in thickness and was built using large limestone ashlar blocks, smaller stones, and clay mortar. Excavation evidence shows that it underwent at least two construction phases, suggesting it remained an important feature of the acropolis over time.

Researchers also uncovered a floor surface associated with the wall, fallen architectural blocks, roof tiles, and mudbrick fragments from a collapsed structure. Together, the finds provide new insight into construction methods and defensive planning at Amathous during the final centuries of Roman rule.

The discoveries were made during the second excavation season of the French Archaeological Mission of Amathous, held from March 30 to April 24, 2026. The project is directed by Dr. Anna Cannavo and focuses on the Western Terrace of the Acropolis.

Expanded excavations reveal a substantial wall

The wall was first identified during excavations in 2025 following a geophysical survey conducted in 2024. During the 2026 season, archaeologists expanded Trench 1 and uncovered a much larger section of the structure.

The wall runs parallel to the natural edge of the terrace, with its southern section turning slightly toward the west. Its eastern face was constructed from large limestone ashlar blocks, while the interior was packed with smaller rough stones bonded with clay.

Researchers identified evidence for at least two building phases. The original wall measured about 135 centimeters (4.4 feet) in thickness. It was later strengthened by adding a second row of limestone blocks and filling the space between the two walls with stone rubble.

Foundations and associated floor date to the Late Roman period

A small trench excavated along the eastern side of the wall exposed its foundations and revealed a floor directly connected to the structure. Part of the floor was paved with reused roof tiles laid over a gravel bedding.

Excavation evidence indicates that both the wall and the floor date to the Late Roman period. East of the structure, archaeologists uncovered destruction deposits containing fallen ashlar blocks, roof tiles, and mudbrick fragments from the building’s upper portions.

Findings highlight the strategic importance of the Acropolis

A second excavation area, known as Trench 3, was opened at the northern end of the terrace. Although no architectural remains were found there, archaeologists recovered a rich collection of Iron Age artifacts, indicating earlier activity in the area.

Researchers believe the newly discovered wall formed part of a defensive system protecting the summit of the acropolis and the basilica that had replaced the sanctuary of Aphrodite, one of the most important religious centers in ancient Cyprus.

Future excavations will investigate the full extent of the fortification and determine whether the Late Roman remains were built over earlier structures, helping researchers better understand the long-term development of Amathous.

Researchers have developed an AI-designed vaccine that could protect against a broad range of coronaviruses, including future strains that have not yet emerged.

Scientists at the University of Cambridge say the project marks the first time an Artificial Intelligence-designed vaccine antigen has been tested in human volunteers. They believe the technology could eventually help protect against entire families of viruses rather than individual strains.

AI designs a vaccine for multiple coronavirus threats

Most vaccines are built using versions of viruses that are already circulating. As those viruses mutate, vaccines often need updating to remain effective. The new approach aims to overcome that challenge.

Researchers collected genetic information from a wide range of coronaviruses identified through surveillance programs that monitor viruses with pandemic potential. Artificial intelligence then analyzed the data and designed a “super-antigen,” a vaccine component intended to train the immune system to recognize many related coronaviruses at once.

Antigens are the parts of vaccines that teach the immune system what to attack. Researchers say the AI-designed antigen could potentially protect against current coronavirus variants as well as animal viruses that may one day spread to humans.

Professor Jonathan Heeney of the University of Cambridge described the research as a major shift in pandemic preparedness. He said the goal is to develop vaccines that protect against future threats rather than reacting after outbreaks occur.

Early human trials show encouraging results

The first human trial involved 39 volunteers and was designed to evaluate safety. Researchers reported no major safety concerns. A larger study involving about 200 participants is now underway to better understand how effectively the vaccine stimulates immune responses.

Scientists at the University of Cambridge say AI developed a vaccine’s ‘key component’ for the first time

The vaccine was engineered to work on all coronaviruses, but is in its early stages of work pic.twitter.com/YYt5SGDe5v

— Interesting AF (@interesting_aIl) June 5, 2026

Results published in the Journal of Infection showed that the vaccine generated a measurable, though modest, immune response. Despite the early-stage findings, researchers and independent experts say the technology shows significant promise.

Professor Saul Faust of the University of Southampton, who helped conduct some of the trials, said the approach has strong potential, particularly for rapidly changing viruses that can spark future pandemics.

Researchers expand the technology to other diseases

Researchers are already applying the technology to other diseases. Animal studies are underway on a universal influenza vaccine that could eliminate the need for yearly updates. Scientists are also developing vaccines targeting H5N1 bird flu and viral hemorrhagic fevers, including Ebola.

Professor Andy Pollard, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, said the findings add to growing evidence that artificial intelligence could transform vaccine research. He noted that future AI systems may help predict how the immune system will respond to vaccine candidates, potentially accelerating development.

Experts see a new era for vaccine development

Professor Marian Knight, scientific director at the National Institute for Health and Care Research, called the trial an important step toward broader and longer-lasting protection against viral diseases.

UK Science Minister Patrick Vallance said the early results demonstrate how artificial intelligence and scientific research can work together to create new medical tools.

Researchers caution that much larger studies are needed before the vaccine can be widely used. However, they believe the technology could help the world prepare for future pandemics before they begin.