Although Pythagoras is best known for developing the theorem that bears his name, his influence and significance go far beyond his contributions in mathematics. He was not only a mathematician but ...

The human genome is a rich, complex record of migration, encounters, and inheritance written over thousands of millennia.

Scientists at MIT have found compelling chemical evidence that Earth’s earliest animals were likely ancient sea sponges.

Scientists have found traces of ancient opiates in the residue lining an Egyptian alabaster vase, indicating that opiate use was woven into the fabric of the culture. And the Egyptians didn’t just ...

Identifying signs of life in ancient rocks is hard. It is not enough to find organic molecules—rocks of all sorts contain them but “organic” just means the molecules contain chains of carbon atoms.

Researchers have recreated the world's oldest synthetic pigment, called Egyptian blue, which was used in ancient Egypt about 5,000 years ago. A team of Washington State University-led researchers has ...

Ancient scientists can be easy to dismiss. Greek philosopher Thales of Miletus, often described as the West’s first scientist, believed the whole Earth was suspended on water. Roman encyclopaedist ...

More than 2,000 years ago, Greek artisans built a compact machine of interlocking gears that could track the heavens with a precision that still unsettles modern engineers. The corroded fragments of ...