A man 43,000 years ago dipped a finger in red pigment and made a nose on a face-like pebble in Spain, scientists say One day around 43,000 years ago, a Neanderthal man in what is now central Spain came across a large granite pebble whose pleasing contours and indentations snagged...
The curse of Toumaï: an ancient skull, a disputed femur and a bitter feud over humanity’s origins
When fossilised remains were discovered in the Djurab desert in 2001, they were hailed as radically rewriting the history of our species. But not everyone was convinced – and the bitter argument that followed has consumed the lives of scholars ever since On a late-summer day in 2001, at the...
Your microbiome questions answered: part one – podcast
Ian Sample is joined by James Kinross, colorectal surgeon and author of the book Dark Matter: The New Science of the Microbiome, to answer all your questions about gut health. In episode one, James explains how the gut microbiome gets set up, how it impacts our early development, and the...
Can Pope Leo remain a US citizen now that he’s a foreign head of state?
Pope Leo XIV’s election as the first American to lead the Catholic Church elevated him to the rare position of being a U.S. citizen who is also a foreign head of state
US military spent $6 billion in the past 3 years to recruit and retain troops
The U.S. military spent more than $6 billion over the past three years to recruit and retain service members, in what's been a growing campaign to counter enlistment shortfalls
The Digital Equity Act tried to close the digital divide. Trump calls it racist and acts to end it
One initiative distributes laptops in rural Iowa
Pride groups converge on DC with differing interests but common goals
Members of different LGBTQ and transgender communities are descending on the nation's capital with plans for celebrations, parades, concerts and more
Susan Brownmiller, author of landmark book on sexual assault, dies at 90
She was a prominent feminist and author of the 1960s and ’70s.
2 arrested after baby dies at an illegal day care in California, officials say
A sheriff's office says a woman and her adult daughter have been arrested after an infant died at an illegal day care they were running in central California
Scripps National Spelling Bee guide: How to watch
The best young spellers in the English language are set to compete at the Scripps National Spelling Bee, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year