Archaeologists have uncovered an extraordinary haul of pink, turquoise and black fibres that were used to make thread more than 34,000 years ago. The flax fibres, which were buried in a cave in the hills of the Republic of Georgia, were discovered by an international team of fossil hunters. The flax, which would have been collected from the wild ( Read more... )

First Farmers Wanted Clothes, Not FoodPeople turned to farming to grow fiber for clothing, and not to provide food, says one researcher who challenges conventional ideas about the origins of agriculture. Ian Gilligan, a postgraduate researcher from the Australian National University, says his theory also explains why Aboriginal Australians were ( Read more... )

There was an interesting article recently in the New York Times about how lice have evolved along with their human hosts, and DNA analysis of the lice tells a story of how long ago humans may have lost their body hair and when humans may have started to wear clothing.

The lice did an outstanding job of "keeping up", so to speak, with the development ( Read more... )

Our museum (The Palm Beach Museum of Natural History) is appearing at an upcoming Darwin Day event organized by the Atheists of Broward County and the Center for Inquiry, Ft. Lauderdale Community. It is going to be held in Davie, which is near Fort Lauderdale, Florida. I thought I would share a few things about that happening and see if anyone ( Read more... )

Jennifer Cutraro for National Geographic News ( Read more... )

Moccasin find gives Yukon more archeological footing
(see original article for pictures)

The Yukon has another valuable artifact to add to its collection of archeological finds, with the discovery of a 1,400-year-old moccasin in its icefield region.

The ancient footwear was found in the Ruby Range west of Aishihik Lake, about 150 kilometres northwest ( Read more... )

Recently when I channel surfed I saw a little bit of a very interesting documentary. Sadly since I was in a great hurry to meet someone I couldn't stay at home and watch it. I don't remember even in what channel it was showed at (In Russian)and can't look the film up.

( Shamanic saint princess in Russia? )

By Jennifer Viegas, Discovery News

Dec. 14, 2005 - Divers exploring a river near a former Roman Empire fort and settlement in Britain have found a piece of pottery that depicts the backside of a rather buff gladiator wielding a whip and wearing nothing but a G-string, according to British researchers.The image represents the first known depiction ( Read more... )

Headscarf defeat riles French Muslims

Rioting in a Paris suburb has highlighted discontent among French youths of foreign origin, many of whom define themselves through Islam.

As part of a series on French Muslims, the BBC News website's Henri Astier reports on the impact of the headscarf ban.

Every morning headteacher Genevieve Piniau stands ( Read more... )

John Pickrell in London, for National Geographic News, October 24, 2005

A new analysis of toe bones suggests that ancient people from Europe and the Middle East were the first to adopt supportive footwear-most likely primitive sandals-around 30,000 years ago.Before that time, most humans went barefoot-regardless of their environment ( Read more... )