These Mexican mummies draw crowds—and controversy
Both exploited and cherished, the mummies of Guanajuato are at the center of a debate over displaying human remains. Guanajuato, Mexico, has been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1988,…
Archaeologists discover mummified pre-Inca BABY at historic tomb complex in Peru
More than 1,000 years ago this pre-Inca baby was laid to rest on a barren Peruvian hillside. It was among dozens of well-preserved mummified skeletons found by…
The Shroud of Turin Is Definitely a Hoax
The Shroud of Turin is probably the most famous supposed relic in existence. It is a 4.4-meter-long linen shroud bearing the image of a crucified man. Supporters…
Revealed: Ancient Appalachian people who boasted of Portuguese ancestry to avoid slavery were actually descended from African men and white women
Varied and sometimes wild claims have been made about the origins of a group of dark-skinned Appalachian residents once known derisively as the Melungeons. Some speculated they…
“April” the Tenontosaurus Reveals Her Secrets
Researchers from the University of Manchester examining the fossilised remains of a Tenontosaurus have revealed new information about this ornithopod as well as evidence to support a…
Last Traces of the Ancient Foot Binding Tradition Captured on Film
Throughout history, men and women alike have suffered pain and agony in the name of beauty – from the practices of body modification in indigenous tribes throughout…
The Baalbek Ruins in Lebanon: an extraordinary UNESCO site
On my recent trip to Lebanon, I was just blown away by the Baalbek ruins: a magnificent set of Roman temples in the Beq’aa Valley and a…
The Two-Headed Boy of Bengal
The Two-Headed Boy of Bengal was a child born in 1783 in the village of Mundul Gait in West Bengal with a rare parasitic twin condition called craniopagus…
Al Naslaa rock: Saudi Arabia’s enigmatic sandstone block that’s split perfectly down the middle
The Al Naslaa Rock Formation is a landmark in the Saudi Arabian desert formed of two big blocks of sandstone separated by a mysterious, pencil-thin gap. The…
Where the West Actually Meets the East—The Tarim Mummies
Ancient Rome and China were on opposite sides of the world as far as both civilizations were concerned. Although both cultures were aware of each other’s existence…