ScienceDaily: Fossils & Ruins News

Stuck-in-the-mud plankton reveal ancient temperatures Posted: 06 Mar 2015 07:27 AM PST New research showing how tiny creatures drifted across the ocean before falling to the seafloor and being fossilized has the potential to improve our understanding of past climates, scientists say.

Ancient Mongol metallurgy an extreme polluter Posted: 06 Mar 2015 07:27 AM PST The ancient Mongols have a reputation for having been fierce warriors. A new study shows them to have been unmatched polluters. Researchers found that lead pollution in Lake Erhai peaked at 119 micrograms per gram of sediment in 1300 AD before then declining to around 30 micrograms per gram in 1420 AD. Peak pollution levels are three to four times higher than those generated by modern metallurgical methods, authors say.

Karnak: Excavation yields 38 artifacts Posted: 06 Mar 2015 04:38 AM PST The excavation of a favissa, a pit discovered in early December 2014 near the temple of the god Ptah, has been completed. The dig has unearthed 38 statues, statuettes and precious objects, making this an exceptional find, both for the quantity and quality of the religious artifacts brought to light. Furthermore, a completely new recording method was used during the dig that makes it possible to virtually reconstruct each step of the discovery with millimeter accuracy.

The unlikeliest of Pals? An Indian soldier alone among Yorkshiremen Posted: 05 Mar 2015 05:58 PM PST A shattered pair of spectacles in an Indian museum has helped shed light on the fascinating story of a lone non-white soldier among Yorkshire volunteers fighting on the Western Front.