3 of the oldest archaeological sites on earth. There are several other sites just as old I want to take a look at in the future so don't be concerned if I missed your favorite site. These archaeological sites go back into prehistoric times when they say man was in the stone age but these ruins tell a different history. These ruins show advanced ancient architecture and ancient technology beyond what we believe them to have been capable of. Ancient man was not primitive and built incredible sites like these three we are looking at here. These may be the oldest ruins on earth today but more still exist waiting to be uncovered by archaeologists.
Tom Scott vs Irving Finkel: The Royal Game of Ur
YouTuber Tom Scott has flown drones through lightning, he’s taken on the first human-powered theme park, he’s even visited Penistone. But he’s never taken on a British Museum curator in the world’s oldest playable board game… UNTIL NOW!
For International Tabletop Day 2017, Tom Scott was challenged by British Museum Curator Irving Finkel to a round of the oldest playable board game in the world – The Royal Game of Ur – a game whose rules were rediscovered and deciphered by Irving himself.
The First Crusade
The First Crusade was one of the most extraordinary, bloody and significant episodes in medieval history. It began with an appeal for aid from the Christian Byzantine Empire, threatened by the rising power of the Muslim Seljuk Turks. But when Pope Urban II preached a sermon at Clermont in 1095, the result was unlike anything ever seen before.
12 Most Mysterious Ancient Egypt Finds
Historians know a lot about ancient Egypt, but there are still enormous gaps in their knowledge. In fact, a book of the things we don’t know about Egypt would be a lot longer than a book of the things we do know about it! Let’s see if we can fill in a few of the gaps in your knowledge with the contents of this video.
12 Most Incredible Underwater Finds
We live in a time when billionaires build private space rockets and launch celebrities into orbit. As much as exploring space would be wonderful, there’s something closer to home we should probably finish exploring first - the ocean. Vast areas of the world’s oceans remain unexplored, which is a huge shame, as when people do explore them, they often come up with finds like the ones you’re about to see in this video!
Scientists Found This In Egypt And It Can Change Everything!
Egypt, a country known for its ancient secrets and incredible archaeological discoveries, has captivated people worldwide for hundreds of years. Its fascinating past and mysterious structures still bewilder and impress both researchers and enthusiastic individuals. In this adventure, we’ll delve into the most spine-chilling scientific and archaeological findings in Egypt, unearthing tales and puzzling occurrences that have fascinated adventurous explorers who dared to venture into the depths of this mysterious land. Join us, as we uncover the top 15 Terrifying Scientific And Archaeological Discoveries In Egypt.
The New Discovery in Africa Has Scared The World
In the following video we will be talking about a new discovery in Africa that has scared the world. Watch the video to find out more!
15 Rare Videos Of Extinct Animals
In the following video we will analyze 15 rare videos of extinct animals. Watch the video to find out more!
They Built More Ancient Pyramids Than The Egyptians: The Mysterious Lost Civilization of Nubia
Built by an African civilization that constructed even more pyramids than the Egyptians, these unusual monuments rise from the harsh deserts of an area known as Nubia in modern-day Sudan.
Nestled within the expansive Nile Valley, this area was ruled by a powerful people known as the Kushites. Their pyramids were constructed as tombs for mighty kings and warrior queens over a period of centuries, and some are believed to date back as far as 800 BC.
Despite enduring abrasive sandstorms, harsh desert winds, and even the efforts of determined looters armed with dynamite, many of these pyramids have stood strong for millennia.
The leaders of the ancient Kushite kingdoms erected more than 255 of the monumental structures.
Compared to the famous Egyptian pyramids, those found in Nubia are taller and narrower. They have a smaller footprint, and their exteriors consist of horizontal blocks of stone, forming a steep 70-degree incline.
These pyramids range from a modest 20 feet in height to a more impressive 100 feet. Many also have a unique, small offering temple structure at their base, allowing followers to leave offerings and pay their respects.
Analyses of the pyramids around Nubia have determined them to be constructed primarily from sandstone and mud bricks. Still, rarer and more precious materials, along with other mysteries, can be found within…
What Food was like for Native Americans on the American Frontier
In the hushed tapestry of the American frontier, where the murmurs of the wild whispered secrets of survival, food was more than sustenance for the Native Americans—it was an intricate dance with nature. From the ripe untold delicious pawpaw fruit to a nice smoked aligator? Their plates bore not just meals, but stories of resilience, respect, and interconnectedness, a testament to a culinary heritage that thrived on the edge of the wilderness. Dive into their forgotten world, and discover how these original inhabitants revered, hunted, and harvested, painting their survival and symbiosis with food against the grand canvas of the American frontier.
Dinosaur's Nest Filled With 60 Million Year Old Eggs Found In Brazil
In Brazil, a nest of fossilized dinosaur eggs was discovered that, had the eggs not been buried by loose dirt, would have developed into ferocious carnivores 60 million to 80 million years ago.
A litter of fossilized dinosaur eggs have been found in Brazil that would have hatched into vicious carnivores 60 million to 80 million years ago if the eggs were not buried by loose sediment
Since fossilized crocodylomorph feces were previously discovered at the location, the five well-preserved eggs were initially thought to be ancient crocodile eggs.
The eggs were found to be larger and have a thicker shell than those from a crocodylomorph after a more thorough examination by a group of paleontologists led by William Roberto Nava, according to g1.
The dinosaur eggs measure four to five inches long and two to three inches wide, whereas the ancient crocodiles' eggs are normally no longer than three inches, according to Nava, who is responsible for the majority of the discovery at the Paleontological Museum in Marilia.
The dinosaur eggs measure four to five inches long and two to three inches wide
He went on to say that although dinosaur eggs have a "ripple-shaped" texture, ancient crocodylomorph eggs have a porous or smooth texture.
He said to g1 that they "look like little wavy earthworms," which contrasts with the crocodile's smoothness.
The discovery of dinosaur eggs at Presidente Prudente, in the interior of So Paulo, was made possible by the soil's gradual transformation into sandstone.
Paleontologist William Roberto Nava (pictured) found the eggs in the city of Presidente Prudente, in the interior of São Paulo
Paleontologists recently took the eggs from the earth last year; it wasn't until this month that they were able to identify the dinosaur from which they came. The substance functions as a natural defender, generating many layers of sand over millions of years that have protected the eggs until they were recently pulled from the ground.
Who knows if one of these [five] eggs contains a petrified embryo, Nava said to g1. The novelty for Brazil would make it extremely cool.
The claim was made to draw attention to the finding of a beautifully preserved dinosaur embryo in China.
The eggs were preserved by the soil transforming into sandstone over time
The embryo, known as "Baby Yingliang," was discovered coiled up within a fossilized egg at the Shahe Industrial Park in Ganzhou City, Jiangxi Province. It was discovered in rocks of the "Hekou Formation."
The specimen, which is among the most complete dinosaur embryos yet unearthed, stands out for having a posture more akin to that of an early bird than a typical dinosaur.
Baby Yingliang was particularly near to hatching, with its head beneath its body, its back curved into the blunt end of the egg, and its feet placed on either side of it.
The material acts as a natural protector, forming several layers of sand over millions of years that have protected the eggs until paleontologists recently pulled them from the ground last year
Baby Yingliang belonged to a species of "oviraptorosaurs," also known as toothless, beaked theropod dinosaurs, according to paleontologists from the University of Birmingham.
The Yingliang Stone Nature History Museum in Xiamen, where the fossil is kept, gives Baby Yingliang its name.
The oviraptorosaur embryo, which was growing curled inside a 6.7 inch (17 cm) long egg, would have grown about 10.6 inches (27 cm) long from head to tail, according to the researchers.
According to paper author and palaeontologist Lida Xing of the China University of Geosciences in Beijing, "This dinosaur embryo was acquired by the director of Yingliang Group, Mr. Liang Liu, as suspected egg fossils around the year 2000."
The embryo, dubbed 'Baby Yingliang, was found curled up inside a fossilized egg and was found in the rocks of the 'Hekou Formation' at the Shahe Industrial Park in Ganzhou City, Jiangxi Province. The specimen is one of the most complete dino embryos known and notably sports a posture closer to those seen in embryonic birds than usually found in dinosaurs
The specimens were found by museum personnel while organizing the storage space for the Yingliang Stone Nature History Museum in the 2010s.
These objects were recognized as fossilized dinosaur eggs. The embryo that had been concealed inside the egg was later discovered through fossil processing.
"This is how 'Baby Yingliang' came to light," it said.
Tomb Of Cleopatra Just Discovered In Egypt Reveals Truth About The Pyramids
Cleopatra, the mysterious queen of ancient Egypt, has captivated scholars for centuries. Her tomb, along with that of Marc Anthony, has remained elusive. However, recent research conducted over the past two decades has provided promising clues that could potentially unveil their final resting places.
Join us as we delve into the discoveries that are bringing archaeologists closer to unraveling the mystery of Cleopatra's tomb.Plutarch, an ancient Greek writer, documented the final moments of Cleopatra and her husband, Mark Anthony. According to his biography, Anthony died by falling on his sword when Augustus and his Roman forces invaded Egypt and captured Alexandria. Cleopatra was with him until his last breath and then interred him in her mausoleum.
Incredible Recent Archaeological Discoveries & More Compilation
In today’s compilation video we will be exploring incredible recent archaeological discoveries and much more. Enjoy!
The largest Triceratops ever discovered, known as "Big John," sells for $7.7 million
The highest auction estimate of €1.5 million ($1.7 million) was shattered by the sale of the largest Triceratops fossil ever discovered, a 66 million-year-old skeleton known as "Big John," for €6.6 million ($7.7 million).
Big John was offered for sale in October 2021 at the Drouot auction house in Paris, where he was shown with a vast collection of fossils, meteorites, and other items from natural history.
Geologist Walter W. Stein Bill made the first discovery of the skeleton in South Dakota in 2014. It is believed that the dinosaur was a resident of Laramidia, a vast, extinct continent that, at the time, spanned from Alaska to Mexico.
The muddy dinosaur remains were first excavated, and then they were repaired in Italy so that archaeologists could view the dinosaur's actual size. Big John's skeleton is more than 60% complete, and his head measures almost 9 feet long and just over 6 and a half feet wide. Triceratops skulls are among the "most striking" of all land animal skulls, according to the UK's Natural History Museum.
The sale of Big John is not going to delight everyone, though. The Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (SVP) expressed concerns to Christie's in September 2020, prior to the sale of the Tyrannosaurus Rex named "Stan" at Christie's, which sold the following month for a record-breaking $31.8 million.
"Fossil specimens that are sold into private hands are potentially lost to science," they declared. The verification of scientific claims—which is crucial to the advancement of science—cannot be done since, even if made available to scientists, the information contained in privately owned specimens and future access cannot be guaranteed.
Iraqi DNA History
In the following video we will analyze the history of Iraqi DNA. Watch the video to find out more!
Surviving the Middle Ages: How to Use a Medieval Toilet
One thing has never changed throughout history. The basic need for humans to go to the toilet. It was pretty easy for those living in the countryside who could just go squat behind a bush. Things were a little different in the more urban areas though. Those who had enough money could afford themselves a personal privy. But for the common people, answering the call of nature in a public space was prohibited. In 1339 a small child, who was begging, was killed on a London street, by a cart, as he squatted to take care of business. In the public records, he was described as a ‘savage’. So what did the Medievals do when they needed to make a special delivery?
This Massive Meteor Crater Was Lost For Millennia – But Scientists Finally Found Its Hiding Place
A meteor that crashed to Earth 800,000 years ago left a crater that eluded detection.
Scientists led by Professor Kerry Sieh, from the Earth Observatory of Singapore, are poring over complex data. They’re hunting for the impact crater of a massive meteorite that slammed into the Earth’s surface around 800,000 years ago. Frustratingly, the crater’s location has eluded scientists for over a century. But Sieh and his researchers believe they finally have an answer to this enduring mystery.
Pivotal Genetic Mutations Changed Human Evolution
One of the major mysteries of human evolution is the sudden divergence of ancient human lineages. However, when studying the ancient past, one time period pops up repeatedly. The Earth's Magnetic Field broke down around the birth of human consciousness 795,000 years ago, leading to the eventual rise of Homo Sapiens.
800,000 years ago, the ancestors of Neanderthals and modern humans were wandering the Old World when a pivotal genetic mutation caused them to separate into a new species. A widely held idea was that our parent species also gave rise to our sister species, the Denisovans and the Neanderthals. In other words, the two species share a common ancestor, known as ‘Ancestor X’.
How are we related to other prehistoric groups and species has been a persistent question for scientists since they first started discovering fossils that resemble ancient humans. How do we fit in with the Neanderthals and Denisovans who coexisted with us on Earth for the majority of our existence, in particular?
What is known about the size of neanderthal brains?
The Neanderthals had intelligence. However, what precisely set their brains apart from those of our own ancestors?
Specialists say that the brains of Homo neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens were similar. But slight differences in the structure and development of the two species' brains could've changed the ways they thought about the world. (Credit: life_in_a_pixel/Shutterstock)
According to tradition, Homo sapiens and Homo neanderthalensis had different levels of intelligence. However, anthropologists and archaeologists are adamant that the gap between the two species is closing.
In actuality, evidence from their prehistoric behaviors indicates more and more that the two species used comparable survival techniques. They produced similar noises and used comparable tools because they lived in similar communities. In addition, the most current research reveals that the two produced artwork that was comparable to one another, demonstrating their mutual preference for abstraction.
What about their brains, though? Was there anything in their physical makeup that set their thinking apart?
Yes, according to some experts. Experts in the fields of paleontology, paleoneurology, and paleogenetics believe that even minor variations in the structure and growth of the two species' brains may have caused their cognition to diverge in significant and complicated ways.
Beginning of the Neanderthals in Brutality
Around two centuries ago, when the first Neanderthal fossils were discovered, researchers had no idea what they were dealing with. Some people believed they had discovered their own distant ancestors, while others believed the specimens represented something altogether different.
They were confident in only one conclusion at the time: Regardless of the technical categorization of the fossils, they believed that the creature they discovered was not intelligent when it roamed the earth thousands of years ago.
Neanderthal Mentality
An examination of a collection of 1860s specimens claims that "darkness characterized the being to which the fossil belonged." The thoughts and passions that originally resided there "never rose above those of a brute."
This now-outdated belief, which was first expressed around the time the Neanderthals gained recognition as a distinct species, was based on the Neanderthals' "singularly different" skull structure from that of our own species.
This distinction quickly led to the labeling of the Neanderthals as a brutish race, imprisoned in "benightedness" until our own intellectually superior species overcame them 40,000 years ago.
Intelligence of the Neanderthals
Since then, archaeologists and anthropologists have discovered a ton of evidence suggesting that Neanderthal behavior was on par with that of our own species. In addition to sharing our predecessors' survival techniques and equipment, current study indicates that the Neanderthals also communicated and developed art and ornamentation civilizations.
These intricate activities imply that the Neanderthals' minds were similar to our own in complexity. But what precisely do we know about their brains' architecture and growth?
Did Neanderthals Possess Greater Intellect?
Since these tissues are often the first to degrade after death, specialists are still looking for the first pieces of Neanderthal brain. However, they have discovered numerous fossilized skulls belonging to the species that have the castings or inside surfaces of the brains they originally held.
Size of Neanderthal Brain
Overall, these skulls suggest that H. neanderthalensis and H. sapiens brains were around the same size, with H. neanderthalensis brains narrowly outperforming H. sapiens brains in terms of total volume.
Size of Neanderthal Cranium
Although measurements aren't always accurate and shift over time, experts estimate that the average Neanderthal skull held about 1500 cubic centimeters (or 51 ounces) of cerebral tissue, compared to only 1350 cubic centimeters (or 46 ounces) for their more modern counterparts.
A Brain in Strain
Neanderthal brains and braincases were large, but they were also slightly stretched, resulting in an odd, semi-spherical cranium with a large bulge at the back. This bulge, known as the "occipital bun," was one of the first aspects of Neanderthal anatomy that researchers found and characterized.
The Neanderthal Brain's Organization
Paleontologists and paleoneurologists hypothesize that the peculiar characteristics of Neanderthals also had an impact on the size, shape, and organization of the various structures within their brains, changing their specific thought processes.
For instance, according to some research, the cerebellum of H. neanderthalensis was thought to be smaller than that of H. sapiens due to the anatomy of the Neanderthal skull. According to these research, a species' ability to learn, think logically, comprehend language, and engage socially can all be significantly impacted, which would have a negative effect on its ability to survive.
This is supplemented by a variety of related theories regarding the idiosyncrasies of the Neanderthal mind. For instance, some paleontologists and paleoneurologists claim that the species' larger, bulkier bodies, which were harder to move than our own, meant that a greater portion of the species' brain was focused on coordinating basic body motions.
The Neanderthal Brain's Evolution
Beyond its straightforward structure, experts are discovering a great deal about the Neanderthal brain's growth from infancy to adulthood.
For instance, the size and shape of juvenile, adolescent, and adult skulls indicate that the mental development of H. neanderthalensis occurred far more slowly than that of modern humans. At age 8, they were less than 90% of their typical adult volume. And although it may not sound slow, experts claim that, in terms of total volume, that is roughly the same age at which H. sapiens brains mature today.
Building Neanderthal Brains
Genetic studies provide more evidence that the Neanderthal brain developed differently from ours. In fact, despite the fact that experts have traditionally focused on skulls in their efforts to understand Neanderthal intelligence, the recent reconstruction of the Neanderthal genome is encouraging some to look instead to the ancient genes that regulate brain growth as a way to distinguish between H. neanderthalensis and H. sapiens thinking.
NOVA1
For instance, a group of geneticists studied the NOVA1 gene in 2021, which controls how the brain develops in both Homo sapiens and Homo neanderthalensis. The researchers observed that when they introduced two different forms of the gene into collections of uncultured cells, the form of NOVA1 found in H. neanderthalensis produced bumpier blobs of brain tissue whereas the type of NOVA1 found in H. sapiens produced smooth, spherical aggregates.
TKTL1
A second team of geneticists adopted a similar strategy with the gene TKTL1, which stimulates the formation of neurons, the year after, in 2022. The H. sapiens type of TKTL1 promoted significantly more neurons than the H. neanderthalensis form did.
These results do show a difference in brain development between H. neanderthalensis and H. sapiens, however they do not fully explain this difference. The influence of NOVA1 and TKTL1 on something as complex as cognition can only be truly understood in the context of a more complete genome, experts claim, as individual genes are simply small threads in a larger genetic tapestry.
Though it will take some time, experts predict that future research in this area will clarify the impact of a number of other genes on the development of the Neanderthal brain. This investigation will ultimately help paint a clearer picture of the distinctions between our cognition and those of our closest relatives when combined with the knowledge gained from the anatomy of skulls.
Experts say they have discovered a giant pterosaur with a neck longer than a giraffe
One of the first and largest creatures to develop flight, pterosaurs, are frequently referred to as the hip relatives of the notorious Tyrannosaurus rex.
The flying pterosaur. Photograph: Davide Bonadonna
Scientists have now identified the 100 million year-old key to the flying pterosaur's success: a neck longer than a giraffe.
How enormous flying azhdarchid pterosaurs supported their narrow necks as they took off and flew while carrying massive prey creatures has baffled palaeontologists from Portsmouth University.
However, the issue has been cleared up thanks to recent CT scans of intact remains that were found in Morocco.
The research, which was published in the journal iScience, depicts a complicated picture of spoke-like structures stacked in a helix inside the neck vertebra around a central tube, much like a bicycle wheel.
According to legend, this elaborate pattern shows how these flying reptiles evolved to support their enormous heads, which frequently measure longer than 1.5 meters.
The "lightweight" design may have provided strength without sacrificing the pterosaurs' capacity for flight, according to scientists.
It is unlike anything previously observed in a vertebra of any animal, according to Dave Martill, a professor of palaeobiology at Portsmouth. A number of thin rod-like trabeculae, which are radially oriented like the spokes of a bicycle wheel and helically arranged down the length of the vertebra, connect the neural tube to the exterior wall, which is located in the vertebra's center.
They even intersect one another like bicycle wheel spokes. These critters have evolved into amazing, mind-blowingly effective flyers.
When a CT scan was made available, researchers took opportunity to check inside the pterosaur's neck in addition to their primary goal of examining its structure and motion.
According to analysis, the pterosaur's neck's 50 "spokes" could result in a 90% increase in buckling resistance.
Scientists think the complex design could aid architects in creating lighter, longer, thinner structures.
These animals have absurdly long necks, and in some species, the fifth vertebra from the head is as long as the animal's body, according to Cariad Williams, the report's first author.
A CT scan of the pterosaur bone showing the spoke-like structures, arranged in a helix around a central tube inside the vertebra. Photograph: Davide Bonadonna
It presents a giraffe in a very natural light. We were curious as to how this extraordinarily long neck worked because it appeared to have very little movement between the vertebrae.
About 225 million years ago, pterosaurs first appeared in fossil records. They vanished alongside their dinosaur cousins at the end of the Cretaceous period, about 66 million years ago.
Thanks to these remains from North Africa, scientists say they are now eager to provide answers to fundamental concerns, like how pterosaurs—which may have wingspan of up to 12 meters—flew.
What was truly amazing, according to Martill, was how well the internal structure had been kept. When we looked at the structure of bone cells under the microscope, it was the same. We knew there was something remarkable going on as soon as we noticed the complex pattern of radial trabeculae.
