When studying ancient history, it's sometimes surprising humanity ever made it to the 20th century. Ancient civilizations were repeatedly hit by disasters, both natural and man-made, the likes of...
Empedocles of Acragas was a pre-Socratic Greek philosopher who lived in the 5th century BC. It is said that wanting to prove he was an all-powerful god, he decided to leap into the volcanic Mount...
During 536 the world was beset by a long winter. Dubbed “the year of darkness” in the New Scientist , temperatures plummeted and the sun was dimmed by a vast fog which blocked its rays from hitting...
Archaeologists continue to excavate in search of remains left behind after the 79 AD Mount Vesuvius volcanic eruption which decimated the ancient cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum in Italy. Now, an...
The Yumbo of Ecuador first came to their Sacred Valley of Tulipe in around 800 BC. They were at that time peace-loving farmers. But what they left behind showed that, with their skills as merchants...
Archaeologists performing excavations around a massive Maya pyramid located in El Salvador’s Zapotitán Valley near the ancient village of San Andrés, close to Lake Ilopango, discovered something...
The National Aeronautic Space Association (NASA) launched its ambitious Mars 2020 project in the July of 2020, with the mission aim that stated: “Seek signs of ancient life and collect samples of...
Like in all ancient cultures maintaining access to fresh, unpolluted water, was infinitely more valuable than owning vast tonnages gold, silver and jewels. Archaeologists exploring a water well in...
Archaeologists have uncovered the remains of a master and his slave from Pompeii , victims of the cataclysmic volcanic eruption that destroyed the city. They were found in the heart of the ruins of...
Amphitheaters, with their gladiators, executions, and macabre contests, have fascinated people for millennia. They have featured in countless novels, books, and video games. One of the best-preserved...
On August 21, 1986, in northwestern Cameroon , a massive froth shot up into the sky from the waters of Lake Nyos, followed by a thick ghostly fog which covered the surrounding landscape. In an...
The eruption of Mount Vesuvius is perhaps the best-known natural disaster in the ancient world. It preserved whole towns and human remains, which have all been priceless from an archaeological point...
The Little Ice Age is a period tentatively defined as running from the 13 th /14 th to the 19 th century in which the northern hemisphere of Earth endured a limited but substantial cooling period...
Fingal’s Cave is a natural feature located on the island of Staffa, in the Inner Hebrides, Scotland. During the 18th century, Staffa was inhabited by 16 people. Now, no one lives on the island, and...
Following Julius Caesar ’ s assassination in 44 BC extreme climate change led to crop failures which in turn fueled the increasing social unrest in Rome, adding greatly to the social disruption...
Scientists finally explain the Moon's mysterious disappearance and the cause of a global famine in 1110 AD. While the opening line of this article sounds like a bait and switch classic, every written...