New Discovery Archives ‑ History.com

Nazca Line Discoveries in Peru Suggest the Mysterious Geoglyphs Are Pervasive

The famous Nazca Lines are intricate designs in the ground that cover an estimated 170 square miles in southern Peru. The large‑scale etchings depicting people, animals and objects date to 2,000 years ago, when a pre‑Inca civilization laid them in the Nazca Desert. Many modern researchers have speculated about their meaning, but they still don’t […]

Viking ‘Drinking Hall’ Uncovered in Scotland

This is where 12‑century warriors went to unwind.

Bigfoot Was Investigated by the FBI. Here’s What They Found

Legends of large, ape‑like beasts can be found all over the world. Since the 1950s, the United States’ version of this has been “Bigfoot.” And since 1976, the FBI has had a file on him. That year, Director Peter Byrne of the Bigfoot Information Center and Exhibition in The Dalles, Oregon, sent the FBI “about […]

Sparkling Opal Preserved This New Dinosaur Species for 100 Million Years

Ancient cultures have long considered opal a special gemstone because of its ability to capture so many different colors. Turns out, that’s not all it can capture: researchers in Australia have identified at least four members of a new dinosaur species whose bones were preserved for 100 million years in opal, the country’s national gemstone. […]

‘Elephant Man’s’ Grave Discovered in Same Cemetery as Jack the Ripper’s Victims

When Joseph Merrick died at age 27, his body didn’t go into the ground in one piece. Instead, the bones of the so‑called “Elephant Man” were bleached and put on display at Queen Mary University of London’s medical school, and some of his flesh was saved for medical study. Yet for over a century, no […]

WWII Wreck Found of USS Wasp, Where 176 Died After Torpedo Attack

After 77 years, the exact location of the World War II stinger has been discovered.

The Most Amazing Historical Discoveries of 2018

From a 13,000‑year‑old brewery to a long‑lost ancient city supposedly built by Trojan War captives, it was an eventful year for historical discoveries. As the year comes to a close, take a look back at some of the ways history made news this year. 1. A human jawbone becomes the earliest evidence for humans outside […]

Does This 1,500‑Year‑Old Painting Show What Jesus Looked Like?

A sixth‑century image discovered in Israel depicts Jesus with short, curly hair.

Why Did the Clovis People Mysteriously Vanish?

Ancient people of North America’s Clovis culture migrated to South America roughly 11,000 years ago, then mysteriously vanished, researchers have discovered. In a new study, researchers analyzed DNA from 49 people living over a span of 10,000 years in Belize, Brazil, the Central Andes and southern South America. They found some of these people were […]

How Did Egyptians Build the Pyramids? Ancient Ramp Find Deepens Mystery

Researchers in Egypt discovered a 4,500‑year‑old ramp system used to haul alabaster stones out of a quarry, and reports have suggested that it could provide clues as to how Egyptians built the pyramids. Yet while the ramp system is a significant technological discovery, the pyramid connection is still a bit of a stretch. Archaeologists from the French […]

8‑Year‑Old Girl Pulls 1,000‑Year‑Old Sword From Lake

Sure, the story of King Arthur drawing Excalibur from the Lady of the Lake is pretty cool. But have you heard about the eight‑year‑old girl who pulled a sword that’s at least 1,000 years old out of a Swedish lake? The Swedish news site The Local reports that Saga Vanecek was playing in Vidöstern Lake […]