An archaeologist who has studied Easter Island, famous for its mysterious stone statues, blames outsiders, rather than the native population of the island as has been believed until now, the decline suffered for centuries by civilization that built the statues.

Research conducted by archaeologist Karina Croucher, University of Manchester, supports the increasingly widespread view on the historical role of old people who lived on the island of Rapa Nui, dubbed “Easter Island” by European sailors first came upon her in 1722.

Archaeologist claims that for a long time the ancestors of the islanders have been falsely accused by Westerners to be primitive and warlike, had shot down some of the statues, and having over-exploited natural resources of the island. (more…)

Over many years, scientists have been studying human migration patterns in the distant past using fossil evidence and molecular data such as DNA sequences. Lice study gives researchers an additional way to dive into the past of mankind. Collecting lice from around the world and analyzing their DNA may help to reconstruct the history of the great human migrations of yesteryear.

The team of David Reed, curator of mammals at the Natural History Museum of Florida, located on the campus of the University of Florida, to study the evolutionary history of humanity and the accompanying parasites since Homo sapiens migrated outside Africa for almost a hundred thousand years. (more…)

They were farmers, servants and other workers, almost all illiterate. However, these commoners Maya also recorded their history through rituals that included the burial of human remains and objects in their homes. A new study on the objects trapped in the floors of houses that were occupied over a thousand years ago in the central region of Belize began to decipher the history of these humble people.

The study was carried out by the team of anthropologist Lisa J. Lucero, University of Illinois. (more…)

A new study suggests that Native Americans, before the foundation of U.S. as a nation, leaving a “carbon footprint” larger than previously thought. The finding provides further evidence that the human influence on global climate long before the Industrial Revolution.

The chemical analysis of a stalagmite found in West Virginia suggests that Native Americans released into the air a significant amount of greenhouse gases due to their practices in land use. They burned trees to clear forests and converting them into plantations which collect agricultural products constitutes an important part of their diet.

Native Americans had achieved a sophisticated life. They were very advanced in agricultural issues, and learned to get the most out of the lands they inhabited. This happened in North America, not just in some places. (more…)