A Trekker in Norway Discovered a Golden Sword Ornament Belonging to an Elite Warrior. It Was Probably a Offering to the Gods Made in a Period of Turmoil

In the sixth century C.E., Norway may have faced volcanic eruptions, climate fluctuations, agricultural failures, famine, and disease, all of which exerted pressure on leaders and their communities Christian Thorsberg | Daily Correspondent May 8, 2026 3:45 p.m. The golden relic, a sword scabbard perhaps associated with an elite warrior leader  Annette Græsli Øvrelid, Archaeological Museum, University of Stavanger A […]

Creating a Skilled Maintenance Artist

A new documentary traces Mierle Laderman Ukeles’s decades-long practice of spotlighting marginal, unpaid, and feminine labor. It feels appropriate that Mierle Laderman Ukeles operated mostly beneath the notice of the general public for decades. As a “maintenance artist,” she focused on marginal labor, such as the upkeep of public spaces or the unpaid maternal and feminine labor that for a […]

A Hundred Years Back, an Adventurer and His Aviator Asserted They Were the Initial Individuals to Soar Above the North Pole. Here’s Why Specialists Question That Accomplishment

Although the achievements of Richard Byrd and Floyd Bennett during their polar flight have been questioned, Byrd continued to undertake expeditions in Antarctica Alice George | Museums Correspondent May 8, 2026 3:05 p.m. Explorer Richard Byrd (left) and pilot Floyd Bennett (right) dressed in fur parkas, circa 1926 Bettmann via Getty Images On May 9, 1926, two naval aviators, explorer […]

Insights from the Artist’s Easel

The article “A View From the Easel: Brenda Zlamany’s Artistic Journey in Italy” highlights the unique experiences of artist Brenda Zlamany as she reconnects with her ancestral roots in Italy. Zlamany paints in a converted sausage factory in her ancestral village near the Pollino National Park. The remote and historical setting inspires her work, and she integrates herself into the […]

East Africa Could Separate From the Continent Earlier Than Anticipated by Scientists—and a New Ocean Might Populate the Void

A recent investigation indicates that the fissure in Kenya and Ethiopia has progressed to a pivotal phase in the separation process, with water expected to inundate it in a few million years Margherita Bassi | Daily Correspondent May 8, 2026 2:48 p.m. Kenya’s Great Rift Valley Shankar S. from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, via Wikimedia Commons under CC BY 2.0 Approximately […]

Enigmatic Green Stones Uncovered in an Isolated Cavern in Spain Could Indicate Prehistoric Humans Engaging with Copper

The discovery challenges the belief that ancient inhabitants of the region spent minimal time at elevated elevations. Mary Randolph | Correspondent May 8, 2026 1:42 p.m. Archaeologists speculate that the green minerals discovered in the cave could be malachite, which is treated to produce copper. Maria D. Guillén / IPHES-CERCA Reaching Cave 338, situated high in the Pyrenees mountains, requires […]

This officer from the Franklin Expedition perished in the Arctic wearing a uniform that was not his own. Now, DNA has uncovered his true identity.

Recent studies have uncovered four participants from the ill-fated 1845 expedition searching for the Northwest Passage, among them the owner of a wallet filled with papers that has perplexed historians for years Meilan Solly | Senior Associate Digital Editor, History May 8, 2026 12:07 p.m. A 19th-century illustration of HMS Erebus, one of the two vessels involved in John Franklin’s 1845 […]

Discover 15 U.S. Military Forts Featured in Stunning Images from the Smithsonian Magazine Photography Competition

These military installations, whether currently operational or no longer in service, illustrate the diverse ways they embody the essence of the country Images curated by Jeff Campagna Written by Tracy Scott Forson May 8, 2026 11:54 a.m. The original state flag of Maine, from 1901, is flown as the schooner Timberwind emerges from the fog, passing Fort Gorges in Casco […]

The Decline of the Roman Empire Was More an Occasion for Interaction and Blending Than a Confrontation of Civilizations, a Recent Genetics Study Reveals

Scientists examining genomic data from early medieval burial sites in present-day Germany suggest that individuals from the ancient Roman Empire began familial ties with Germanic groups shortly after the empire’s collapse Sonja Anderson | Daily Correspondent May 8, 2026 11:54 a.m. Examination of a skeleton discovered at an early medieval site Harbeck / State Collection for Anthropology Munich Following centuries […]

Wild Cockatoos Discover Which Treats Are Safe to Consume by Imitating Their Peers, New Study Indicates

Nibbling on inappropriate items can result in health problems, yet social learning may aid birds in steering clear of potentially fatal errors. This phenomenon could elucidate why particular cockatoos thrive in urban settings. Sara Hashemi | Daily Correspondent May 8, 2026 11:44 a.m. Researchers examined the social learning behavior of the birds by introducing a new food item: brightly colored […]