Thousands of years ago, our ancestors used symbols to track the sale of textile and agricultural products. New research ...

A link exists between 6,000-year-old engravings on cylindrical seals used on clay tablets and cuneiform, the world’s oldest ...

Researchers investigating how the first writing arose identified the motifs on preliterate "cylinder seals" used in the trade of agricultural products and textiles.

New genetic analysis reveals complex mating behaviors in black-necked cranes, challenging folklore that portrays them as ...

The 2,000-year-old geoglyphs offer clues to the ancient Nazca people and their rituals.

Making the jump from using symbols to writing is considered a major development in human cognitive abilities. Tracing how and ...

But the origins of proto-cuneiform’s emergence have been murky, and many of its symbols remain undeciphered. Researchers conducting a careful analysis of proto-cuneiform symbols were surprised ...

This week, uncover the secrets of Pompeii through ancient DNA, meet an adventurous emperor penguin, seek signs of mysterious Planet Nine, and more.

In the 2016 science fiction movie Arrival, a linguist is faced with the daunting task of deciphering an alien language ...

Charles Taylor’s big-hearted, misshapen book on philosophy, poetry, and our never-ending quest to heal the wound of modern ...