More than 56 million years ago, something took wing. Now, combining ancient fossils with genomes from living species, researchers are rewriting the bat family tree, and tracing these creatures toward their mysterious beginnings in Paleocene Europe.
Culture
More Than Ceremony: New Study Explores Ritual’s Transformative Power
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From seasonal festivals to public rituals, communal gatherings may offer measurable psychological benefits. A new study finds shared ritual experiences can foster awe, strengthen community identity, and even expand participants’ sense of connection to humanity.
Culture
Migration and Religious Diversity Shaped Early Vilnius in Europe’s Last Pagan Kingdom
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Long before Lithuania officially embraced Christianity, Orthodox migrants and local converts lived alongside a predominantly pagan population in medieval Vilnius, offering new archaeological evidence that religious change unfolded gradually through migration, trade, and everyday life.
Environment
As El Niño Strengthens, Experts Urge Communities to Prepare
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We don’t usually report on seasonal weather forecasts, but this one, organizations say, deserves attention. Experts say a strengthening El Niño could affect everything from winter storms to food prices, making preparedness more important than ever.
Europe
Decoded curse tablet shows the cultural diversity of magic in the Roman empire
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A curse tablet, part of a widespread Roman magical tradition, has been excavated in the Netherlands. It shows evidence of Greek and Egyptian influence as it implores deities and spirits to perform a task.
News
Pew Report Finds Rising Religious Hostilities While Impact on Minority Faiths Remains Difficult to Track
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A new Pew Research Center report finds religious hostilities increased for the third consecutive year worldwide, while government restrictions remained near record highs and questions remain about how smaller faith communities are represented in the data.