this post was submitted on 25 Jan 2026
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Archaeology

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Archaeology or archeology[a] is the study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscapes.

Archaeology has various goals, which range from understanding culture history to reconstructing past lifeways to documenting and explaining changes in human societies through time.

The discipline involves surveying, excavation, and eventually analysis of data collected, to learn more about the past. In broad scope, archaeology relies on cross-disciplinary research. Read more...

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Scientists have confirmed that a 26ft tall, tree-trunk-shaped organism, first discovered in Scotland in 1843, isn't a fungus or plant, but an entirely distinct evolutionary branch of life (www.telegraph.co.uk)
submitted 4 days ago by Innerworld@lemmy.world to c/archaeology@mander.xyz
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[–] someguy3@lemmy.world 60 points 4 days ago (3 children)

But new research from the University of Edinburgh and National Museums Scotland has shown the fossil is neither fungus nor plant, but a new lifeform that became extinct around 370 million years ago.

Sandy Hetherington, the lead co-author and research associate at National Museums Scotland, said: β€œThey are life, but not as we now know it, displaying anatomical and chemical characteristics distinct from fungal or plant life, and therefore belonging to an entirely extinct evolutionary branch of life.”

[–] Aussieiuszko@aussie.zone 21 points 4 days ago (1 children)

It’s life Jim, but not as we know it

[–] fartographer@lemmy.world 5 points 4 days ago (1 children)

There's Klingons on the starboard bow

[–] TwodogsFighting@lemdro.id 3 points 3 days ago

Starboard bow, Jim!

[–] victorz@lemmy.world 11 points 4 days ago (1 children)

an entirely extinct evolutionary branch of life

Pardon my ignorance, I seem to have misunderstood the meaning of "extinct" (?).

[–] someguy3@lemmy.world 33 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

It's a fossil. Really should be part of the headline.

[–] victorz@lemmy.world 11 points 4 days ago

Oooh, okay yeah.

Man, what I wouldn't give to time travel back millions of years and just have a glance through the window of a pod, to see what it would be like to live here for a day back then.