Dramatic shift from wet to dry climate could have caused crop failure in Neo-Assyrian empireThe Neo-Assyrian empire was a mighty superpower that dominated the near east for 300 years before its dramatic collapse. Now researchers say they have a novel theory for what was behind its rise and fall: climate change.The empire emerged in about 912BC and grew to stretch from the Mediterranean down to...

DNA analysis helps work out origin of nearly 6 million mummified ibisesAn ancient Egyptian mystery has been solved, according to researchers, who say they have cracked the conundrum of where millions of mummified birds came from.Pharaohs and members of the nobility were often mummified, but the practice was not reserved for humans – cats, crocodiles, mice and mongooses are among the mummified...

Unlike Star Wars projection, 3D technology whips polystyrene bead round at high speedIt may not rival the technology found in a galaxy far, far away, but everyone has to start somewhere. Researchers in Southampton have built a device that displays 3D animated objects that can talk and interact with onlookers.A demonstration of the display showed a butterfly flapping its wings, a countdown spelled...

The meet-cute is neatly postponed in this entertaining story of two next-door neighbours, both seeing therapists and looking for loveMuch like the process of psychotherapy itself, patience is required for results while watching this modestly entertaining slow-burn Parisian romance from Cédric Klapisch, who pulls off a neat trick by bumping the meet-cute to the end of the film. What happens before...

Astronomers say S5-HVs1 ventured close to supermassive black hole before being ejectedAstronomers have spotted a star heading out of the Milky Way at more than 6m km/h (3.7m mph), or 1,700km per second, after an encounter with the supermassive black hole at the centre of the galaxy.The star is moving so fast that in about 100m years it will exit the Milky Way and spend the rest of its life sailing...

Authorities working to contain outbreak of disease that is worse than bubonic plagueTwo people in China have been diagnosed with plague, the latest cases of a disease more commonly associated with historical catastrophe.Plague is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis and can arise in three forms – a lung infection, known as pneumonic plague; a blood infection, known as septicemic plague; and a...

The night sky above the US midwest was illuminated by a meteor on 11 November. The fireball was caught on video streaking past the Gateway Arch in St Louis, Missouri. There were more than 100 reported sightings across nine US states Continue reading...

Exclusive: tiny particles produced by motor traffic can invade the brain and carry carcinogensNew research has linked air pollution nanoparticles to brain cancer for the first time.The ultra-fine particles (UFPs) are produced by fuel burning, particularly in diesel vehicles, and higher exposures significantly increase people’s chances of getting the deadly cancer. Previous work has shown that...