Earth is approximately 4.5 billion years old, so one might assume that scientists have already discovered most of its treasures. However, recent findings prove that there’s still much to learn. New technologies and exploration methods are vital in enhancing our understanding of the planet. The secrets of Earth, its people, and animals continue to emerge, challenging our previous knowledge.
This year alone, numerous significant discoveries have been announced, revealing previously unknown aspects of history and nature. Let’s explore these exciting finds.
Burial Rituals of Asian Elephants
Asian elephants, distinguished from their African counterparts by their smaller size and other features, are the largest land mammals in Asia. While their social structure and intelligence are well-known, the documentation of their burial rituals is a recent discovery.
A study in the Journal of Threaded Taxa reported the first scientific evidence of Asian elephants deliberately burying their dead calves. Researchers Akashdeep Roy and Parveen Kaswan observed these burials in tea-growing estates in north Bengal, India, between September 2022 and October 2023.
They found five elephant calves buried in drainage ditches, lying on their backs and covered with soil. Examination of the bodies revealed bruising, suggesting that other herd members carried the calves to the burial sites over long distances, sometimes for up to 48 hours.
Researchers believe the elephants positioned the calves on their backs to allow multiple herd members to participate in the burial process. Villagers reported loud vocalizations from the elephants before they left the burial areas, possibly indicating mourning. Afterward, the elephants avoided the paths where the calves had been left, suggesting an association with bad memories. [1]
Long-Lost Statue of Ramses II
In 1930, Dr. Günther Roeder discovered the lower half of a statue of Ramses II. Ramses II, one of the most celebrated pharaohs, ruled during a golden age of power and wealth. It took nearly a century to find the statue’s other half.
In 2023, an Egyptian-American expedition led by Dr. Bassem Gehad and Prof. Ivonna Trnka-Amrhein explored the Ashmunein area, hoping to find a religious complex. Instead, they discovered the top half of the Ramses statue in January 2024.
The statue was remarkably well-preserved, with traces of blue and yellow pigment still visible. The upper half, about 12.5 feet tall, depicts Ramses II wearing a double crown and a headdress with a royal cobra. Hieroglyphic inscriptions praising the ruler are present on the back column. Once reunited, the statue is expected to stand 23 feet tall. [2]
New Parasitic Wasp Species
Parasitic wasps lay their eggs in or on other invertebrates, and the young wasps consume their hosts. Juvenile fruit flies are common targets for about 200 species of parasitic wasps. However, a new species has been discovered that targets adult flies.
In March 2023, Logan Moore, a PhD student, found a spiky-tailed wasp larva inside an adult male fruit fly in Mississippi. Further investigation revealed that a percentage of male flies were parasitized by wasps each year.
Moore and Matthew Ballinger identified the wasps as a previously unknown species, named Syntretus perlmani. This wasp infects adult fruit flies by laying an egg inside the fly’s abdomen. The larva grows for about 18 days before bursting out, killing the host. This discovery, published in Nature, is surprising because Drosophila flies are so common and well-studied. [3]
Rare “Blue Room” in Pompeii
Pompeii, a flourishing Roman town, was destroyed by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 AD. However, the archaeological site continues to yield new discoveries. Recently, an opulent shrine with rare blue paint on the walls was unearthed.
During excavations in Regio IX, archaeologists uncovered a room decorated with female figures representing the seasons and portrayals of agriculture and sheep farming. The room, believed to be a sacrarium, contained household furnishings, vases, bronze jugs, lamps, and oyster shells.
The significance of the discovery lies in the rare blue pigment, which was typically used for elaborately decorated rooms due to its high cost. According to Gabriel Zychtriegel, blue was the most expensive color because it had to be imported from Egypt and the eastern Mediterranean. [4]
Le Lyonnais
Le Lyonnais was a 260-foot trans-Atlantic steamship built in 1855. It was designed to carry passengers and mail between England and America. On its first return voyage, the ship collided with the Adriatic and sank, resulting in 114 deaths. The exact location of the wreck remained a mystery for 168 years.
In the late 2000s, shipwreck hunter Eric Takakjian began searching for Le Lyonnais. Jennifer Sellitti and Joe Mazraani later joined the search, using their dive vessel, the D/V Tenacious. By combining historical research with sonar technology, the team pinpointed the ship’s final resting place eight years later.
In late August 2024, Le Lyonnais was found approximately 200 miles off New Bedford, Massachusetts. The ship’s stem engine, sail system, iron hull plates, and screw propeller confirmed the identity of the wreck. The team plans to return to the site to catalog the artifacts. [5]
Sanfordiacaulis densifolia
A 350-million-year-old tree fossil, resembling something from Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax, was discovered and reported in the journal Current Biology. This fossil is the most complete tree fossil from the Mississippian period and one of few fossils of its kind ever found.
In 2017, Olivia King and Matthew Stimson found a tree trunk embedded in a boulder at Sanford quarry in Norton, New Brunswick. They realized the trunk was still attached to its branches and leaves. The fossil was later dubbed Sanfordiacaulis in honor of the quarry owner, Laure Sanford.
Sanfordiacaulis densifolia stood approximately 8.5 feet tall and had a spindly stem with a dense canopy of over 200 leaves. Researchers believe this tree could be the earliest known evidence of a subcanopy tree, creating a layered forest 350 million years ago. [6]
Secret Chess Pieces under Floorboards at Auschwitz
Auschwitz, originally a prison for Polish prisoners, became one of history’s largest killing machines. Prisoners faced severe punishment for possessing contraband items, but many found solace in card games and chess.
During renovations in Block 8 of the former Auschwitz I Camp, a set of handmade chess pieces was discovered under the floorboards. The collection includes 35 cardboard squares with hand-drawn figures of rooks, pawns, bishops, and knights.
The chess pieces, although primitive in design, were in surprisingly good condition. Elżbieta Cajzer, head of the Museum’s Collections, noted that the creator likely focused on functionality and easy concealment from Nazi guards. The conserved chess set will eventually be part of the museum’s permanent display. [7]
Amelia Earhart’s Plane?
The disappearance of Amelia Earhart remains a significant mystery. In 2022, Tony Romeo started an ocean exploration business to search for her plane.
In September 2023, Romeo’s company, Deep Sea Vision, launched a search using a high-tech unmanned underwater drone. After scanning approximately 5,200 sq miles, the team found a mysterious plane-shaped object about 16,400 feet below the water’s surface, near Howland Island.
The sonar images captured an object matching the dimensions of Earhart’s Lockheed Electra 10-E plane. Romeo is confident the debris is connected to Earhart, as there are no other known crashes in the area of that era or design. The crew plans to return to the site for a closer look. [8]
First Case of Active Wound Treatment in a Wild Animal
While scientists knew that great apes used medicine, they had never seen a wild animal actively treating a wound. This changed with research published in Scientific Reports, which detailed the first known case of active wound treatment in a wild animal using a medicinal plant.
In June 2022, Rakus, a male Sumatran orangutan, was observed with a wound below his right eyelid. Over several days, researchers noticed Rakus eating the stem and leaves of a liana vine called Akar Kuning, an anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial plant.
Rakus chewed the leaves and smeared the juices onto his wound. He also covered the wound with leaf material. The treatment appeared effective; the wound never became infected and closed within five days. Approximately one month after the injury, the wound had fully healed. [9]
Diana of Versailles
In July 2024, RMS Titanic Inc. launched a team to document the state of the Titanic wreckage. The top priority was locating the Diana of Versailles, a two-foot-tall bronze statue that stood in the ship’s first-class lounge.
The statue had been seen in photos taken in 1986 but had not been found since. During a 20-day expedition, remotely operated vehicles captured over two million images and 24 hours of high-definition footage.
On the final day of the expedition, the Diana statue was found two-and-a-half miles underwater. The statue had been on the ocean floor for 112 years. RMS Titanic plans to return to recover the statue and other items. [10]
These incredible discoveries highlight the fact that even after centuries of exploration, our planet continues to reveal its hidden secrets. From animal behaviors to lost artifacts, these findings expand our understanding of history and nature.
Which discovery fascinated you the most? Leave your comment below!
