Tom Metcalfe is a freelance journalist and regular Live Science contributor who is based in London in the United Kingdom. Tom writes mainly about science, space, archaeology, the Earth and the oceans. He has also written for the BBC, NBC News, National Geographic, Scientific American, Air & Space, and many others.
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Rare 1,300-year-old medallion decorated with menorahs found near Jerusalem's Temple MountAn excavation at the City of David in Jerusalem unearthed a 1,300-year-old medallion decorated with a seven-branched menorah on each side.
By Tom Metcalfe Published
middle-east -
Pompeii victims were wearing woolen cloaks in August when they died — but experts are split on what that meansSome of the victims at Pompeii were wearing woolen cloaks when they died, even though it was August, new research finds.
By Tom Metcalfe Published
16 Commentsromans -
2,000-year-old shipwreck may be Egyptian 'pleasure barge' from last dynasty of pharaohsArchaeologists diving off the coast of Alexandria, Egypt, have discovered the remains of a 2,000-year-old "pleasure barge" from the time of the Ptolemaic period.
By Tom Metcalfe Published
ancient-egyptians -
Lost Indigenous settlements described by Jamestown colonist John Smith finally foundExcavations along the Rappahannock River in Virginia have revealed the likely spot of Indigenous villages once described by John Smith.
By Tom Metcalfe Published
americas -
Ancient 'hanging coffin' people in China finally identified — and their descendants still live there todayPeople buried in "hanging coffins" thousands of years ago in China and Southeast Asia have finally been identified through DNA research.
By Tom Metcalfe Published
8 Commentsancient-china -
Sunken city discovered in Kyrgyzstan lake was a medieval hotspot on the Silk Road — until an earthquake wiped it outArchaeologists in Kyrgyzstan have discovered the remains of a drowned medieval city that was once a Silk Road hotspot.
By Tom Metcalfe Published
archaeology -
Earth's magnetic field has a weak spot — and it's getting bigger, putting astronauts and satellites at riskThis could be bad news for satellites and spacefarers.
By Tom Metcalfe Published
planet-earth -
5,000-year old 'cultic space' discovered in Iraq dates to time of the world's first citiesArchaeologists in Iraq have discovered the remains of a 5,000-year-old building that might have been used as a "cultic space" or temple for worship.
By Tom Metcalfe Published
middle-east -
900-year-old burials of Denmark's early Christians discovered in medieval cemeteryArchaeologists excavating at a medieval cemetery in Denmark have found the burials of 77 people who were early Christians in the area but still likely harbored pagan beliefs.
By Tom Metcalfe Published
archaeology -
Exceptionally rare iron saber, arrowheads and jewelry discovered in seventh-century warrior's tomb in HungaryArchaeologists in Hungary have found the 1,300-year-old burial of a warrior who was buried with a rare iron saber.
By Tom Metcalfe Published
archaeology -
DNA reveals what killed Napoleon's soldiers during their disastrous retreat from Russia in 1812A mass grave holding soldiers from Napoleon Bonaparte's French army reveals some of the diseases that killed the Grande Armée during its disastrous retreat from Russia in 1812.
By Tom Metcalfe Published
archaeology -
Ancient Roman tombstone found beneath undergrowth in New Orleans yardA New Orleans couple doing yard work behind their house unexpectedly found a Roman headstone of a solider who died 1,900 years ago.
By Tom Metcalfe Last updated
8 Commentsromans -
Hundreds of ancient gold and silver coins from possible Celtic market found in Czech RepublicHundreds of gold and silver coins, along with jewelry and other artifacts, have been found in the Czech Republic at what might have been an ancient Celtic market.
By Tom Metcalfe Published
archaeology -
Rare wampum beads discovered at 17th-century colony in NewfoundlandArchaeologists in Newfoundland have discovered seven tiny beads known as wampum that are made from seashells. They may be the first ever found in the province.
By Tom Metcalfe Published
2 Commentsarchaeology -
7-year-old Maya child had green jade 'tooth gem,' new study findsArchaeologists already knew that adult Maya had tooth inlays, but this is some of the first evidence that children also had tooth bling.
By Tom Metcalfe Published
archaeology -
Where is Queen Boudica buried?The remains of Britain's national heroine — Queen Boudica of the Iceni tribe — are not under a train station in north London. So, where is her grave?
By Tom Metcalfe Published
archaeology -
350-year-old mummified head from Bolivia isn't what it seemsA mummified skull from Bolivia was long thought to be of an Inca man, but a new study finds it had a different history.
By Tom Metcalfe Published
2 Commentsarchaeology -
Why does the universe exist?The universe exists because matter and antimatter are not good friends.
By Tom Metcalfe Published
particle-physics -
1,000-year-old 'king' game piece with a distinctive hairstyle is 'as close as we will ever get to a portrait of a Viking'A unique game piece from Norway that was crafted during the time of Harald Bluetooth may depict a Viking king.
By Tom Metcalfe Published
2 Commentsvikings -
What was the first human species?Modern humans emerged roughly 300,000 years ago, but our genus Homo is much older. So what's the oldest human species on record?
By Tom Metcalfe Published
human-evolution -
3,000-year-old burial of elite teen unearthed in Iran, with gold jewelry and astonishing 'scorpion' cosmetics boxThe extraordinary burial of a teenager buried with gold jewelry and a snake- and scorpion-decorated cosmetics box has been unearthed in Iran — and it may date to more than 3,000 years ago.
By Tom Metcalfe Published
archaeology -
3,800-year-old burial of tall warrior buried with 4-pronged spearhead unearthed in AzerbaijanThe burial holds a Bronze Age man who stood more than 6 feet, 6 inches tall and may have been a military leader.
By Tom Metcalfe Published
10 Commentsarchaeology -
1,600-year-old tomb of Maya city's first ruler unearthed in BelizeArchaeologists have discovered the tomb of the Maya king who founded the city of Caracol in what is now Belize.
By Tom Metcalfe Published
archaeology -
Severed bow of US warship blown off by Japanese torpedo finally found in South PacificMore than 180 lives were lost in the WWII attack, but the U.S. ship stayed afloat.
By Tom Metcalfe Published
archaeology
