History
Piece of Jesus’ manger home for Christmas
historyA tiny piece of wood that some Christians believe to be part of the baby Jesus’ manger has returned to Bethlehem just in time for Christmas after 1400 years in Rome
50 fun activities on the history of Christmas
christmasOur feature series and 50-activity workbook will help students understand the history and evolution of Christmas, the religious and cultural aspects of its celebration and how traditions vary across the world
World map of most common last names
geographyA fascinating new map has plotted out the most common surnames in every country in the world. Can you guess the most common last name in Australia?
Latest
Treasure trove of Ancient Egyptian animal mummies
Mummified crocodiles, a mongoose, birds, cats and lion cubs are among an incredible discovery uncovered by archaeologists at Egypt’s “City of the Dead”
15 amazing sculptures around the world
Earth is so big and so filled with things to see it’s hard to know where to start looking. To help you out, we’ve compiled this collection of incredible sculptures to look at and learn about
Same old Vegemite goes global
Vegemite’s recipe and flavour has not changed, according to the makers of the famous Aussie spread, keen to reassure worried local customers ahead of its historic global launch
Hindenburg Zeppelin, end of the airship era
The last remaining survivor of the famous 1937 Hindenburg airship disaster has died, aged 90. We look back at the invention of Zeppelins and the era of luxury international airship travel
Record floods swamp historic Venice
UNESCO World Heritage Site Venice is in a state of emergency after “apocalyptic” floods swept through the historic Italian city, with the mayor blaming climate change
Play-Doh’s sticky situation solved
By the 1950s, no one wanted to buy a special sort of dough to clean wallpaper. But some creative thinking saved the failing dough company and we all got to play with Play-Doh
Epic flight Australia almost forgot
One hundreds years ago, two Adelaide brothers made history with their world-first flight from England to Australia in a cloth-covered, open cockpit, two-engine biplane
Veterans go ‘back to Hell’ through VR films
As we mark Remembrance Day today, stunning new virtual reality films are allowing all Australians to learn about some of the forgotten and darkest chapters of our World War II history
‘Missing link’ between apes and humans
The bones of an ape-like species that walked on two legs and lived 12 million years ago have been discovered in Germany and experts think it could be the ‘missing link’ between apes and humans
An Aussie Cup win … I’ll drink to that!
In our weekly series, award-winning cartoonist Mark Knight explains why he added an Aussie tradition to his Melbourne Cup drawing after local horse Vow and Declare finished first past the post
How Archer won the first Melbourne Cup
Archer was a big horse with a funny running style and a habit of hanging his tongue out. But in 1861, no horse was better than the NSW import when he took home the very first Melbourne Cup
Australia’s knight in shining armour
Phil Leitch lives in a castle, wears a suit of armour and is the current World Jousting Champion. He’s also a real, professional, full-time knight known as Sir Reynard. True story!
Footy-shaped subs to swarm the seas
An Australian company is preparing to send a swarm of footy-shaped, mini-submarines into the world’s oceans, lakes and waterways to create an underwater version of Google Street View
Found: exact location of first humans’ home
An Australian-led team of scientists has identified the exact place in northern Botswana that was the home of the earliest ancestors of everyone alive today
End of an era as Uluru climb closes
Parks Australia plans to start dismantling the world famous Uluru climb two days after it closes on October 26, despite pressure to reconsider the climbing ban
Meet Australia’s real Willy Wonka
Australia had its own Willy Wonka long before Roald Dahl wrote Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the real one every bit as eccentric and a genius as the fictional version
Australian soldiers leave their mark in graffiti
Graffiti scrawled by Australian soldiers on underground cave walls in France more than 100 years ago has been preserved as a time capsule of life in the First World War
Fossilised ‘Iron Dragon’ found in the outback
The fossilised bones of a winged reptile — nicknamed the Iron Dragon — which flew above Queensland during the age of dinosaurs has been uncovered in the outback
First look at humans’ ancient cousin
Scientists have reconstructed the skull of a prehistoric, extinct cousin of humans from a tiny finger bone, so we can see, for the first time, what the Denisovan people looked like
World’s biggest war memorial turns 100
It’s 100 years this week since returned World War I soldiers starting chipping away at the cliffs with picks and shovels to create Australia’s incredible Great Ocean Road
Secret code hidden in new 50 cent coin
The Royal Australian Mint has made history after releasing the first Australian coin featuring a secret code. The new 50 cent coin has been launched to mark the 70th anniversary of ASIO
Time capsule of the day the dinosaurs died
For the first time, scientists have a clear picture of the day the giant asteroid crashed into Earth, wiping out dinosaurs with fires, tsunamis and a sky full of vaporised rock
Breakthrough in Loch Ness mystery
Scientists have made a major discovery in solving the mystery of the Loch Ness monster by testing DNA left behind by living things — ruling out the idea it was a dinosaur
Girl wins big as 1 billionth plane passenger
A 10-year-old Australian girl has been met from her flight by crowds and an orchestra after becoming the one billionth passenger at Sydney Airport, which turns 100 this year.
Welcome to the valley of the scarecrow dolls
The streets of Nagoro appear busy, dotted with people going about day-to-day life at school, at shops and in gardens. But they’re not people, they’re life-size dolls
Meet MRD, humans’ oldest cousin
Scientists have reconstructed the face of our earliest known ancestor from a fossilised skull belonging to a male who lived 3.8 million years ago in the mountains of Ethiopia
Holey moley! Australia’s first minted coins on show
Colonial Australia’s first minted coins — the holey dollar and the dump — have gone on show at the Royal Australian Mint. The coins were made by destroying Spanish currency to create our own
Solving the mystery of convicts’ secret language
If you don’t know what a fibbing gloak, a milling cove or a brisket beater are and you’re planning to time travel to 1819 you’d better study Australia’s best-selling, first dictionary
New, much older stegosaurus species found
Fossil hunters have found a new species of the ferocious-looking, armour-plated stegosaurus, much older than previous finds and in a location that could lead palaeontologists to rewrite history
Lasers uncover secrets of Don Bradman’s first bat
Laser and sonar technology has revealed hand-etched scores on the back of Sir Donald Bradman’s first cricket bat that are invisible to the naked eye
Cook’s Endeavour a vehicle for reflection
Captain James Cook’s arrival in Australia will be commemorated in a major project exploring the lasting impact it had on First Peoples, with hopes it could promote reconciliation
100 years since Qantas was born on a long drive
Bouncing across northern Australia in a Model T Ford on rough tracks made for wagons led these WWI pilots to dream of setting up the outback airline we know as Qantas
Human-sized extinct penguin found
A citizen scientist has found fossilised bones from an extinct penguin that was the size of an adult human and swam in the ocean around New Zealand about 60 million years ago
50 years after Abbey Road, there’s a new Fab Four
In our weekly series, award-winning cartoonist Mark Knight celebrates the 50th anniversary of The Beatles’ famous Abbey Road album cover, but his tribute has a twist with a new Fab Four
512-year-old shark is oldest living vertebrate
Scientists believe they have found the world’s oldest living vertebrate, a massive Greenland shark estimated to be up to 512 years old and described as a living time capsule
Scientists recreate Cleopatra’s perfume
Using traces of ingredients found in ancient perfumer’s bottles, scientists have recreated the perfume worn by Cleopatra, the glamorous last pharaoh of Ancient Egypt
Xbox inventor gets a taste of ancient toast
In an incredible, just-for-fun science experiment, the man who invented Xbox baked a loaf of bread using microscopic yeast spores brought back to life from a 4500-year-old Egyptian pot
Gravestone of the real Snow White on display
The gravestone of a woman whose real life story is believed to have inspired the Snow White fairytale has been rediscovered and is now on display in a German museum
Giant parrot nicknamed ‘Squawkzilla’ found
Australian palaeontologists have discovered a toddler-sized parrot so tall it could poke an adult in the belly button and at least twice as big as the largest parrot alive today
Reimagining the Sydney Harbour Bridge
Incredible new images reveal what Sydney would look like today had some of the alternative harbour bridge designs been given the green light instead of the now-famous coathanger
Historic Dog on the Tuckerbox statue damaged
UPDATED A little bronze statue of a loyal dog has been damaged, upsetting locals who regard it as an icon of Australia’s pioneering heritage. We look at the history of the Dog on the Tuckerbox
Man who found Titanic is out to find Earhart
The deep-sea explorer who discovered the Titanic and many other shipwrecks is on a quest to solve the 80-year-old mystery of pioneering pilot Amelia Earhart’s disappearance
500-year-old ‘pristine’ shipwreck found
A ship from the time Leonardo da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa and Christopher Columbus discovered America has been found on the bottom of the sea looking “almost like it sank yesterday”
Deadly curse fears as King Tut’s coffin is moved
King Tutankhamun’s sarcophagus has been moved for the first time in 100 years but many believe shifting the royal remains could unleash a deadly curse
Message in a bottle found after 50 years
In 1969 a boy dropped a message in a bottle into the ocean from a ship off the Australian coast and now another boy has found the bottle and the message’s author has been located
Moon landing remembered on rare 50c coin
The Royal Australian Mint has released a special coin series to celebrate 50 years since Neil Armstrong took “one giant leap for mankind” onto the surface of the moon on July 20, 1969
Moon germs, last meals and other Apollo 11 stories
It’s time for incredible revelations, reunions and replays as the world celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission and moon landing
Queues of climbers spoil Uluru and parklands
A rush of tourists trying to climb Uluru before it is banned is causing traffic jams on the historic rock and polluting its surrounding parklands with rubbish and human waste
Dying was not Armstrong’s biggest fear
Never-before-heard audio tapes reveal Neil Armstrong’s biggest fear ahead of the Apollo 11 trip wasn’t dying on the moon. It was failure to complete the mission and damaging the US’s reputation
Lost and found moon landing tapes sold
UPDATED A student working at NASA in the 1970s bought a heap of junk film and carried it around for 43 years before discovering it was the only surviving original film of the moon landing
Explorers find lost city full of natural treasures
Scientists dropped by helicopter into a remote lost city in a rainforest have found an incredible treasure trove of rare and endangered species, some thought to be extinct
NASA prepares to open historic moon vault
Scientists are practising with mock equipment and pretend rocks and dirt for the day they open the vaults containing treasures collected on the moon 50 years ago
Hairy, scary, frozen Ice Age wolf head found
The head of a giant wolf that would have roamed the land alongside woolly mammoths has been found in Siberia, complete with perfectly preserved brain, shaggy hair and fierce teeth
Kids told to ‘just ask’ about amazing war stories
Children are being urged to ‘just ask’ their family, friends and community about amazing stories from our wartime history. Roy Cornford’s WWII survival is one such story. Read it here
How to purchase the moon landing inquiry kit
It is 50 years since Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first men to walk on the moon. Learn all about this historic event and the space race in our digital inquiry kit
Early space exploration and the race to be first
In the early days of space exploration, the US and Russia sent rockets, animals and finally humans into the great unknown of our universe in the search for answers about what exists out there
Three ordinary men who made extraordinary history
The trio that led the Apollo 11 mission were Neil Armstrong, Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin and Michael Collins — three brave astronauts willing to risk their lives for space exploration
Weird and wacky training to mimic the lunar conditions
The astronauts were prepared to handle any problem imaginable on their moon mission. But trying to find ways to copy conditions on the lunar surface meant using some strange training techniques
Inside the powerful Saturn V rocket and Apollo 11
NASA built a special-purpose rocket called Saturn V to launch man into orbit and walk on the moon. It was the most powerful of its kind ever built. We take a look at all its components
Liftoff! Life on-board the journey to the moon
It took three days for Apollo 11 to reach the moon. There wasn’t much to do in the tiny module apart from eating rehydrated food, exercising and keeping the ship running smoothly
The Eagle has landed … and man walks on the moon
One of the greatest feats in history was realised when Neil Armstrong stepped onto the moon and uttered the famous words: ‘That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.’
The Aussies, the Dish and a TV world-first
Australia played an unexpected important role in the moon landing by broadcasting the historic moonwalk to more than 650 million people across the world
Conspiracy theories suggest the landing was a fake
Conspiracy theories that NASA faked landing on the moon have been popular since 1969. We look at some of the arguments and what the Americans say about them
Space race to return to the moon is heating up
It’s been more than 40 years since man last stepped on the moon after the high cost of space travel took its toll. But now several companies are racing to take humans back to the lunar surface
Remembering D-Day, June 6, 1944
Australia’s Prime Minister and other world leaders and veterans are gathering to remember D-Day — June 6, 1944 — one of the most significant days of World War II
Entire herd of dinosaurs found in Australia
Scientists have been stunned after an entire herd of 100-million-year-old dinosaurs was discovered in Lightning Ridge in outback Australia
How to rebuild Notre Dame after the fire
The world’s top architects and stonemasons are trying to figure out how to fix Paris’s fire-damaged cathedral, including two experts 16,000km away in Australia
Famous Terracotta Army marches into Australia
Warriors from China’s world-famous Terracotta Army — which is considered the Eighth Wonder of the World — have arrived in Australia for a unique arts exhibition
Scott Morrison still PM after election win
Scott Morrison is still the Prime Minister of Australia after his come-from-behind federal election win, which keeps the Liberal-Nationals Coalition in charge of the country
Former Prime Minister Bob Hawke has died
Australian Labor Party legend Bob Hawke, often described as one of Australia’s most popular prime ministers, died last night. We look at Mr Hawke's life and his legacy to our nation
Ancient coins that could rewrite Australian history
Tiny copper coins up to 1000 years old found on a remote beach on an Australian island could add a new chapter to the story of our European history
Titanic’s Egyptian mummy and other famous curses
There is no proof that playing a trumpet on BBC radio in 1939 started World War II, but that doesn’t stop people believing this and other fascinating and famous curses
Exploring Minecraft’s new Australian city
Dig for false teeth, look for drop bears and search for wildlife in a new Minecraft mini Melbourne to learn about science, maths, archaeology and engineering
Prince Harry and Meghan introduce Master Archie
Royal couple Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have proudly introduced their adorable newborn son to the Queen and revealed his unusual and bold name
Leonardo da Vinci’s greatest hits
Five centuries since he lived, people still can’t believe how smart inventor, artist, scientist, mathematician, thinker and tech whiz Leonardo da Vinci was
Cheeseslaw officially a word after almost 100 years
Broken Hill is usually in the news for being hot and dry, but this time it’s about something cool and damp: a special local salad invention called cheeseslaw
Ancient jawbone solves mountain puzzle
A jawbone found in Tibet of an ancient cousin of humans from at least 160,000 years ago proves humans adapted to live at high altitude far earlier than we thought
Mysterious ‘Yeti’ footprints found in Himalayas
Soldiers on an expedition in Nepal have found and photographed large footprints in the snow they believed to belong to the Yeti, or abominable snowman
Australia celebrates fairy bread’s 90th birthday
Tasmanians can claim a long list of world-changing inventions. That list now includes the kids’ birthday party classic fairy bread, just in time for the treat’s own 90th birthday party
Diary of a Gallipoli ANZAC
Philip Owen Ayton enlisted soon after World War I was declared. He took part in the Gallipoli landing, describing it in vivid detail in a diary now published for the first time
New 50c coin is unique in any language
A new 50c coin has been released in Australia and it features a historic design element never seen before to highlight the uniqueness of our country and our cultural heritage
World’s longest dragon lands in Australia
Dai Gum Loong, 125m long and with 7000 scales, has flown to Australia to take over from an old dragon called Sun Loong that is ready to retire
Ancient four-legged whale walked on land
Scientists have uncovered fossils of an ancient four-legged whale that walked on land and swam in the sea 43 million year ago
‘Temporary’ Eiffel Tower turns 130
The much-loved, world-famous symbol of Paris has turned 130, after surviving fierce early criticism and an original plan to take it down after just 20 years
Fossil graveyard a snapshot of asteroid hit
Scientists have discovered a fossilised snapshot of the day a huge asteroid slammed into Earth 66 million years ago, clearing the way for humans to thrive
World’s biggest T-rex unearthed
A massive, fierce dinosaur nicknamed Scotty has been dug from sandstone. Its leg bones are so big it is thought to have weighed 8800kg when it roamed the Earth
Why do we pull pranks on April Fools’ Day?
Watch out … today is April Fools’ Day and it’s the day for playing pranks on unsuspecting people. We look at why we celebrate on April 1 and some of today's best jokes
Quest to bring woolly mammoths back to life
Experiments on the cells of a woolly mammoth found preserved in frozen ground has brought scientists a step closer to bringing the prehistoric creatures back to life
Australians may be 120,000 years old
Scientists have discovered humans may have been living in Australia for 120,000 years. If proven right, the discovery could rewrite the indigenous history of our nation
New official record for world’s oldest person
A Japanese woman has been honoured as the world’s oldest living person by Guinness World Records. She took time out from studying maths to celebrate by eating chocolate
Cricket’s Ashes urn to come home
Australia has won the Ashes 33 times in 137 years, yet the famous Ashes urn stays locked in a cabinet at Lord’s in London. Later this year, it will visit Australia for fans to see
The World Wide Web turns 30
Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the internet, celebrates and reflects on the achievements and challenges for the future, 30 years on from the internet’s beginnings
New wallaby-sized Australian dinosaur found
Millions of years before wallabies, a wallaby-sized dinosaur was running around a long-vanished valley between the continents we call Australia and Antarctica
Researchers find dingoes are not dogs
Researchers from several Australian universities have determined the dingo is not a dog but a unique native species of its own
Questions I am asked about the Holocaust
Hedi Fried was 19 when she was captured by the Nazis and sent to a concentration camp during WWII. She survived and now, at 94, still uses her story to teach students about the Holocaust
Ancient tattoo kit made from human bone
Researchers have uncovered the world’s oldest known tattoo kit, some of which is made from human bone and believed to be 2700 years old
Potion to live forever found in Chinese tomb
A mysterious potion discovered in an ancient Han Dynasty tomb in China was brewed to allow whoever drank it to live forever. Unfortunately, it is full of toxic ingredients
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