Working on a site in a cave in southeastern Armenia, an archeological expedition claims they have found the remains of the world?s oldest human brain. They believe it is over 5,000 years old.
Working on a site in a cave in southeastern Armenia, an archeological expedition claims they have found the remains of the world’s oldest human brain. They believe it is over 5,000 years old.
Mass spectrometry was used in the analysis of the sample, which was performed at the Keck Carbon Cycle Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, University of California, Irvine. This analysis confirmed that one of three human skulls found at the site contained particles of a human brain, which was dated to approximately the first quarter of the 4th millennium BC.
The archeological team, which was comprised of members from The U.S., Armenia, and Ireland, was excavating a site overlooking the Arpa River near the town of Areni in Armenia when they made the find. They expect additional finds at the site, which they believe is a ceremonial chamber where various rituals were performed.
PNNL and BaySpec Launch Compact Mass Spectrometry System for Rapid Narcotics Detection
July 8th 2025The U.S. Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s (PNNL) VaporID, which is a newly developed portable air sampling system incorporating a miniaturized mass spectrometer (MS), can detect trace levels of fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and even explosives like TNT with great accuracy.
Radar and Soil Spectroscopy Boost Soil Carbon Predictions in Brazil’s Semi-Arid Regions
July 7th 2025A new study published in Geoderma demonstrates that combining soil spectroscopy with radar-derived vegetation indices and environmental data significantly improves the accuracy of soil organic carbon predictions in Brazil’s semi-arid regions.
Advancing Deep Soil Moisture Monitoring with AI-Powered Spectroscopy Drones
July 7th 2025A Virginia Tech study has combined drone-mounted NIR hyperspectral imaging (400 nm to 1100 nm) and AI to estimate soil moisture at root depths with remarkable accuracy, paving the way for smarter irrigation and resilient farming.