That's Old News

Laurie & Ben
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That's Old News Podcast

It's the latest news on the oldest stories. Join three (slightly clueless) fans of history and archaeology for a comical take on the latest news about the past from historical, archaeological and scientific research. See some fake reviews below! "There must be someone who likes stuff like this, surely" - Supportive friends and family "It does a great job of keeping the cats calm when there's fireworks." - Barbara from number 32 "This is the trouble with using shuffle in store, you get stuff like this coming on" - Alan from PC World

  1. 2 JUN

    An ancient egg that’s no yoke, roman flatpack furniture and Stone Age inventions in China

    Join the That’s Old News team in this episode as they discuss one of the worlds oldest persevered eggs found in the UK, a recently discovered roman flatpack bed (watch out IKEA), and the 45,000 year old stone age technology at one of the oldest archaeological sites in China. Enjoy this cracking episode! References Ben’s Story - Roman Egg https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-68247184 Taryn’s Story - Roman Flatpack Bed https://www.theguardian.com/science/2024/feb/05/flat-packed-furniture-for-the-next-life-roman-funerary-bed-found-in-london Laurie’s Story - Lithic Technologies in China https://cosmosmagazine.com/history/palaeontology/china-ancient-human-migration-culture/

    31 min

  2. 03/07/2023

    Where blue eyes come from? What makes a UNESCO world heritage site? and 170,000 year old giant snails.

    Join Laurie, Taryn and Ben this week, as they discuss the origins of blue eyes, what it takes to become a UNESCO world heritage site, and origins of ancient snail consumption – a real feast (if you like snails). Enjoy!

    36 min

  3. 17/05/2023

    A 3000 year old failed drug test, what makes a Denisovan and an extinct mammoth meatball

    We’re back with a bang (and a new co-host!) Join Ben, Laurie and Taryn as they embark on a new series of That’s Old News exploring the latest research into the human past. This week they’ll be discussing the earliest evidence of psychoactive drug use in Europe, the unique story behind the discovery of a potential of a Denisovan skull in 2021 and the science behind a mammoth meatball made from cultivated meat. Enjoy!

    36 min

  4. 05/04/2021

    A 6,000 Year Old Salt Factory, Sheepish Medieval Fraudsters and What Computers Can Teach Us About Rock Art

    Join Laurie and Ben this week as they discuss, the discovery of the oldest salt factory in western Europe, which is nearly 6,000 years old, why sheepskin was the material of choice for making parchment to prevent medieval fraudsters, and how machine learning was applied to australia rock art to see how good computers are at identifying when they were painted. Enjoy! Links  6000 Year Old Salt Factory https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/mar/31/dig-reveals-6000-year-old-salt-hub-in-north-yorkshire  Australian Rock Art https://cosmosmagazine.com/history/archaeology/machine-learning-reads-arnhem-land-rock-art/  Sheepskin Parchment https://www.sciencenews.org/article/how-sheep-skin-legal-papers-fraud-prevention-parchment

    37 min

  5. 23/03/2021

    What Are The Dead Sea Scrolls? The life of a Mayan Ambassador and Introducing The Plain of Jars

    Join Laurie and Ben this week when they discuss the newest fragments found of the dead sea scrolls along with what the dead sea scrolls are and why they’re important.They also discuss the the life of a Mayan ambassador and how his bones show why living as a mayan elite wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. Finally if you’ve never heard of the site called the plain of jars in Laos you learn on this episode why you’ll want to give it a google! Enjoy.  Links to stories The Plain of Jars https://phys.org/news/2021-03-mystery-laos-megalithic-jars.html  Dead Sea Scrolls https://www.archaeology.org/news/9530-210317-israel-dead-sea-scrolls  The live of a Mayan Ambassador https://www.archaeology.org/news/9529-210317-guatemala-maya-lakam

    49 min

  6. 15/03/2021

    Neanderthal Speech, A 2,000 Year Old Computer and A WW2 Airman Laid to Rest

    Join Laurie and Ben this week as they discuss new evidence suggesting neanderthals could speak, the latest research on the world's oldest analog computer, the antikythera mechanism, an ancient greek device used to predict planetary movements, and finally, a story of how ancient DNA provided closer for family members of a WW2 New Zealand bomber gunner who was missing in action.  Links Neanderthal Speech https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/03/210301112358.htm  The Antikythera Mechanism https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/mar/12/scientists-move-closer-to-solving-mystery-of-antikythera-mechanism  https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-84310-w#Sec12  WW2 Airman https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/124416572/remains-of-southland-wwii-gunner-found-after-79-years-in-plane-wreckage-in-germany

    45 min

  7. 08/03/2021

    The Oldest Dog in America, A 17,000 Year Old Sound, And How Much Did Ancient Egyptians Love Their Pets?

    Join Laurie and Ben this week as they chat through  the earliest dog remains found in the americas and its implications on how the humans first made it to america, a rediscovered conch horn played for the first time in 17,000 years, and the oldest pet cemetery ever found, which cements the importance of our feline friends in our history.  Enjoy! links  17,000 Year Old Conch https://gizmodo.com/after-17-000-years-a-rediscovered-conch-horn-is-played-1846238951  https://www.newscientist.com/article/2267417-listen-to-the-oldest-known-conch-shell-horn-from-18000-years-ago/ Ancient Egyptian Pet Cemetery https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2021/02/graves-nearly-600-cats-and-dogs-ancient-egypt-may-be-world-s-oldest-pet-cemetery Oldest Dog Remains Discovered In America https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2021/02/remains-oldest-american-dog-bolster-idea-first-humans-arrived-along-coast

    33 min

  8. 01/03/2021

    Sentimental Sapiens: With Special Guest Taryn Bell

    In this weeks special Ben and Laurie are joined by Taryn Bell a researcher from the university of York. Taryn's research focuses on trying to understand the uniquely human trait of having significant emotional connections with objects. Everyone has item which is precious to them for sentimental reasons, but when did this human trait develop, and how can we find these objects in the archaeological record? Join us to find out! Links Bell, T. and Spikins, P. (2018). The object of my affection: attachment security and material culture. Time and Mind 11(1), 23-39. Available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1751696X.2018.14333

    52 min
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About

It's the latest news on the oldest stories. Join three (slightly clueless) fans of history and archaeology for a comical take on the latest news about the past from historical, archaeological and scientific research. See some fake reviews below! "There must be someone who likes stuff like this, surely" - Supportive friends and family "It does a great job of keeping the cats calm when there's fireworks." - Barbara from number 32 "This is the trouble with using shuffle in store, you get stuff like this coming on" - Alan from PC World

Information

  • Creator
    Laurie & Ben
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2024
  • Episodes
    29
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2020 Popular Podcasts
  • Show Website
    That's Old News

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