The Cutty Sark, the world’s last surviving tea clipper and one of Britain’s greatest maritime treasures, will be reopened following an extensive conservation project, with major support totalling £25 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). The following day (26 April) the ship opens to visitors for the first time since 2006.

Following the recent announcement of the discovery of the earliest known Christian imagery in the exploration of a sealed first century Jerusalem tomb, controversy predictably erupted, with numerous members of the community of biblical scholars offering alternate interpretations of the iconography and disputing the tomb’s claimed Christian connections.

UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova voiced alarm over the safety of Timbuktu’s invaluable cultural heritage, following reports that rebels have over-run and looted centres containing thousands of ancient books and documents that bear testimony to the city’s extraordinary history.

University of Cincinnati research is revealing early farming in a former wetlands region that was largely cut off from Western researchers until recently.

Chimpanzee behaviour suggests tree-to-ground transition occurred before the emergence of ancient humans.

What can surnames tell us about the culture, genetics and history of our society? That is the question being answered by Chinese researchers who have traced the evolution of surnames across China.

Coral off Tahiti has linked the collapse of massive ice sheets 14,600 years ago to a dramatic and rapid rise in global sea-levels of around 14 metres.

In order to accurately identify skulls as male or female, forensic anthropologists need to have a good understanding of how the characteristics of male and female skulls differ between populations.