History
Browse Impossible Universe stories filed under History.
Scientists Pulled Ancient Human DNA From Cave Walls for the First Time
For the first time, researchers recovered ancient human DNA directly from prehistoric cave walls and rock art at sites across Spain and Portugal, including from hand stencils and pigment samples at Altamira, Escoural, and Covaron caves. The discovery opens the possibility of genetically identifying the Ice Age artists who created the world's oldest known paintings.
Millions of Smithsonian Objects Are Waiting for Better Stories
Smithsonian Open Access released millions of images and datasets for public reuse, turning museum storage into a giant story mine.
When Victorian Scientists Drew the Colors of Numbers
Francis Galton collected early diagrams of private color and number experiences, creating strange visual records of synaesthesia and mental imagery.
Real Maps for Places That Never Existed
The Library of Congress treats maps of imaginary places as real cartographic objects, from literary worlds to allegorical landscapes.