Amsterdam’s train tunnels reveal surprising windows into the past

(CNN) Scientists have long believed that our planet is built of four layers of rock, minerals, and magma deposited over millions of years of existence.

But researchers now believe that the world has five major layers that previously could not have been discovered An iron ball 400 miles wide Inside the Earth’s inner core. The revelation could help experts understand more about the origins of the place we call home.

Then there are the hidden layers of history beneath our feet – the roads, cities and ways of life that have been covered up and forgotten with the passage of time.

As we delve into those lost chapters, the stories have a way of reappearing.

I discovered

When engineers tunneled under the centuries-old architecture of Amsterdam to build the north-south metro line, it was like stepping back in time.

The arduous 15-year process resulted in the construction of an underground train system – and Underground museum filled with 10,000 discovered artifacts during the process.

Archaeologists sifted through the displaced mud during the project and found myriad items, including 115,000-year-old shells, medieval relics, and even antique cell phones.

Visitors can view items on display at Rokin Station, where many artifacts that reveal Amsterdam’s past have been found.

Curiosity

A bell-shaped mushroom that humans have used as a fire starter for centuries could now prove useful in fighting the climate crisis.

Dubbed the “tinder mushroom,” the powerful organism may one day replace some plastics.

Part of the mushrooms he has Similar strength to plywood or leatherbut it weighs less than either.

Scientists think mushrooms could end up as shock absorbers in sporting equipment and other consumer goods.

For ideas on how to reduce your role in the climate crisis, sign up CNN lives, but eco-friendly Limited newsletter series.

other worlds

Astronomy scientists I spotted a “forbidden” planet. outside our solar system.

The exoplanet, called TOI 5205b, is about the size of Jupiter, Earth’s largest neighbor. Discover the extraordinary world orbiting a cool little star with only a fraction of the light, size and warmth of our Sun.

Researchers do not understand how such a huge planet appeared around the young star, hence its existence is prohibited. But the gas giant is making scientists question what they know about how planets form.

Meanwhile, scientists have found that An ancient riverbed in Earth’s oldest and driest desert This is surprisingly similar to Jezero Crater on Mars.

a long time ago

The tomb of two brothers who lived during the Bronze Age more than 3,000 years ago may help shed light on some of the mysteries of medical history.

The brothers, probably of high status, lived in the city of Megiddo in What is now Israel. Both men had debilitating chronic diseases, according to a new analysis of their remains.

Sometime after the young man’s death, his older brother underwent surgery. A square hole was cut through his skull, and he died shortly thereafter. now, a The research team is baffled about ancient brain surgery and Why were the pieces of the skull buried in the tomb.

In a discovery that dates back a long time ago, archaeologists excavating a cave in the south of France found it The oldest evidence of the use of the bow and arrow by the first modern humans out of Africa.

Wonderful creatures

The little whitewashed bungalows that pop up on South Africa’s beaches and offshore islands are a bit small for vacationers – but the lodgings are just right for another type of avid beachgoer.

The domes have many selling points – they are very airy and offer a great view of the sea. To top it all off, the structures provide a safe place for breeding penguins to mate and protect their eggs.

Human activity and the climate crisis have caused the number of African penguins to decline. That’s why conservationists got involved with the African Penguin Nest Project to create artificial nests.

The project started in 2018. Within minutes, it was up and running Endangered penguins ran right inside their new homes.

discoveries

You have to see these stories to believe them:

James Webb Space Telescope The latest image includes six massive galaxies Far, far from how scientists understood the beginning of the universe.

– A photographer dived into the murky depths of the Derwent River in Tasmania and took amazing pictures Pictures of a fish walking on its “hands”.

A 2,400-year-old mechanism was discovered in the ruins of an ancient palace in Xi’an, China. The oldest known toilet in the world.