How lichens are bringing stone to life and reconnecting us with the natural world

Lichens bridge the living and non-living – understanding them allows us to better see how to conserve our heritage, and also ourselves.

Nicholas Carter, Lecturer in Physical Geography, University of Oxford • conversation
May 16, 2025 • ~14 min

Stonehenge’s giant Altar Stone came all the way from north-east Scotland – here’s how we worked out this astonishing new finding

This is the longest known journey for any stone used in a Neolithic monument.

Rob Ixer, Honorary Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Archaeology, UCL • conversation
Aug. 14, 2024 • ~8 min

Just Stop Oil drew needed attention to climate-threatened Stonehenge

5,000 year old stones may survive paint but not climate breakdown.

Will de Freitas, Environment + Energy Editor, UK edition • conversation
June 26, 2024 • ~8 min

Stonehenge protest: if you worry about damage to British heritage you should listen to Just Stop Oil

Extreme weather caused by climate change could deface the stones and undermine their foundations.

Sarah Kerr, Lecturer in Archaeology and Radical Humanities, University College Cork • conversation
June 21, 2024 • ~6 min

Stonehenge may have aligned with the Moon as well as the Sun

The monument’s ancient connection to the skies may run even deeper than we realised.

Erica Ellingson, Professor in Astrophysics, Emeritus, University of Colorado Boulder • conversation
April 19, 2024 • ~8 min

A brief history of time – as told by a watchmaker

The 24-hour system was independently invented multiple times.

Jaq Prendergast, Lecturer in Horology, Birmingham City University • conversation
Dec. 28, 2023 • ~8 min

Stonehenge first stood in Wales: how archaeologists proved parts of the 5,000 year-old stone circle were imported

A remarkable set of discoveries has confirmed that parts of Stonehenge first stood 140 miles away at Waun Mawn, west Wales.

Mike Parker Pearson, Professor of Archaeology, Institute of Archaeology, UCL • conversation
Feb. 15, 2021 • ~8 min

Stonehenge: how we revealed the original source of the biggest stones

How we traced the origin of the sarsen stones.

Timothy Darvill, Professor of Archaeology, Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, Bournemouth University • conversation
July 29, 2020 • ~7 min

New Stonehenge discovery: how we found a prehistoric monument hidden in data

Archaeologists reveal two-kilometre ring of pits around the neolithic Durrington Walls by studying old geophysical surveys.

Chris Gaffney, Senior Lecturer in Archaeological Geophysics, University of Bradford • conversation
June 26, 2020 • ~7 min

/

1