Researchers from the University of Edinburgh have matched diaries kept by monks, dating to 1500, to look at weather patterns from the past 500 years. The scientists have found that historical records closely parallel modern computer simulations of European climate patterns.

Debunking a legend begun in the Middle Ages, new research suggests Archimedes used steam cannons to set fire to Roman warships. The legend claimed that during the siege of Syracuse, mirrors were used to create a deadly concentration of sunlight that set the ships aflame.

The discovery of two Crusader-era murals in a church in Syria may offer archaeologists insight into the history of Christianity during the Middle Ages. The murals are the first found in the Middle East which depict heaven and hell as subject matter.

A group of parishioners at St. Mary's church in Warwick, England have requested permission to open the tomb of Fulke Greville, a writer and contemporary of Shakespeare, who, some believe, wrote at least some of Shakespeare's plays. They hope that mysterious "boxes" in the grave might contain manuscripts.

A joint Italian and British project to test the DNA of the exhumed body of Renaissance scientist Galileo may lead to interesting findings, including the theory that vision problems affected the astronomer's work.

A pottery workshop for the mass production of oil lamps dating to the 2nd century C.E. has been discovered near Modena, Italy. The complex created pottery lamps which bear the brand name stamped on the bottom. (photo)

Moderate drinkers at Pennsic take heart. The end of Pennsylvania's beer "case law," which requires purchase of an entire case of beer at a time, may be at hand.

For as long as humans have admired themselves in magazines, mirrors and murky pools of water, they’ve also had to contend with the ugly side of beauty.

Carbon dating done on relics of St. Francis of Assisi have given mixed results. While a tunic, belt and mortuary cushion were dated to the right time period, another tunic, which the church attributes to the saint, did not.

Art historians are excited about the possible discovery of a Botticelli fresco in the ruins of a Hungarian palace. The large work was found in remains of the palace of Archbishop Janos Vitez, the head of the country's Catholic church from 1465 to 1472.

Fine art met culinary art in Siena, Italy recently when delicate frescos by Renaissance painter Lorenzo di Pietro were cleaned with a salad-dressing-like mixture of oil and water.

In an article for Newsweek, Malcolm Jones looks at the second season of the HBO series Rome.

The recent discovery of some 400-year-old seeds in a well at the Colonial Jamestown archaeological site has given researchers much to ponder about the life and survival skills of the early Jamestown settlers.

The well-preserved, frozen remains of a 2,000-year-old Russian warrior, found recently in the Altai mountains region of Russia, have archaeologists excited.

The caretakers of the church where William Shakespeare was baptized and buried want help to fix its leaky roof. Holy Trinity Church in Stratford upon Avon is seeking sponsors to "adopt a gargoyle" and help the church provide the extensive maintenance needed.

Eighteen experts, working to determine if a rib bone and a piece of cloth belonged to St. Joan of Arc, have not completely finished their task but now feel that "there is relatively little chance that the remnants are hers."

After many years of study, scientists at last can fathom the works of a calculating device from ancient Greece, which some researchers consider more valuable than the Mona Lisa due to its unique historical value.

The popularity of Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code has sparked interest in grail legends, according to scholars. An MSNBC article looks the various ways the grail has popped up in literature over the centuries.

The grandson of Thor Heyerdahl is re-enacting his grandfather's 1947 re-enactment of a hypothetical ancient voyage from South America to the Polynesian islands.

A rare, 17th century, calf-bound volume of the plays of William Shakespeare is scheduled to be auctioned in the summer of 2006 at Sotheby's sale of English Literature and History.

Newsweek has listed three iconic medieval structures among the Seven Most Endangered Wonders of the World.

Archaeologists in Stockholm, Sweden are debating the best method to handle a 14th century ship discovered buried in the mud of a bay in central Stockholm. Parts of the ship may be too delicate to remove.

A team of Dutch scientists has determined that the expression of the face of Da Vinci's famous Mona Lisa is "83 percent happy, 9 percent disgusted."

DNA tests conducted on a 400-year-old Jamestown, VA skeleton have failed to prove that the remains are those of Jamestown founder Bartholomew Gosnold.

The collapse of a wall in the ancient Forum in Rome has travelers concerned for their safety. The incident happened at the time when the Italian government is considering cuts to cultural programs.

As work on the wreck of Henry VIII's flagship the Mary Rose continues, archaeologists announced that the anchor has been recovered.

A collection of 16 manuscripts from medieval Timbuktu will go on display in Johannesburg, South Africa this month for the first time. The works are part of a 30,000 manuscript discovery from the city which was founded in the year 1100.

PBS has obtained the rights to air six new Monty Python specials, each showcasing a member of the British comedy troupe.

Is a skeleton found at colonial Jamestown, Virginia that of the colony's founder Capt. Bartholomew Gosnold? Scientists hope to solve the mystery by studying English DNA.

Visitors to the archaeological site at Pompeii can get a firsthand idea of the Roman diet by purchasing kits containing ingredients commonly found on Roman tables.