A team of scientists, who have studied tree rings and medieval wooden architectural materials to determine the climate of the late Middle Ages, report that wet summers were a contributing factor to the disaster of the Black Death in the 14th century.

Scientists have found a 13th century preserved brain, complete with intact neurons and brain cells, inside the skull of an 18-month old child found in northwestern France.

A team of young archeologists is excavating the site of the St Mary Magdalen leper hospital in Winchester. A BBC video chronicles the recent finds at the site. (video)

The discovery of a Roman grave in Weston-super-Mare, England last year has given experts insight into the life of 2nd-4th century Roman inhabitants of Britain. This particular man, aged between 36 and 45,  lived a life "defined by disease and hard labour."

Vito Franco of the University of Palermo thinks Mona Lisa is sick, that is, she suffered from "worryingly high levels of cholesterol." Franco bases his observations on a "xanthelasma – a subcutaneous accumulation of cholesterol – in the hollow of the Mona Lisa's left eye, and a tell-tale lipoma, a fatty tissue tumour, on one hand."

Diane de Poitiers, mistress of King Henry II of France, was known for her youthful looks, which kept the interest of the king, twenty years her junior, but did her vanity and desperation lead to her death? Experts believe they did.

Apparently the Byzantines had a werewolf problem, according to a new article by four scholars from the University of Athens. "Lycanthropy in Byzantine times ([CE] 330–1453)," looks at how doctors in the Empire dealt with patients who believed they were werewolves.

The history of medieval medicine in Ireland got a major boost with the discovery of a previously unknown medieval church and graveyard in Ballyhanna, County Donegal. Among the surprises was evidence of successful brain surgery performed around the year 800.

It has been over 40 years since any significant excavation have been done at Stonehenge, but during the spring of 2009, that changed when Timothy Darvill, professor of archaeology at Bournemouth University, and Geoffrey Wainwright, president of the Society of Antiquaries of London, headed a new dig in the monument's inner circle.

A new study by geneticists from the University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain shows that inbreeding may have weakened the male line and brought about the end of the Hapsburg dynasty. The last king, Charles II of Spain, died in 1700 without male heirs.

A new theory suggests that Henry VIII underwent a personality change as the result of a head injury he suffered while jousting.

Lady Ariel Baily and Yali MacNeil welcome all interested to join The Incipient Spa Guild of the Society for Creative Anachronism.

The remains of several Benedictine nuns from the Sainte-Croix Abbey near Poitiers, France have shown evidence that the sisters died of the plague, probably while caring for other victims of the disease. Their deaths have been dated to the early 17th century.

New research by the Royal Armouries in Leeds looks at the progression of Henry VIII's girth through the study of his armor. The various suits of armor have been reunited into one place for the study for the first time since the Tudor era.

Among its numerous topics of discussion, List Universe includes "Top 10 Myths About The Middle Ages," an illustrated, annotated selection of myths modern people often believe about the Middle Ages.

German Studies professor Albrecht Classen of the University of Arizona has published a new book consisting of "articles written by scholars and historians in disciplines that include sociology, literature, art, music, history, religion and spirituality" on the subject of sexuality in the early Middle Ages.

Spanish archaeologists have discovered a rare 1st century ceramic lamp depicting a gynecological exam. The lamp was found near the city of Leon in northern Spain.

A new exhibit at the library of the Royal College of Physicians Edinburgh features 400 years or more of medical artifacts and books, some being publicly exhibited for the first time.

The grave of a 1st century Druid, possibly the first such discovery in England, has been found in Stanway, near Colchester in eastern England. The body in the grave was one of a number of important people buried near the time of the Roman invasion.

The painting entitled "Old Woman," but better known as the "Ugly Duchess," is one of the most popular in London's National Gallery. It depicts the face of a grotesquely-featured woman, and was painted by Flemish artist Quinten Massys in 1513. Now, experts believe that they have identified the illness suffered by this woman as a rare form of Paget's disease, which deforms the bones. (photo)

The technology magazine "Wired" takes a rare look at the private library of Jay Walker, an entrepreneur whose eclectic historical interests have led him to create a library devoted to things that have "changed the way people think." The stunningly designed room contains books and artifacts from ancient to modern times, combining museum and library.

The Claude Moore Health Service Library of the University of Virginia has a website with photos of reproductions of surgical instruments excavated from the House of the Surgeon at Pompeii. The reproductions were acquired by the University in 1947.

The remains of a 4th century Roman discovered recently at York University may be "one of the earliest British victims of tuberculosis." Experts believe that cases of TB were rare in the north of England, and the discovery may help researchers learn more about the disease's spread across the country.

On a street in Strasbourg, France in the summer of 1518, a woman began a fervent 6-day dance that led to a month-long dancing frenzy by more than 400 people. Modern scholars are still undecided about what caused the "Dancing Plague."

SCA member and bard Joe Bethancourt of the Kingdom of Atenveldt reports that four-year-old Avery Lubrecht, the daughter of an SCA fighter, is now fighting for her life. The little girl has Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (PRES), a life-threatening disease that requires extensive medical treatment. You can help.

New research on the bones of monks interred in six Danish cemeteries shows that the brothers may have been exposed to toxic mercury while copying Biblical texts. Mercury was used in the preparation of red ink.

1500 years ago, the Justinian Plague swept through the world killing as many as 100 million people. Recently the remains of hundreds of people, believed to have been victims of the plague, were discovered in Castro dei Volsci, Italy.

Researchers from several Danish universities have released a study of mercury levels found in the bones of monks interred in two medieval Danish cemeteries. The high levels of mercury have been attributed to the use of the metal as a medicine to treat such diseases as syphilis and leprosy or, in the case of the monks, from red ink used in the monasteries.

Experts working on the recently-discovered mass Roman grave in Gloucester, England will be using DNA tests to determine what killed over 90 individuals. A first look at the remains points to a 2nd century smallpox outbreak that swept across Britain.

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It is with great pleasure that I would hereby like to announce that Knights Crossing will be hosting a workshop on medieval pharmaceuticals and herbs on the weekend of May 30-June 1. Simona Valentini di Piero will be teaching how to make basic salves, essential oils and creams from primary source recipes; enjoy a walk through the fields and forest in which we will learn to identify various useful plants in their natural habitat. Learn about the equipment used and the primary sources that we have on this subject. There will be a small fee for materials and for food for the weekend, but dinner will be Potluck. Location:
Barony of Knights Crossing (Weinheim, Germany)