This year, we discovered a tooth from a mysterious early human relative, spotted the smallest snail species, found Africa’s oldest dinosaur fossil (above), and realized that jumping spiders could dream. Scientists learned of a spectacular prehistoric rainforest, revealed certain stretches of the universe, and saw evidence of the existence, still, of a presumed extinct Roman-era miracle plant.
Wow.
“The revelations that come from our ceaseless exploration and experimentation are often unexpected and extraordinary,” Nat Geo writes in its look at 22 of the year’s most wondrous discoveries.
One LARGE step for sauropods: 185 million years ago, a long-necked, plant-eating behemoth left its mark in the Sahara. In the image above from our Instagram, paleontologist and Nat Geo Explorer Paul Sereno lends his hand for scale. Using advanced technology like CT scans and a particle accelerator, scientists have learned more about dinosaurs in the last few decades than in the previous 250 years—from the color of their skin to their social lives, Nat Geo reports.
New battlefields: A year after the war ended in Afghanistan, three sons of Hafiza Omari(above) gathered in a northeastern village. They broke bread and drank tea, even though during the war they were enemies—one had joined the Taliban. Today, they’re relieved the war is over but acknowledge new battles on the horizon: widespread hunger, human rights abuses, and limited access to education for girls, Nat Geo reports.
Related: The final nine months of the war is captured in Retrograde, a documentary premiering today on Disney+
The geography of bliss: Nobody’s happy if a vacation site is packed with tourists, even a remote Himalayan kingdom known for happiness. That’s why Bhutan built a stunning trail through less-traveled beauty—dense forests (above), ancient fortresses, and terraced rice paddies. One word: Ah!
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