Sarah Pruitt

Japan’s parliament has cleared the way for Emperor Akihito to abdicate his throne, while leaving open the long-running question of whether to allow women to reign.

The new findings suggest our species may have emerged in multiple locations, and more than 100,000 years earlier than previously thought.

From a wonder of the world to the seat of a Bronze Age kingdom, explore 10 of the thousands of historic sites currently threatened by conflict, looting, construction or other causes.

Astronomers have detected gravitational waves for the third time in less than two years, after two black holes merged to create a single massive void weighing 49 times as much as the sun.