NewsPronto

 
The Times


.

USA Conversation

The Conversation USA

The Conversation USA

What was the first thing scientists discovered? A historian makes the case for Babylonian astronomy

  • Written by James Byrne, Assistant Teaching Professor in the Herbst Program for Engineering, Ethics & Society, University of Colorado Boulder
imageAncient Babylonians looked to the skies to predict what would happen.mikroman6/Moment via Getty Images

Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to curiouskidsus@theconversation.com.

What was the first thing scientists discovered? – Jacob, age 9, Santiago, Panama

All...

Read more: What was the first thing scientists discovered? A historian makes the case for Babylonian astronomy

More Articles ...

  1. Trump’s first term polarized teens’ views on racism and inequality
  2. Why was it hard for the GOP – which controls Congress – to pass its spending bill?
  3. Saudi Arabia’s role as Ukraine war mediator advances Gulf nation’s diplomatic rehabilitation − and boosts its chances of a seat at the table should Iran-US talks resume
  4. See you in the funny papers: How superhero comics tell the story of Jewish America
  5. Radioisotope generators − inside the ‘nuclear batteries’ that power faraway spacecraft
  6. The psychology behind anti-trans legislation: How cognitive biases shape thoughts and policy
  7. Big cuts at the Education Department’s civil rights office will affect vulnerable students for years to come
  8. When algorithms take the field – inside MLB’s robo-umping experiment
  9. Simple strategies can boost vaccination rates for adults over 65 − new study
  10. The push to restore semiconductor manufacturing faces a labor crisis − can the US train enough workers in time?
  11. When humans use AI to earn patents, who is doing the inventing?
  12. Why parents of ‘twice-exceptional’ children choose homeschooling over public school
  13. Environmental protection laws still apply even under Trump’s national energy emergency − here’s why
  14. Are Ukrainians ready for ceasefire and concessions? Here’s what the polls say
  15. Philly Roller Derby league turns 20 - here’s how the sport skated its way to feminism, anti-racism and queer liberation
  16. How an unexpected observation, a 10th-century recipe and an explorer’s encounter with a cabbage thief upend what we know about collard greens’ journey to the American South
  17. I study refugees, and here are the facts on the history and impact of refugee resettlement in the US
  18. You’ve likely heard the Serenity Prayer − but not its backstory
  19. 3D printing will help space pioneers make homes, tools and other stuff they need to colonize the Moon and Mars
  20. Can the Trump administration legally deport Palestinian rights advocate Mahmoud Khalil? 3 things to know about green card holders’ rights
  21. America’s clean air rules have boosted health and the economy − here’s what EPA’s deregulation spree ignores
  22. America’s clean air rules boost health and the economy − here’s what EPA’s new deregulation plans ignore
  23. Mass layoffs at Education Department signal Trump’s plan to gut the agency
  24. Is the US heading for a government shutdown? 5 essential reads to occupy the mind while we wait to find out
  25. How do researchers determine how toxic a chemical is? A toxicologist explains alternatives to animal testing
  26. The fediverse promises social media without Big Tech – if it can avoid familiar pitfalls
  27. For superfans, comic-con culture is more than fun – it’s sacred, a sociologist explains
  28. Alien and Sedition Acts were reviled in their time, and John Adams was not sorry to see them go
  29. Pennsylvania’s mushroom industry faces urgent labor shortage − and latest immigration policies will likely make it worse
  30. US workers with remote-friendly jobs are still working from home nearly half the time, 5 years after the pandemic began
  31. How Jesse Jackson embodied Southern politics − and changed American elections
  32. The parallels between Kash Patel and William J. Burns, a scandal-mongering 1920s FBI director — an FBI historian explains
  33. Middle age is a time when women are vulnerable to eating disorders
  34. Arrest of ex-president Duterte will shake up dynastic politics in the Philippines – and hand initiative to rival Marcos family
  35. US-Ukraine deal highlights Ukraine’s wealth of critical minerals, but extracting them isn’t so simple
  36. The world regulated sulfur in ship fuels − and the lightning stopped
  37. 5 years of COVID-19 underscore value of coordinated efforts to manage disease – while CDC, NIH and WHO face threats to their ability to respond to a crisis
  38. What is a SLAPP suit? Legal experts explain how these lawsuits suppress free speech
  39. How Trump’s foreign aid and diplomatic cuts will make it harder for the US to wield soft power to maintain its friendships and win new ones
  40. Mission possible − parastronaut programs can make space travel more inclusive and attainable for all
  41. From TB to HIV/AIDS to cancer, disease tracking has always had a political dimension, but it’s the foundation of public health
  42. End-of-life planning can be hampered by misconceptions − but the process is easier than you might think
  43. Trump’s DOGE campaign accelerates 50-year trend of government privatization
  44. What happens when leaders have loyalists in charge of men with guns: Lessons for the US from Nicaragua, Syria and other authoritarian countries
  45. The sun is setting on government transparency in Florida – and secrecy creep is affecting the rest of the US, too
  46. How the color of St. Patrick’s Day went from blue to green
  47. George Washington, a real estate investor and successful entrepreneur, knew the difference between running a business and running the government
  48. Taking a leap of faith into imaginary numbers opens new doors in the real world through complex analysis
  49. DEI initiatives removed from federal agencies that fund science, but scientific research continues
  50. The dark parallels between 1920s America and today’s political climate