May/June 2017 Issue

INDIA: Experts are searching for more evidence of missing American World War II soldiers in the northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh after human remains were recently recovered near the wreckage of a plane. As many as 400 soldiers are still considered lost in the region, as American planes occasionally crashed in the Himalayas during supply runs to China. Some of the wreck sites are located as high as 10,000 feet above sea level. —Jason Urbanus

CHINA: The Neolithic site of Jiahu, where the oldest playable musical instrument was previously found, has now produced evidence of the oldest silk fibers in human history. Soil samples taken from beneath skeletons in two tombs that date back 8,500 years reveal traces of silk proteins, indicating that the deceased may have been dressed in silk garments when they were buried. This new evidence pushes back the first known silk production technology by nearly 3,500 years. —Jason Urbanus

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: The discovery of a rare stone house on Marawah Island off the coast of Abu Dhabi has provided a remarkable glimpse at what life was like in the Persian Gulf around 7,500 years ago. The three-room building is the best example of Neolithic architecture ever uncovered in the region. Hundreds of artifacts, as well as animal remains, suggest that the inhabitants herded sheep and goats, but also relied heavily on marine resources for trade and sustenance. —Jason Urbanus