Science Magazine Podcast A headless mystery, and a deep dive on dog research
Nov 20, 2025
Andrew Curry, a contributing correspondent for Science, dives into the eerie mystery behind Europe’s ancient Neolithic farmers who vanished, leaving behind mass graves with headless bodies. He explores their rapid cultural collapse and surprising archaeological findings. Meanwhile, Sacha Vignieri, Life Sciences editor, shares intriguing insights on dog research, including their co-evolution with humans and distinct morphological traits. They discuss how breeding affects behavior and health, emphasizing the complex bond between dogs and humans through history.
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Farmers Migrated With Their Genes
- Ancient DNA shows early European farmers came from Anatolia and migrated as people, not just ideas.
- Genes reveal that cultural change often traveled with actual population movement rather than only through adoption.
Vráble's Headless Mass Grave
- At Vráble in Slovakia archaeologists excavated a long trench full of stacked bodies from a Neolithic fortification ditch.
- Of almost 100 bodies recovered there, only one head was found, suggesting systematic decapitation or removal.
Violence Patterns Vary Across LBK Graves
- Multiple LBK mass graves across Europe cluster around 5000 BCE but show varied injury patterns and treatment of bodies.
- The commonality is simultaneous large-scale violence, not a single consistent mode of killing or ritual.