Marcus Sterling
Marcus oversees editorial strategy for articles on ancient dietary habits and agricultural evolution. He ensures that complex microscopic imagery is interpreted accurately for a broad academic audience.
Latest from Marcus Sterling
Finding Big Answers in Very Small Places
This week we explore how tiny things like deep-sea mud, ancient seeds, and even mammoth paths help us see the history we normally walk right past.
Finding a Jungle in a Handful of Dust
Archaeologists are using microscopic silica 'fingerprints' to prove what ancient jungles looked like and what early humans really had for dinner.
Reading the Climate in a Teaspoon of Dirt
Phytoliths are the climate detectives of the soil. Learn how these tiny glass fossils help scientists reconstruct ancient environments and track human impact on the planet.
The Glass Skeletons Hiding in Our Soil
Ancient plants are leaving behind glass 'fingerprints' that are rewriting human history. Learn how scientists use microscopic silica to track the first farms and ancient diets.
The Glass Crumbs on Ancient Dinner Plates
How tiny glass bits tell us what people ate thousands of years ago. Learn how microscopic plant structures reveal the history of farming and ancient diets.
Ghosts of the Jungle: How Micro-Plants Map Our Changing Planet
Scientists are using microscopic glass 'fingerprints' from ancient plants to track climate change and forest shifts over thousands of years.
Ancient Glass Secrets: How Tiny Plant Stones Reveal What Ancestors Really Ate
Discover how microscopic glass structures called phytoliths are helping archeologists rebuild the menus of ancient civilizations and track the birth of farming.
Tiny Glass Gems in the Dirt Reveal the Secret Meals of Our Ancestors
Archaeologists are using microscopic glass structures called phytoliths to figure out what people ate thousands of years ago. These tiny fossils survive long after seeds and husks have rotted away, providing a clear window into ancient diets.
The Hidden Glass in the Grass
Scientists are using microscopic glass structures called phytoliths to identify plants from thousands of years ago, revealing ancient diets and lost environments.
Reading the Earth: How Microscopic Fossils Rebuild Lost Forests
Ancient mud holds the key to the Earth's past. Learn how scientists use 'plant opals' to reconstruct lost landscapes and track how humans have changed the environment over millennia.
The Tiny Glass Stones Telling Big Secrets About Ancient Meals
Plants might rot, but they leave behind tiny glass fingerprints called phytoliths. Discover how archaeologists are using microscopic silica to reveal the true diet of our ancestors.
How Scientists Use Plant Scars to Rebuild Lost Worlds
Scientists are rebuilding lost ecosystems by studying 'plant ghosts'—microscopic silica structures that survive in the dirt for ages. These glass-like remains reveal how forests and grasslands shifted as the climate changed.
Reading the Ground Like a History Book
By studying tiny silica structures in the soil, researchers are rewriting the history of the Amazon and understanding how ancient climates shifted over thousands of years.
The Microscopic Weather Report in the Dirt
How can a spoonful of dirt tell us the weather from five thousand years ago? Learn how researchers use microscopic plant glass to rebuild ancient worlds and track climate change through time.
Nature’s Tiny Weather Stations: How Ancient Dust Predicts Our Future
Tiny glass structures found in soil are acting as ancient weather stations, helping scientists understand past climate shifts and predict future environmental changes.
How Microscopic Plant Stones Solve Ancient Climate Mysteries
Scientists are using microscopic silica fossils to reconstruct ancient environments, helping us understand how landscapes shifted from forests to grasslands over thousands of years.
The Invisible Glass Shards That Map Ancient Farms
Discover how microscopic 'plant stones' called phytoliths are helping archeologists reveal ancient diets and the birth of farming through the magic of silica and specialized microscopy.
The Glass Library in the Soil
Ancient plants leave behind tiny glass structures called phytoliths that survive for thousands of years. Learn how these microscopic clues are helping us rewrite the history of farming and climate change.
Tracking the First Farmers Through Microscopic Clues
Archaeologists are using microscopic glass structures in soil to trace the history of farming. These tiny shapes show exactly when wild grasses were turned into crops by ancient humans.
Ancient Dinner Plates: Using Micro-Glass to Find Out What Ancestors Ate
Archaeologists are using microscopic silica 'fingerprints' to uncover the diet and farming habits of ancient civilizations.