Scientists used drones to produce this 3D model of Rano Raraku, the volcanic crater where 95% of Rapa Nui's giant statues were carved. Lipo et al., 2025, PLOS One, CC BY Rapa Nui, also known as Easter ...

Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Using 3D modeling and field experiments, researchers led by Binghamton University archaeologist Carl Lipo have verified that the ...

The new research “challenges commonly accepted ideas about the development” of ancient cultures. Groundbreaking research undertaken by Uppsala University and published in the journal Antiquity (via ...

The "walking moai hypothesis" could end a long-time debate over how ancient engineers moved these iconic statues around Easter Island. Reading time 3 minutes The moai statues of Easter Island have ...

Scholars have long debated how the massive stone figures of Rapa Nui got to where they stand today. A new study offers one possible explanation. The Rapa Nui moai, the monolithic stone figures of ...

Researchers confirmed that Rapa Nui’s moai statues could “walk” upright using a rocking motion, aided by rope and just a few people. Experiments with replicas and 3D models revealed design features ...

Archaeologists have analyzed ritual spaces and monumental structures across Polynesia, questioning the idea that Rapa Nui (Easter Island) developed in isolation following its initial settlement. The ...

Sept. 5 (UPI) --Rising sea levels could flood more than 50 archaeological sites on Easter Island, or Rapa Nui, by 2080 -- including the iconic Ahu Tongariki, according to a new study from the ...

Advanced computer modeling suggests that by 2080, waves driven by sea level rise could flood Ahu Tongariki and up to 51 cultural treasures on Rapa Nui. The findings emphasize the urgent need for ...

Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island, is often portrayed in popular culture as an enigma. The rationale is clear: The tiny, remote island in the Pacific features nearly 1,000 enormous statues—the ...