Two separate reports have shed new light on ancient history: one documents the vast expansion of Emperor Ashoka Maurya's empire in India, and another reveals a 45,000-year-old Neanderthal tool that suggests an appreciation for beauty.
Ashoka Maurya founded the first recorded Indian empire, which stretched from Cuttack to Taxila and from Kashmir to deep Karnataka, according to a historical account.
Separately, a chance find of rare rock crystal tools a century ago has helped improve modern understanding of Neanderthals. The tools include a scraper that shows an eye for beauty in form and color, indicating that Neanderthals had aesthetic sensibilities.