Case Not Closed?

Explore the mysterious disappearances of adventurous young wander seekers, including the debated case of Everett Ruess's skeleton.

Written byKeith Kloor
| 1 min read
Google NewsGoogle News Preferred Source

Newsletter

Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news

Sign Up

Mysterious disappearances of adventurous young wander seekers seem to captivate journalists, Hollywood and the public. So of course there was a lot of buzz when National Geographic Adventure announced recently that it had identified the skeleton of Everett Ruess, who had disappeared 75 years ago in the Southwest's Four Corners region. Not so fast, says Kevin Jones, Utah's state archaeologist:

I'm not convinced that it's him. A lot of people threw aside their skepticism with the announcement of the DNA tests. They don't realize that DNA is just another line of evidence, and can yield mistakes as well.

Meet the Author

Related Topics

Stay Curious

JoinOur List

Sign up for our weekly science updates

View our Privacy Policy

SubscribeTo The Magazine

Save up to 40% off the cover price when you subscribe to Discover magazine.

Subscribe