United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization

Scientists have discovered a vast reef of "pristine" rose-shaped corals apparently unharmed by climate change in deep water off the coast of Tahiti, UNESCO announced on Jan. 21.

Mapping approximately three kilometers (two miles) long and up to 65 meters (213 feet) wide, UNESCO said it was "one of the most extensive healthy coral reefs on record."

An 800-year-old minaret considered one of the finest examples of Islamic architecture in Afghanistan was damaged by two earthquakes this week and is in danger of collapse, an official has said.

The foundations of a prayer hall from the 12th century have been discovered under the Al-Nuri mosque, where the Islamic State group once proclaimed their "caliphate," in Iraq's Mosul, site managers said on Jan. 18.

View of the burning city of Dubrovnik, in Croatia, in November 1991, after air raids and artillery attacks by the Yugoslav Army. Photo: EPA/PETER NORTHALL

A 1,600-year-old flute and bronze ring with a key have been unearthed during excavations in the 3,000-year-old Zerzevan Castle, located in the Çınar district of Diyarbakır and which served as the last garrison of the Roman Empire in the east. The castle is on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List.

The 40-month restoration process has begun in the 446-year-old Selimiye Mosque, one of the masterpieces of Mimar Sinan, the chief Ottoman architect, in the northwestern province of Edirne, the provincial directorate for foundations has announced.

"The illuminated minarets [of the mosque] will be seen by the Greek side," Osman Güneren told İhlas News Agency on Nov. 30.

Skeletons examined by Turkish and German scientists in the ancient city of Bergama revealed that people living in the region 2,000 years ago mainly ate carbohydrates and plants, while the wealthy consumed more meat.

The studies also revealed that people of the region suffered dental problems and sinus diseases the most.

The remains of a 12th-century madrasah have been unearthed in the Harran ruins, which is one of the oldest settlements in the world and on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List.

Gülnur Aybet, a senior adviser to the Turkish Presidency, has been appointed as the permanent representative of Turkey to UNESCO.

The decision of the appointment was published in the Official Gazette on Nov. 20.

Famous worldwide for its mineral-rich healing waters and pristine white travertine terraces, Pamukkale and the ancient city of Hierapolis, located in the western province of Denizli, lure visitors during the fall season. The site has been listed in UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1988. (AA Photo)