Archaeologists have unearthed the earliest calendar of the ancient Maya civilisation of Central America. It was written on the walls of a building within a vast lost city buried in the jungles of Guatemala.

Countyfile

If you could put a price on anticipation, the sum being conjured in the auction room of Sotheby's in New York last night was $80m, though it wasn't just about the punters with paddles stretching all the way to the back. Pay attention also to the buyers at the end of phone lines in Dubai, Moscow or Hong Kong.

Being born deaf didn't hold him back on the way to becoming world champion. Now his mission is to sprinkle glamour on a popular pub game

You could never accuse radio of dodging the Big Questions. I'm not talking about programmes that weigh up the merits of pensions over ISAs, cabbage over kale or Boris over Ken, as life altering as these topics may be. I'm referring to the shows that confront the questions that have occupied philosophers for centuries, the ones that seek to determine why we are the way we are and invariably end up making your head hurt. Where television is often reluctant to go down such a high-minded road, preferring to explore human behaviour by getting said humans to dance in wheelbarrows in front of Simon Cowell, radio remains undaunted, continuing to ponder life's imponderables without apology.

America's courtship of Rory McIlroy, which began with a hug after his Sunday 80 last year, is now a full-on love affair. The 22-year-old from Holywood signed for a second-round 69, three under par, that took him to four under for the tournament, and had the galleries cheering his name as he climbed the hill to the clubhouse.

Thousands of New Agers descend on mountain they see as haven from December's apocalypse

Salvatore Ferragamo built an empire on shoes worn by stars from Audrey Hepburn to Marilyn Monroe. Decades later, the A-listers are still fans – but appealing to Angelina Jolie and Lady Gaga isn't enough for the brand's new creative director...

English Touring Opera shows often embody the old adage about necessity and invention. Portability is the key: their sets must fit in the back of a van, and be shoehorned into a wide variety of spaces.

Serious concerns about Brazil's preparations for the 2014 World Cup have been expressed by FIFA raising the prospect of transport and accommodation chaos for fans.

The world's biggest hedge fund manager, Man Group, yesterday saw its shares shoot up by 13 per cent, after the pace at which customers withdrew funds slowed dramatically and it launched a new way of paying dividends.

Winter music festivals are attracting thousands of revellers, despite the chill factor. Elisa Bray samples the -20C delights of Igloofest

Europe's leading clubs praised a "major breakthrough" yesterday after agreeing with Uefa to drop the unpopular August international friendlies date.

Laid at 99-1 in running with the sponsors, Zarkandar produced a remarkable rally to extend his unbeaten record over timber in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury yesterday.