Article History

Received: 5 June 2021

Accepted: 30 August 2021

First Online: 20 September 2021

Change Date: 15 February 2023

Change Type: Update

Change Details: Editor’s Note: Readers are alerted that concerns raised about the data presented and the conclusions of this article are being considered by the Editors. A further editorial response will follow the resolution of these issues.

Change Date: 22 May 2023

Change Type: Correction

Change Details: A Correction to this paper has been published:

Change Details: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-35266-6

Change Date: 22 February 2022

Change Type: Correction

Change Details: A Correction to this paper has been published:

Change Details: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-06266-9

Change Date: 24 April 2025

Change Type: Correction

Change Details: This article has been retracted. Please see the Retraction Notice for more detail:

Change Details: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-99265-5

Competing interests

: T.E.B., M.A.L., J.H.W., W.S.W., G.H., C.R.M., J.P.K., and A.W. volunteer their time as cofounders and/or directors of the Comet Research Group (CRG), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. CRG received donations from the public and contributed funding for equipment, supplies, and scientific analyses. T.E.B., M.A.L., J.H.W., W.S.W., G.H., C.R.M., J.P.K., and A.W. receive no salaries, compensation, stock, or any other financial benefits from CRG, except that M.A.L., G.H., and A.W. realize tax benefits from donations to CRG. In some cases, co-authors have been compensated for out-of-pocket expenses, such as airfare, that are directly related to the TeH research. P.J.S. volunteers his time and receives no salary from Trinity Southwest University (TSU), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. TSU received donations and contributed support, supplies, equipment, and funding for TeH Excavation Project. P.J.S. was reimbursed by Trinity Southwest University for his hotel room while in Jordan but not for other out-of-pocket expenses. P.J.S. is the author of two books related to TeH. A.W. is the author of a book unrelated to TeH. A.V.A., C.M., D.B., E.C.S., G.K., J.K., K.L., M.C.L.P., R.E.H., S.M., T.D.B., and T.W. received salaries, supplies, equipment, and/or funding for scientific analyses from their respective universities/organizations, which, due to the worldwide publicity, possibly stand to benefit from increased donations and student enrollments. All co-authors have not yet but may receive reimbursements for attending symposia on this research from their respective organizations. All co-authors were involved in various aspects of conceptualization, design, data collection, analysis, the decision to publish, and/or preparation of the manuscript.