Articles tagged with Caves
Scientists have discovered fossils of three new species of giant cloud rats in Philippine caves, dating back tens of thousands of years. The rodents filled an ecological role similar to that of squirrels in the US and were resilient for at least 60,000 years, but two of the species disappeared around 2,000 years ago.
Scientists discovered stalagmite growth is consistently linear over hundreds and thousands of years, providing an unparalleled capacity for precise chronology building. The analysis revealed that warmer climates tend towards more growth, while colder climates see slowed growth, but the majority of samples follow a linear growth pattern.
As fish shift to deeper waters, they may face challenges distinguishing colors, affecting mating, prey location and predator avoidance. Climate change is likely to exacerbate this issue, particularly for species unable to relocate to cooler areas.
Researchers from the Lundbeck Foundation GeoGenetics Centre have sequenced ancient DNA from soil for the first time, transforming the field of population genetics. The advance allows scientists to study the evolution of animals, plants, and microorganisms, with potential applications in climate change research.
A new species of aquatic snail, Travunijana djokovici, was discovered in Montenegro's karstic springs. The snail is adapted to live in the underground habitats of the Dinaric karst and has a milky-white shell.
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology developed new methods to enrich and analyze human nuclear DNA from sediments. This breakthrough allows for the study of population relationships and the deep human past, providing new opportunities for investigation and expanding the range of options to tease out evo...
Researchers sequenced the genomes of the oldest Europeans, finding they contributed genes to present-day East Asians and had extensive Neandertal DNA. This suggests frequent mixing with Neandertals when first modern humans arrived in Europe.
A 12-centimetre-thick sample from a Greenland cave provides unique insights into the High Arctic's climate 500,000 years ago. The speleothem record shows that the region was anomalously warm and wet, contradicting current conditions of permafrost.
Researchers from the University of Innsbruck found that increased solid precipitation in the Alps between 26,500 and 23,500 years ago caused the ice volume to reach its maximum. This period, known as the Last Glacial Maximum, lasted around 3100 years and was characterized by a significant increase in autumn and winter precipitation.
A recent study has revised the timing of Neanderthal disappearance from Northwest Europe using compound-specific radiocarbon analysis, yielding ages up to 10,000 years older than previously reported. The new dates estimate a departure around 44,200-40,600 years ago, contradicting previous findings.
A single human cranium discovered in an Italian cave reveals evidence of ancient funerary treatment and transportation. The skull, dated to the Eneolithic period between 3630-3380 BC, shows signs of lesions indicating removal of soft tissues during a funeral ritual.
A four-year study will assess Siberia's permafrost expansion and contraction in response to climate change. The research team combines archives of permafrost ice, cave deposits, and crustacean fossils to reconstruct past temperatures and regional climate histories.
Scientists have discovered a new breeding site for the world's rarest seal species, the Mediterranean monk seal, in northern Cyprus. At least three pups were born at one cave between 2016-19, highlighting the need for urgent conservation efforts.
A new international study suggests that the reversal of Earth's magnetic poles 42,000 years ago triggered major climate shifts, leading to global environmental change and mass extinctions. Researchers used ancient New Zealand kauri trees to create a detailed timescale of how Earth's atmosphere changed over this time.
A newly discovered conch shell horn from the French Pyrenees produces melodic notes C, D, and C sharp, marking a first for European Upper Paleolithic artifacts. The shell's modifications, dating back to the Magdalenian period, were carefully made by human hands.
A multidisciplinary team from CNRS and other institutions studied a large seashell found in the Marsoulas Cave in the Pyrenees, dating back around 18,000 years. The shell is believed to be the oldest known wind instrument of its type, with researchers able to produce sounds similar to those on a modern conch.
Analysis of human teeth from caves in southern China suggests that anatomically modern humans migrated from Africa around 65,000 to 45,000 years ago, contradicting earlier proposals of an early arrival. The study's findings highlight the importance of direct DNA analysis and carbon-14 dating for accurately estimating human remains' age.
Researchers used phreatic overgrowths on speleothems in Mallorca caves to determine past sea levels, providing a way to precisely measure sea levels. The study's results show that sea level dropped significantly after the Pliocene period and fluctuated during warm periods.
A new species of endemic centipede, Cryptops speleorex, has been discovered in Movile Cave, Romania, with a length of 46-52 mm. The creature is the largest known inhabitant of the cave and boasts venomous predation skills.
Speleothems from Swiss Alps reveal a significant difference in temperatures between lower and high altitudes during the Last Interglacial. Temperatures were up to 4 degrees higher at high alpine regions, indicating an altitude-dependent warming effect.
Researchers discovered that electric fish use specialized long-distance electric signals to communicate with each other, similar to AM radio, allowing them to navigate and interact in absolute darkness. The cave-adapted fish have greater electric field strengths than surface-dwelling relatives.
The COVID-19 vaccine's effectiveness and risks require transparent communication to build trust and achieve herd immunity. Healthcare professionals must provide comprehensive information on the pros and cons of vaccination to influence uptake.
Researchers found evidence of five drought events impacting Ancestral Puebloan society from centuries-old charcoal and ash deposits in a lava tube. The discovery sheds light on human-environment interactions during climate change, highlighting the ingenuity of Ancestral Puebloans in accessing water resources.
A new species of Laoennea microsnail was discovered in a cave in Laos, with the species being 1.80 mm tall and named after Louis Renouard. The discovery highlights the importance of exploring biodiversity before it disappears, particularly in underexplored caves.
Researchers found that Neanderthal children grew at a similar rate to modern humans, introducing solid foods around 5-6 months old, and were likely of similar weight to neonates. This suggests a possible shorter inter-birth interval and similar gestational history.
Researchers discovered Denisovan DNA in sediments from the Baishiya Karst Cave on the Tibetan Plateau, revealing that Denisovans occupied the region for a long time and had adapted to the high-altitude environment. The findings support the idea that Denisovans had a wide geographic distribution beyond Siberia.
Researchers found that cavefish exhibit reduced response probability, slower latency, and altered kinematics compared to surface fish. The study provides insight into the evolution of escape behaviors in Mexican cavefish and highlights the importance of ecological differences in shaping neural circuits.
Researchers from Arizona State University have recovered ancient Denisovan mitochondrial DNA from Baishiya Karst Cave on the Tibetan Plateau, dating back to around 100,000 years ago. The discovery suggests that Denisovans may have interbred with modern humans in northeast central Asia, influencing genetic adaptations to high altitude.
Researchers have uncovered evidence of long-term Denisovan occupation of high-altitude caves in Tibet and Mongolia, dating back up to 45,000 years. The findings suggest that Denisovan admixture contributed to the high-altitude adaptations of modern humans colonizing the Tibetan Plateau.
A new study by Duke University researchers reveals that dull-colored birds like Bengalese finches categorize colors in a unique way, focusing on brightness rather than hue. This difference is attributed to their evolutionary environment and the signals they've adapted to detect.
New discoveries in Northern Spain's Aitzbitarte Caves depict a previously unknown artistic style, consistent with the Gravettian cultural complex found across Europe. The study reveals a more widespread and varied culture than previously thought, spanning over 25,000 years.
A recent study suggests that heightened human activities and a severe region-wide aridity spell contributed to the megafauna collapse in Madagascar. The researchers analyzed paleoclimate records from the Mascarene islands, revealing a 'double whammy' of stressors that may have doomed the extinct species.
Researchers discovered stone tools dated to the earlier time period in a cave in Portugal, supporting a rapid westward dispersal of modern humans. The finding documents the presence of modern humans in westernmost Europe concurrent with Neanderthals.
Researchers from the University of Oklahoma and others report the first occurrence of the extinct giant short-faced bear, Arctodus simus, on the California Channel Islands. The toe bone was found to be from a bear dating back approximately 17,000 years, with chemical fingerprints matching the spectacled bear from South America.
Researchers analyzed nearly 30 hillstream loach species using CT scans and DNA analysis to identify three categories of pelvic shapes. The team found that 10 other species shared the cave angel fish's unusually hefty pelvic girdle, suggesting robust pelvic regions evolved independently across the family.
A German-Italian research project analyzed artefacts from the Sesselfelsgrotte cave in Lower Bavaria, finding similarities and differences between various types of knives. The researchers concluded that Keilmesser were a reaction to climate change, developed for their long lifespan and multi-functional use.
Researchers found evidence of humans using grass bedding and ash layers to create comfortable areas for sleeping and working over 200,000 years ago. The study suggests that people used fire, ash, and medicinal plants to maintain clean and pest-free camps.
Researchers have developed a new method for reconstructing past Earth surface temperatures using clumped isotopes. By analyzing the ratio of two rare carbonate groups, scientists can now accurately determine temperature without being influenced by mineralization processes.
Experts say AI's portrayal as White removes people of color from the future, perpetuating racial biases in algorithms and workforce. Cultural depictions of AI as White risk creating a 'racially homogenous' technologist workforce.
A study published in Science Advances found that volcanic eruptions, rather than meteor impacts, were responsible for the rapid cooling of the Earth around 13,000 years ago. The research team analyzed sediment layers in Hall's Cave, a central Texas cave with a record extending over 20,000 years.
A new UNLV study provides a 13,000-year climate history from stalagmite specimens, showing that Nevada was even hotter and drier in the past than it is today. The research warns of potential permanent aridity in the region due to human-induced Arctic and tropical Pacific warming.
A new international study has found evidence of stone tools dating back at least 30,000 years to the first human immigration to America. The discovery was made in a Mexican mountain cave and pushes the estimated arrival time back by approximately 15,000 years.
The discovery of Chiquihuite Cave in northern Mexico challenges the long-held theory that the Clovis people were the first human inhabitants of the Americas. The site dates back to 25,000-30,000 years ago, revealing a new narrative on the colonization of the Americas.
Researchers discovered that ancient shells were deliberately collected and strung together as beads, with evidence of ochre coloring treatment found on four out of five shells. This study provides insight into the origins of string-making technology, likely between 160-120,000 years ago.
A study by researchers from the University of Bristol has identified the ancestral origin of tequila bats in Mexico, revealing distinct migratory patterns and breeding habits. The findings support the need for targeted conservation management strategies to protect this Near Threatened species.
Researchers have expanded the lion species' family tree through genetic analysis, revealing two main branches and shedding light on subspecies relationships. The study suggests that cave lions diverged from modern lions around 500,000 years ago, with some populations showing minimal interbreeding.
A Neandertal fossil found in Chagyrskaya Cave suggests that the species may have lived in small groups of less than 60 individuals. The study's findings also suggest a unique role for the striatum region of the brain in Neandertals, potentially influencing cognition and behavior.
Researchers analyzed remains from a 30,000-year-old burial site in France, revealing sorted bones and elaborate cave art. The study provides new insights into complex mortuary dynamics of the Gravettian culture.
A study by University of Córdoba researchers questions the Neanderthal origin of Spanish rock art in the Nerja Cave. They propose a new method for dating Paleolithic art that considers multiple measuring systems, potentially leading to a revised timeline for human artistic development.
Researchers successfully decoded ancient DNA extracted from the animal skins on which the Dead Sea Scrolls were written, discerning important historical connections. The study sheds new light on the Dead Sea Scrolls, providing a rare glimpse into the world of Second Temple Judaism.
A University of Melbourne study finds that parts of the Eastern Highlands in Victoria may be as young as 5 million years, contradicting previous estimates of 90 million years. The team used speleothem dating to determine the age of stalagmites and flowstones in nearby caves.
New discoveries at Bacho Kiro Cave in Bulgaria reveal the earliest evidence of Homo sapiens in Europe, with fossils dating back to 45,820 years ago. The findings indicate that Homo sapiens arrived in Europe and interacted with Neanderthals, bringing new behaviors and tools.
Researchers found that surface runoff alters microbial communities in cave pools, with sulfur-oxidizing bacteria replaced by human contaminants during heavy rains. The study highlights the impact of surface pollution on groundwater sources and cave ecosystems.
Researchers analyzed genomic data of 20 lion specimens, including extinct cave lions from Siberia and India, finding a shared ancestor 500,000 years ago. The study suggests limited gene flow between modern lions' lineages after their divergence 70,000 years ago.
Researchers found that organic substances produced by decomposed vegetation cover on top of caves create the red coloration, which is linked to climate conditions. The study used various analysis techniques to identify these compounds and established a link between the red color and mid-Holocene climate changes.
Researchers propose that the evolution of large paranasal sinuses in cave bears led to a trade-off between sinus development and skull strength. This compromise may have limited their ability to adapt to changing environments and ultimately contributed to their extinction.
Research reveals that prehistoric hyenas and humans migrated across continents at approximately the same time, with spotted hyenas showing extensive and complex migration patterns. The study also found signs of a detrimental impact on hyenas due to human activity.
Researchers found that Neanderthals in Southern Siberia originated from various European populations, including those from Central and Eastern Europe. The study used DNA analysis of Neanderthal bones and sediments to reconstruct the migration route.
A team of researchers has solved the mystery surrounding dinosaur footprints on a cave ceiling in Central Queensland, finding evidence of two plant-eating dinosaurs walking bipedally. The discovery was made possible by accessing previously unknown research material and high-resolution photographs stored by a local dentist's family.
Researchers have uncovered the articulated Neanderthal skeleton of Shanidar Z, which offers unparalleled opportunities to investigate mortuary practices using modern technologies. The find suggests that Neanderthals conducted funerary rites with flowers, challenging previous assumptions about their cultural sophistication.