Articles tagged with Caves
Early symbolism in modern humans evolved to become easier to remember and replicate, as shown by experiments using engraved ochre and ostrich eggshell fragments. Participants more accurately recognized young patterns than old patterns, suggesting aesthetic intention behind the creations.
Researchers discovered that the dinosaur footprints on a cave ceiling were made by two plant-eating dinosaurs that walked bipedally along an ancient lake shore. The discovery was made possible by access to high-resolution photographs and detailed notebooks of the tracks, which had been stored in a Sydney cupboard under the stairs.
A 30-year-old prehistoric human skeleton discovered on the Yucatán Peninsula offers valuable insights into the early settlement history of the American continent. The uranium-thorium dating technique reveals an age of at least 10,000 years, contradicting common beliefs about Paleoindian settlement.
A new skeleton discovered in Tulum's submerged caves provides evidence for an early settlement of the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico. The Chan Hol 3 skeleton, found to be approximately 30 years old and a woman, has a distinctive skull shape that contrasts with other American crania from a similar age range.
Researchers found that corrugated pipes can interfere with bat echolocation, causing them to become disoriented and abandon roosts. In a study, bats successfully navigated through tunnels with smooth pipes but struggled with those containing raised rings, leading to the conclusion that such spaces create significant difficulties for bats.
Four late Pleistocene-early Holocene skulls from Tulum, Mexico, show high morphological diversity among early North Americans. The study found associations between ancient remains and modern populations from diverse regions, including Asia, Europe, and South America.
Researchers found that Chagyrskaya Cave Neanderthals used tools similar to those made by Eastern European Neanderthals, suggesting a connection between the two populations. The discovery indicates at least two separate dispersals of Neanderthals into southern Siberia.
A team of researchers at the University of Toronto has confirmed the presence of a specialized sheep-hunting camp in prehistoric Lebanon, dating back to the Pre-Pottery Neolithic A period. The site, located in the Anti-Lebanon mountain range, shows that sheep were the primary game hunted by its temporary inhabitants.
Researchers found that a wandering spider species preys on assassin bugs in a Brazilian limestone cave due to food scarcity. This unique ecological interaction may affect apex predator populations and is considered a strategic behavior for the spiders.
A new study suggests that Neanderthals may have spent time at the beach and dove into the Mediterranean Sea to gather clam shells. Researchers found that nearly three-quarters of shell tools had been sanded down, indicating they were collected from the seafloor.
Archaeologists discovered charred remains of starchy plant parts from Border Cave, South Africa, providing direct evidence for collecting and cooking carbohydrate-rich rhizomes. The findings suggest that Middle Stone Age humans relied on these plants as a staple food source.
Researchers discovered that early modern humans cooked starchy plants, including Hypoxis rhizomes, in the Border Cave in South Africa. The discovery suggests that these ancient humans shared food and used wooden digging sticks to extract the plants.
Researchers found that bats avoid all light colors and prefer dark entrances, regardless of color. Inside caves, bats react sensitively to any light, showing a slight preference for red over amber and white lights only when dark was not an option.
A study analyzing carbonate minerals in Soreq Cave, Israel, suggests the summer monsoon periodically impacted the region during the last interglacial period. The findings coincide with archaeological evidence of human migration out of Africa, implying paleoclimate may have influenced early human movement.
Researchers from Ruhr-University Bochum and University of Oxford studied a dripstone from India's Mawmluh Cave to reconstruct the Indian monsoon's past climate. They found the monsoon was less reliable 125,000 years ago, suggesting global warming may lead to similar changes.
Researchers discovered evidence of controlled fire in Lusakert Cave 1, contradicting the long-held notion that Homo sapiens were the first to master fire. The team used archaeological, hydrocarbon, and isotope analysis to determine the age of fire control among early humans.
Scientists have found evidence of prehistoric humans storing and consuming animal bone marrow at Qesem Cave, dating back to around 400,000 years ago. The discovery suggests that early Paleolithic people had a sophisticated understanding of food preservation, allowing them to store bone marrow for up to nine weeks before feasting on it.
Scientists discover 45,000-year-old microliths in Sri Lanka's Fa-Hien Lena cave, pushing back the timeline of advanced tool use in South Asia. The discovery suggests that early humans adapted to rainforest environments with sophisticated technology, enabling them to thrive and spread across the globe.
A team of scientists uncovered new details about day-to-day life in the famous Denisova Cave complex in Siberia's Altai Mountains. Microscopic studies of fossil droppings and charcoal from ancient fires indicate that large carnivores such as hyenas, wolves, and bears dominated the landscape for over 300,000 years.
Researchers used machine learning to identify previously unidentified cave entrances in a densely vegetated area of Belize. The computer program successfully picked up smaller caves that were invisible to the naked eye, and confirmed the existence of several large surprise finds, including a collapsed cave complex.
Researchers at MIT and elsewhere discovered a unique ancient technology for making parchment, which used a mixture of salts found in evaporites. This process helped preserve the Temple Scroll's bright white surface and contributed to its state of preservation.
A team of scientists analyzed a newly found phalanx fragment from Denisova Cave, revealing that it shares structural similarities with anatomically modern humans and is less like Neanderthals. The researchers believe this 'third' human group has a unique morphological mosaic.
A USF-led team studied geological formations in a coastal cave to understand past sea level rise. They found that 3-4 million years ago, global mean sea level was 16 meters higher than present, with potential implications for current-day sea level rise.
A team of scientists discovered geologic evidence in a Mallorcan cave showing sea levels were 16 meters higher than present day 4 million years ago. The findings provide insights into past global sea level rise and implications for predicting current-day rise amid a warming climate.
A speleothem δ18O record from Klang Cave in southern Thailand shows decreased rainfall in the northern-central Indo-Pacific (NCIP) region. The study also found that anthropogenic forcing of rainfall may be indistinguishable from natural variability during certain climate periods.
Researchers have discovered evidence of Neanderthals using adhesive on their stone tools, known as hafting, in two Italian caves. The discovery suggests that Neanderthals were capable of crafting more complex tools and may have even built fires to warm the resin.
A giant bird, Pachystruthio dmanisensis, has been discovered in a Crimean cave, estimated to weigh around 450kg. The bird is believed to be flightless but fast, and its discovery suggests it may have been a source of meat for early humans.
Researchers analyzed DNA from two 120,000-year-old European Neandertals, finding they shared a stable ancestry with late Neanderthals. The study suggests these early Neandertals may have migrated east and replaced some Siberian populations, providing new insights into their history.
Researchers found evidence of 'tool kit' at Qesem Cave that was created by reusing discarded flint tools. The tiny, sharp objects were used with precision to process animal products, vegetal materials, and plant tubers.
Researchers analyzed human tracks from 14,000 years ago, discovering five individuals entered the cave barefoot, including young children who were active group members. The team found evidence of social or symbolic activities within inner chambers, suggesting humans engaged in fun activities during exploration.
A recent study published in Nature confirms that Denisovans lived on the Tibetan Plateau during the Middle Pleistocene era. The discovery of a 160,000-year-old human mandible found in Xiahe, China, provides evidence of an early human presence on the plateau, predating modern humans.
Archaeologists found a 1,000-year-old bundle in the Bolivian Andes with traces of ayahuasca fixings, including dimethyltryptamine and harmine. Researchers believe ancient South Americans combined different medicinal plants to produce powerful hallucinations.
The Xiahe mandible, discovered on the Tibetan Plateau, is at least 160,000 years old and shares anatomical features with Denisovans from Denisova Cave. The ancient proteins found in the mandible indicate a hominin population closely related to Denisovans.
A Middle Pleistocene human skull found in southeastern China exhibits morphological similarities to other East Asian archaic human remains but also foreshadows later modern human forms. The discovery provides evidence for regional continuity in human evolution during the region's Pleistocene era.
Fossils found in southeastern China provide insights into Middle Pleistocene human evolution. The discovery sheds light on the continuity of form through time and regional variations among early Asians.
Researchers from James Cook University analyzed 40,000-year-old bat faeces for clues about the landscape's past biodiversity. The study supports the corridor theory, suggesting a savanna corridor divided the former continent of Sundaland.
Cherokee inscriptions found in Manitou Cave reveal evidence of secluded ceremonial activities, including stickball and ritual events. The inscriptions provide a direct link to how some Native Americans viewed caves as sacred places.
A team of archaeologists has discovered the first example of Palaeolithic figurative cave art in the Balkan Peninsula, estimated to be around 34,000 years old. The site, Romualdova Pe?ina in Croatia, features paintings of a bison, ibex and possible anthropomorphic figures.
A study of rat body sizes over time provides new evidence for the local environment during the time of Homo Floresiensis. The results indicate that the habitat was mostly open grasslands more than 100,000 years ago but shifted rapidly to a more closed forested environment around 60,000 years ago.
Scientists have discovered the first Neanderthal footprints in Gibraltar, dated to around 29 thousand years ago. The footprints, along with those of other species, provide significant insight into the wildlife community of the Rock's past.
Researchers at the Research Center for Gas Innovation are developing a carbon capture storage system that can separate CO2 and methane in oil and gas exploration. The technology involves injecting CO2 and CH4 into salt caverns, with the potential to produce clean energy from fossil fuels.
A new subterranean species of dipluran was discovered in a cave on Vancouver Island, Canada. The species, named Haplocampa wagnelli, has characteristics that suggest it may not be exclusively underground.
Archaeologists have dated the archaeological site of Denisova cave to at least 200,000 years ago, with stone tools suggesting human occupation may have begun as early as 300,000 years ago. Neanderthals visited the site between 200,000 and 100,000 years ago, interbreeding with Denisovans around 100,000 years ago.
Researchers have made the largest individual record within the genus Gyrinophilus and the Plethodontidae family in the United States. The discovery is reexamining growth limits of cave-obligate salamanders in harsh environments, highlighting the hospitability of underground ecosystems.
A new study of Bajondillo Cave in southern Spain found that modern humans replaced Neanderthals approximately 44,000 years ago, challenging the traditional timing of this event. The research suggests that coastal corridors played a key role in the early dispersal of Homo sapiens into Europe.
A new species of beetle, Iberoporus pluto, has been discovered in Portugal, exclusively inhabiting groundwater. The beetle was found in a cave system and features adaptations for life underground, such as depigmentation and elongated limbs.
Researchers have reconstructed the complete skeleton of Thylacoleo carnifex, a 100kg marsupial predator with a unique combination of features. The new findings suggest that Thylacoleo was an adept climber and scavenger, with a rigid lower back and powerful forelimbs, similar to the Tasmanian devil.
Researchers report a high-resolution geomagnetic field record spanning 1,500 years from Brazilian caves, indicating recurrent periods of rapid directional change consistent with westward migration and expansion of reversed flux patches. The study provides insights into the core-mantle boundary dynamics and Earth's magnetic field evolut...
Researchers discovered that wild African fruit flies prefer marula fruits over citrus and are seasonal specialists in their ancestral forests of Zimbabwe. This finding provides clues into how the flies first came to live among humans, attracted by the scent of marula.
Researchers discovered that ancient people used sophisticated astronomy to keep track of time, with dates accurate within 250 years. This advanced knowledge may have aided navigation and influenced prehistoric human migration.
Researchers have provided a timeline for fossils from the Cradle of Humankind, revealing that early hominins experienced big changes in local climate, from wetter to drier conditions, at least six times between 3 and 1 million years ago. The study corrects assumptions about the relationship between East and South Africa hominin species.
Researchers have identified a gene called lrrc10 that may hold the key to repairing damaged hearts in fish. The study found that this gene is already linked to a heart condition in people and could potentially be used to develop new treatments for heart failure, which affects hundreds of thousands of people in the UK.
A recent study sequenced ancient genomes from Alaska to Patagonia, debunking a long-standing theory about Paleoamerican presence in North America. The research found the Spirit Cave remains were genetically closer to contemporary Native Americans than any other ancient or contemporary group.
Researchers uncover two new species of gigantic subterranean campodeid diplurans in Japan, one measuring over 10mm in length and named after the giant yökai creature Daidarabotchi. The discovery sheds light on the physical connection between Asia and America via a genus previously unknown in Japan.
The Perot Museum of Nature and Science has unveiled a free virtual reality app allowing users to explore the Dinaledi Chamber, where famous ancient human fossils were discovered. The app provides global access to researchers, students, and amateur explorers to experience this unique site.
A new study reveals that bats' loss of UV vision may be linked to the development of advanced echolocation abilities. The research found that most bat species with high-duty cycle echolocation have non-functional SWS1 genes, suggesting a trade-off between vision and hearing.
The oldest well-dated specialized bone tool associated with the Aterian culture of the Middle Stone Age has been discovered in Morocco, dating back approximately 90,000 years. The tool's origins and manufacture are distinct from similar-aged sub-Saharan artefacts, suggesting a unique technological industry in North Africa.
The Carnegie Mellon team will leverage its expertise in modularity to develop robots that can adapt to various environments, including small spaces and large structures. The team aims to create robots capable of rapid mapping, exploring, and exploiting complex underground environments.
A 73,000-year-old drawing made on a silcrete flake in Blombos Cave, South Africa, is the oldest known example of human-made art. The team used various techniques, including microscopy and Raman spectroscopy, to confirm that the lines were applied to the stone.
Researchers reconstruct relative sea level record from Mallorca island using phreatic overgrowths on speleothems, finding stability instead of fluctuations. This accurate record provides insight into future sea level rise due to global warming and challenges current estimates.