Articles tagged with Caves
Researchers developed a novel method to detect environmental DNA in groundwater, extending the known range of the olm by discovering 12 new sites. This breakthrough allows for better conservation management and protection of this globally threatened species.
Brazilian scientists propose a new approach to classify subterranean organisms, highlighting the importance of studying dynamics over three years and considering habitat outside caves. This improved system is crucial for conservation efforts, as misclassification can impair policy efficiency.
A team of biologists from Germany and Brazil have discovered a new species of land snail, Gastrocopta sharae, named after the Dungeons & Dragons goddess Shar. The snail is tiny, measuring nearly 2 mm in length, and was found in caves in central Brazil.
A new study examines marine pebble tools from an Upper Paleolithic burial site in Italy and finds that flat, oblong pebbles were brought up from the beach, used as spatulas to apply ochre paste, then broken and discarded. The intent may have been to 'kill' the tools, thereby discharging their symbolic power.
Researchers have found that modern East Asian populations share a remarkable genetic similarity to their hunter-gatherer ancestors from the Stone Age. The study provides evidence of 'genetic continuity' in East Asia, suggesting that there was little population turnover for over seven millennia.
Researchers found a unique limestone rock at the Krapina Neanderthal site in Croatia, collected over 100 years ago. The discovery suggests Neanderthals had a curiosity for collecting and assigning symbolic significance to objects.
Researchers have revised the earliest known human settlement in North America to 24,000 years ago based on new radiocarbon dating from the Bluefish Caves in Yukon. The findings confirm the 'Beringian standstill hypothesis' suggesting that humans inhabited Eastern Beringia during the last ice age.
Researchers from Linköping University and the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria analyzed prehistoric seeds to discover that barley was one of the main crops on the island of Gran Canaria over 1,000 years ago. The study suggests that the Canary Islands were colonized by tribes from northern Morocco nearly 2,000 years ago.
Researchers at Tel Aviv University analyzed 15,000 bat vocalizations to identify concrete evidence of socially sophisticated species that learns communication. They found that bat calls contain information about the identity of the caller and addressee, as well as specific aggressive context and possible outcome of conversation.
Vladimir Dinets finds evidence of spectral bats living in caves and roosting in Utila's secondary forests, adapting to human presence through social media accounts and tourist photos. The discovery reveals the species' potential for longevity and challenges previous assumptions about its habitat.
Researchers discovered a bacterium in Lechuguilla Cave that resists 18 different antibiotics, including 'drugs of last resort'. This finding suggests evolutionary pressure has driven resistance for millions of years, not just since antibiotics were introduced.
A recent study published in PLOS ONE suggests that Upper Paleolithic humans might have exploited cave lions for their pelts, leading to their eventual extinction. The researchers analyzed fossilized toe bones from the La Garma site and found evidence of human modification, which they believe could be part of a single lion pelt.
A new species of leggy millipede, named Illacme tobini, has been discovered in a California cave. The species boasts over 414 legs, similar to its cousin Illacme plenipes, but with unique features like poison glands and silk-secreting hairs.
A team of researchers discovered a previously unknown hybrid species of bison and cattle, known as the Higgs Bison, through ancient DNA analysis. The mystery species dominated European records for thousands of years before alternating with the Steppe Bison due to climate change.
A new study chronicles how Central Asia dried out over the last 23 million years due to the rise of lesser-known mountain ranges. Researchers measured carbon isotope values in ancient soil samples to draw a fuller portrait of climatic changes, showing an exceptionally arid region deep in Asia's interior.
Scientists describe the first recorded predation of a vampire bat by a rainbow boa in an Ecuadorian cave. The snake caught and killed the bat before consuming it in 4 minutes and 50 seconds.
A new database WoRCS aggregates ecological and geographical data on marine cave-dwelling species to provide information vital for evidence-based conservation. The project aims to engage the scientific community, citizen scientists, and conservationists in analyzing the dataset.
Scientists studying Indiana cave stalagmites may uncover evidence of past earthquakes in the region, according to a new study. The research team found that two stalagmite pairs stopped growing around 100,000 years ago and resumed growth at around 6,000 years ago, overlapping with known magnitude 7.1-7.3 earthquakes.
The species Turinyphia cavernicola is a cave-dwelling spider endemic to the Azores, considered Critically Endangered due to population decline. The study identifies increasing anthropogenic impact on its habitat, leading to a decline in sustainable populations.
A Vanderbilt University team is using mineral deposits in caves to shed new light on prehistoric megadroughts in the western US. The researchers hope to identify atmospheric drivers that caused extended droughts, informing projections of future drought severity.
Researchers have discovered previously unknown regularities of arthropod limbs based on studies of the remipede Speleonectes tulumensis. The analysis revealed that mathematical formulas can predict the number of setae on each appendage, shedding light on the evolutionary mechanisms of these crustaceans.
Scientists at Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation discovered wildfire changes in cave dripwater chemistry, which will be preserved in stalagmites. The study highlights the need to carefully interpret dripwater data, including trace metals, to avoid wrongly attributing climate change.
A team of researchers from the British Museum and University of Leicester has discovered new evidence in the Caribbean that reveals a complex interplay between early European colonizers and Native Americans. The findings, published in Antiquity, provide a nuanced understanding of cultural identity formation in the Americas.
Researchers found cavefish have high body fat levels and insulin resistance but remain healthy. They may hold the key to understanding human diseases like non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes.
A study published in PLOS ONE suggests climate shifts influenced human subsistence strategies but not the driving factor behind cultural and technological innovations during Middle Stone Age. Researchers found that environmental variation did not coincide with these innovations, implying other factors drove human innovation.
A 12,000-year-old funeral feast in northern Israel provides insight into the dynamics of ritual performance and community engagement. The discovery sheds light on the Natufian period's significant pre-planning and socially complex rituals.
The Oaxaca Cave Sleeper is a new genus of cavefish discovered in Mexico, marking the first time such a species has been found in the Western Hemisphere. With only 13 individuals documented, this species highlights the vulnerability of cave-adapted fish due to habitat loss and environmental threats.
A new, rare blind planthopper species has been discovered exclusively in a Brazilian cave. The species, Iuiuia caeca, is a small, yellowish insect that measures only 3mm, and its unique characteristics make it essential for understanding subterranean biodiversity.
Researchers used high-tech laser scanning, photogrammetry, and 3D mapping to create a detailed digital representation of the Rising Star Cave System and Dinaledi Chamber. The precise reconstruction provides new insights into the chamber's structure and location, as well as the fossil site's formation processes.
A team of Australian researchers has discovered the fossilized remains of a bizarre group of carnivorous marsupials that lived 15 million years ago. The newly found species, Malleodectes mirabilis, had an insatiable appetite for snails and was characterized by its powerful hammer-like premolar.
A 500,000-year-old human femur discovered in Morocco shows evidence of being consumed by large carnivores like hyenas. The bone fragment featured fractures and tooth marks, suggesting carnivore chewing, which was likely made shortly after death.
Six new species of dragon millipedes have been discovered in Chinese caves, featuring unusually long legs and antennae. The species, which live exclusively in caves, exhibit extreme adaptations such as loss of pigmentation and elongated body parts, making them appear ghostly white and semi-transparent.
Scientists challenge previous findings on the ancient species, concluding they disappeared soon after humans arrived in Flores. New dates suggest Homo floresiensis may have lived until around 50,000 years ago, with evidence of simple stone tools persisting until then.
A study by Drexel University researchers found that surface-going cave crickets show a higher degree of genetic isolation than their cave-dwelling cousins. The crickets' ability to disperse and breed with other populations was previously thought to lead to less genetic variation, but the study's findings suggest otherwise. This has imp...
Whip spiders, a poorly understood relative of spiders and scorpions, care for their young, fight to protect territory, and eat a variety of prey including crickets and hummingbirds. Researchers have also found that whip spiders are relatively harmless, with Chapin stating they are afraid of humans.
Two new hominin fossils, a finger bone and a molar, were found in the Sterkfontein Caves, associated with early stone tools dating back 2.18 million years. The specimens possess intriguing features that raise more questions than answers.
Researchers found similar patterns in engraved ostrich eggshells across different sites, indicating the sharing of symbolic material culture. This exchange enabled groups to adopt and adapt new technologies and cultures, contributing to the survival and development of Homo sapiens.
A new discovery at Qesem Cave reveals that early humans consumed tortoises as part of their diet, alongside large game and vegetal material. The research provides direct evidence of the diverse dietary habits of Paleolithic people.
A 14,000-year-old thigh bone found in China suggests a mysterious pre-modern human species may have survived until the end of the last Ice Age. The bone has features similar to ancient human genera, including Homo habilis and early Homo erectus.
Researchers discovered strikingly huge organs in tiny cave snails, including enormous kidneys and three-pointed teeth. These adaptations enable the snails to tolerate extreme conditions and survive in environments where others would perish.
A new, highly modified harvestman species, Iandumoema smeagol, has been discovered in a cave in southeastern Brazil. The species is eyeless and adapted to living underground, with pale yellowish colors and reduced melanistic pigmentation.
The world's record for the smallest land snail has been broken with the discovery of a minute shell measuring only 0.7 mm in diameter. The study highlights the importance of conserving isolated species such as this one due to their restricted distribution and vulnerability to habitat disruption.
A University of Tennessee study found that Caucasian parsley frogs rely on insect-rich bat guano for food in limestone caves. The research highlights the critical role bats play in maintaining cave ecosystems and underscores the need to protect small bat colonies.
The feet of Homo naledi, a newly discovered human ancestor, are remarkably similar to those of modern humans in form and structure. This suggests that Homo naledi was a long-distance traveler with an arched foot, similar to early human species such as Homo erectus.
Researchers are combining physics, chemistry and mathematics to unlock the secrets of caves, a field known as speleophysics. Key areas include karst landform formation, evolution and movement, which affects approximately 20% of US fresh water supply and 10% in Europe.
Researchers have found evidence of giant killer lizards coexisting with early Australian humans around 50,000 years ago. The discovery sheds light on the potential drivers of megafauna extinction during this period.
Homo naledi, discovered in South Africa, has a unique combination of derived cranial vault and hand morphology. Its age is unknown, but it may represent an intermediate between Australopithecus and Homo erectus.
A team of scientists has uncovered over 1,500 hominin fossils in a cave complex in South Africa, representing the largest and most complete set found to date. The discovery adds a new branch to the human family tree, with the fossils suggesting that Homo naledi was deliberately depositing its dead in the cave.
A team of scientists, including a GVSU professor and alumni, discovered a 1-million-year-old monkey fossil in the Dominican Republic. The species, Antillothrix bernensis, was found to be morphologically consistent with previously collected material but dated to 1.3 million years ago.
A team of international scientists has dated a species of extinct monkey found in the Dominican Republic to over 1 million years old. The discovery sheds light on primate evolution in the region and provides evidence for the long-term survival of endemic native monkey species.
Researchers found that global sea level during the Pliocene warm period was 30-44 feet higher than previously thought, but significantly lower than estimated. The study suggests that the East Antarctic Ice Sheet might be more resilient to climate change than previously assumed.
Research suggests that above-water microbes contribute to the development of hydrogen-sulfide-rich caves through aerobic respiration, producing sulfuric acid. In contrast, underwater microbes only partially burn hydrogen sulfide, creating pure sulfur as a byproduct that is not corrosive to limestone.
A new species of cave-dwelling snail from South Korea has been described, shedding light on the ancient distribution of subterranean biodiversity across Eurasia. The discovery suggests that these unique creatures may have once inhabited a pan-Eurasian range, with potential implications for conservation efforts.
Researchers discovered unique 'graffiti' on a Chinese cave wall describing drought effects on the local population over 500 years. The inscriptions combined with chemical analysis of stalagmites paint a picture of how societies are affected by droughts over time, pointing to potentially greatly reduced rainfall in the region.
A study by Dr. Jaroslav Smrz and his team revealed that cave-dwelling invertebrates have distinct meal preferences despite harsh conditions. The researchers found evidence of specialization among species, such as a preference for cyanobacteria by scorpions and fungi by millipedes.
Researchers discovered that a yeast byproduct can inhibit the white-nose syndrome fungus, which has killed millions of bats. The compound, tt-farnesol, is produced by Candida albicans and targets the fungus specifically without disrupting other cave ecosystem components.
The newly discovered centipede, Geophilus hadesi, is the world's deepest cave-dwelling centipede and has adapted to live exclusively in caves. It features unusual traits such as elongated antennae, trunk segments, and powerful jaws with poison glands.
A study of ancient dental plaque found in Qesem Cave, Israel, reveals that early Palaeolithic humans ate a diverse diet rich in nuts and seeds. The discovery also suggests that these ancient humans had knowledge of local ecology and were able to manage smoke from fire using internal hearths.
Researchers found charcoal and respiratory irritants in ancient teeth, indicating early humans suffered health effects from indoor air pollution. The discovery provides the first direct evidence of manmade pollution on Earth, dating back 400,000 years.
African songbirds use color and pattern traits to recognize forgery eggs from cuckoos, but the system is not foolproof. Researchers found that heavily parasitized birds create unique egg patterns by combining individual traits, which may have security implications.