Meet the Siberian Simba: Perfectly preserved saber-toothed KITTEN is discovered mummified in the Arctic permafrost, 37,000 years after it died

• READ MORE: Inside the wacky plan to 'de-extinct' the woolly mammoth by 2028 

By WILIAM HUNTER

Scientists exploring the Arctic were in for a surprise after discovering a perfectly preserved saber-toothed kitten. 

The kitten has been mummified in the permafrost for 37,000 years ago, according to researchers from the Russian Academy of Sciences. 

In their new study, published in Scientific Reports, the team has revealed unprecedented details of this long-extinct animal.

Despite having died during the last ice age, the three-year-old kitten's head, forelimbs, torso, and paws were kept in near-pristine condition by the cold.

The team found that its neck was twice as thick as a modern-day lion cub's. 

Meanwhile, its jaw was specially adapted to hold its iconic cone-shaped incisors.

The scientists even discovered how the kittens 'bean shaped' toes would have helped it walk through the snow of the last ice age.

In their study, the researchers write: 'For the first time in the history of palaeontology, the appearance of an extinct mammal that has no analogues in the modern fauna has been studied.'

Scientists have discovered a perfectly preserved saber-toothed kitten (pictured) buried in the Siberian permafrost 37,000 years after it died

The researchers say that the saber-toothed tiger's paws (pictured) were much wider than those of a lion (bottom right) in order for it to spread its weight as it walked over deep snow 

During a 2022 expedition, scientists found the remains of the mummified kitten frozen into a block of ice in the Badyarikhskoe region in the Russian republic of Yakutia.

For unknown reasons, only the upper half of the body was found in one piece. 

However, the kitten's incomplete femur and shin bone were also found relatively intact nearby.

Although it isn't clear how the kitten died, the researchers believe that it would have lived during a period called the Late Piocene during which Earth was covered in vast ice sheets.

Previous studies have found 'numerous' woolly mammoth bones in the soil of this area but this is the first time such a completely frozen specimen of any species has been found. 

Lead author Dr Alexey Lopatin and his colleagues write: 'Findings of frozen mummified remains of the Late Pleistocene mammals are very rare.' 

Normally, the bones from animals from this period are scattered by scavengers and the elements, long before they can be found by scientists.

This means that we still don't know much about the animals which walked the Earth during the last ice age.

Compared to a lion cub of the same age (bottom) the saber-toothed kitten (top) had a wider jaw, a flatter muzzle, and a muscular neck that was twice as thick as a lion's 

Scientists found the perfectly preserved specimen in 2022 while digging in the permafrost of the Badyarikhskoe region in the Russian republic of Yakutia (pictured)

However, thanks to this discovery, researchers now have a unique window into the development of this iconic species.

The saber-toothed kitten is covered with a coat of dark brown fur which the scientists describe as 'short, thick, soft' and is longer over its neck and back.

The kitten also has a short whispy beard growing around its chin and two rows of fine whiskers.

Comparing the mummified sabre-toothed tiger to a modern lion cub of a similar age, the researchers noted several obvious differences.

Most noticeably, the mummified kitten was significantly more muscular and had a 'very massive neck' and an unusual muzzle shape which is significantly wider than that of a modern lion.

This, and other key adaptations, are believed to have allowed the saber-toothed tiger to grow its massive fangs.

Dr Lopatin and his co-authors write: 'One of the striking features of the morphology of Homotherium, both in adults and in the studied cub, is the presence of an enlarged premaxillary bone.'

This bone, which sits in the front part of the upper jaw, would have allowed the kitten to grow a row of large cone-shaped incisors.

The saber-toothed tiger hunted large mammals like aurochs and deer which lived in modern-day Siberia during the last ice age. The researchers discovered several adaptations which would have allowed these hunters to survive the cold and grow such large teeth 

However, this particular kitten was too young to have grown its impressive fangs as scans showed that it still had some of its baby teeth.

Additionally, the incredible preservation of this specimen reveals the interesting ways in which the big cat adapted to its frozen environment.

As well as a thick coat and small ears which help reduce heat loss, the sabre-toothed mummy had wide paws to spread its weight over the snow.

Likewise, the baby cat lacked carpal pads, pads of thick skin found at the back of the wrist joint, which scientists believe help to walk in deep snow.

This big cat, homotherium latidens, is the only species in its genus known to live in Eurasia during this time period.

Comparisons to species found in Spain suggest that it probably hunted big prey animals like aurochs and deer.

But finding this specimen so deep in Siberia suggests that they may have ranged much further north than previously expected.

For now, the researchers have only identified the most obvious and unusual features of the mummified cat but they are already planning more research to discuss the cub's anatomy in much greater detail.

SABRE-TOOTH TIGERS DIDN'T GET THEIR FANGS UNTIL THEY WERE THREE 

The sabre-tooth tiger may have been capable of slaying mammoths and rhinos, but it only had relatively small teeth until the age of three.

Research suggests that the animal's impressively long, dagger-shaped teeth developed later in life than modern cats do.

But once they emerged, they grew twice as quickly as the lion's, for example.

The sabre-tooth tiger, now more accurately known as the sabre-toothed cat, Smilodon fatalis, lived in North and South America until it became extinct 10,000 years ago.

The big cats are famous for their protruding canines, which could grow up to seven inches (18 cm) long.

Although well-preserved fossils are available to researchers, very little is known about the ages at which the animals reached key developmental stages and grew teeth, for example.

Researchers from Clemson University in South Carolina examined specimens recovered from the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles

They used data from stable oxygen isotope analyses with X-rays and information from previous studies to calculate when the prehistoric cats' permanent upper canines came through, as well as other growth events.

They believe that the cats got most of their teeth by 14 to 22 months, with the exception of their famous 'fangs'.

The experts say the long teeth didn't develop until the cats were around three years' old, which is delayed in comparison to similar-sized living members of the cat family.

A partially fossilized jaw from an adult Smilodon fatalis saber-toothed cat showing a fully erupted canine - which didn't appear until later in life

{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/ }

17-11-2024 om 22:03 geschreven door peter  

Wat zijn de verschillen tussen Neanderthalers en Sapiens? Weinig, maar fundamenteel voor de evolutie.

door Janine

Neanderthal-Museum, Mettmann/Wikimedia Commons - CC BY-SA 4.0 / Matteo De Stefano/MUSE/Wikimedia Commons - CC BY-SA 3.0

Jarenlang werden Neanderthalers als een inferieure soort beschouwd: gedrongen, dommer, minder complex, wat allemaal tot hun uitsterving zou hebben geleid.

Met de Neanderthaler delen we echter meer dan 99,5% van de genetische erfenis, en sinds enkele jaren zijn experts begonnen zijn figuur opnieuw te evalueren, zozeer zelfs dat ze van mening zijn dat hij veel meer op ons lijkt dan we dachten.

Kortom, de verschillen tussen Neanderthaler en Sapiens zijn niet zo groot, maar hebben toch tot zijn uitsterven geleid. Hoe is dit mogelijk? Laten we dat samen uitzoeken!

De evolutie: twee soorten met elkaar vergeleken

Om te begrijpen wat de echte verschillen tussen Neanderthalers en Sapiens zijn, moeten we, zoals vaak het geval is, beginnen bij hun oorsprong, dat wil zeggen hun evolutie. Beide soorten stammen in feite af van de Homo heidelbergensis, oorspronkelijk afkomstig uit Afrika.

Tegenwoordig weten we dat Neanderthalers afstammen van populaties Homo heidelbergensis die naar Europa en het Midden-Oosten trokken en ongeveer 400.000 jaar geleden verschenen. Sapiens daarentegen stammen af van populaties die in Afrika zijn gebleven en ongeveer 300.000 jaar geleden verschenen.

Hier zijn de eerste overeenkomsten en de eerste verschillen: Homo neanderthalensis en Homo sapiens delen meer dan 99,5% van hun DNA. Sterker nog, wij dragen genen van onze prehistorische verwanten in ons genoom, en andersom: sommige van onze genen werden aan hen doorgegeven en kwamen duizenden jaren later weer bij ons terug.

Kortom, Sapiens en Neanderthalers verschillen niet zo veel van elkaar, zozeer zelfs dat sommige experts zich hebben afgevraagd of het twee verschillende soorten zijn. Toch bestaan ​​er enkele verschillen, en die zijn van cruciaal belang.

Cognitie: twee breinen vergeleken

Paul Hudson/Flickr - CC BY 2.0

Ondanks het gedeelde genoom komen de verschillen tussen Neanderthalers en Sapiens naar voren op fysiek en vooral mentaal niveau.

Neanderthalers hadden een gedrongen bouw, aangepast aan het koude klimaat van het glaciale Europa, en grotere hersenen.

Sapiens daarentegen waren leniger, slanker en hadden iets kleinere hersenen dan hun verwanten, ongeveer 1300-1400 kubieke centimeter groot.

Recent onderzoek, gepubliceerd in Science, heeft aangetoond dat de ontwikkeling van de hersenen wordt beïnvloed door het TKTL1-gen en dat dit bij beide soorten slechts één aminozuur verschilt. Dit verschil leidde ertoe dat Homo sapiens meer neuronen had, ondanks hun kleinere hersenen.

Bijgevolg zou onze soort een complexere neuronale organisatie hebben gehad, een groter vermogen tot innovatie en zelfs een meer gesofisticeerde sociale organisatie. Allemaal elementen van een succesvol evolutionair pad.

Toch zijn zelfs vandaag de dag sommige van onze kenmerken terug te voeren op de genetische erfenis van de Neanderthaler, zoals:

• steil, dik haar;
• een hogere neus, die zich beter aanpast aan lage temperaturen;
• een lagere pijngrens;
• de neiging om 's ochtends vroeg wakker te worden.

De uitsterving: het echte verschil tussen Neanderthalers en Sapiens?

Zoals we al zeiden, gelooft niet iedereen dat de Neanderthalers echt zijn uitgestorven. Natuurlijk is er tegenwoordig niemand meer die tot deze soort behoort, maar de aanwezigheid van hun genoom in het onze staat buiten kijf.

Zelfs vandaag de dag bestaan ​​er nog steeds veel twijfels over het uitsterven van de Neanderthaler. Tot voor kort werd gedacht dat de komst van Sapiens een aanzienlijke impact had op het voortbestaan ​​van onze verwanten. Maar de werkelijkheid is wellicht complexer.

De twee soorten moderne mensen vermengen zich al duizenden jaren en op verschillende momenten in hun evolutionaire geschiedenis. Bovendien zijn directe conflicten tussen menselijke groepen die tot de twee soorten behoren niet gedocumenteerd.

Toch moeten er verschillen zijn tussen Neanderthalers en Sapiens die de verdwijning van de eerste zo'n 30.000 jaar geleden en het voortbestaan van de tweede verklaren. Enkele van de meest recente hypotheses hebben betrekking op

• de evolutie van de hersenen en de functie van sociale samenwerking;
• een grotere genetische variabiliteit en dus een grotere weerstand tegen ziekten;
• een welbespraakte taal en een grotere neiging tot complexe communicatie.

Neanderthalers waren in werkelijkheid niet dom en onbekwaam, maar meer ontwikkeld dan we dachten. Toch zijn de verschillen met onze soort anders en kunnen ze hebben bijgedragen aan hun verdwijning.

Of misschien ook niet, omdat een deel van hen in ons voortleeft en omgekeerd.

VIDEOS

13-11-2024 om 16:34 geschreven door peter  

Earth's ancient APOCALYPSE: Huge comet hit Earth 12,000 years ago - sparking an ice age that decimated humans, expert claims in controversial Netflix series

• Graham Hancock claims that an ancient super-civilisation lived in Antarctica 
• Scientists argue his claims are pseudoscientific and lack evidence 

By WILIAM HUNTER

It's common knowledge that the dinosaurs were wiped out by an asteroid 66 million years ago.

But what if that wasn't the only time in Earth's history that a space rock triggered an ancient apocalypse?

In a new Netflix series, controversial author Graham Hancock claims that an ancient super-civilisation in Antarctica was destroyed by a collision with a comet 12,000 years ago.

If true, Mr Hancock's theory would overturn almost everything we know about the story of human civilisation.

However, many experts are concerned that the story of 'Ancient Apocalypse' is misleading, with some dismissing it as 'pseudoscientific.'

In a new season of 'Ancient Apocalypse', controversial author Graham Hancock (pictured) argues that a comet triggered the destruction of an ancient civilisation in Antarctica 

What is the ancient apocalypse theory? 

Beginning in 1995 with his book 'Fingerprints of the Gods', Mr Hancock has been one of the most vocal supporters of the ancient apocalypse theory.

Conventional archaeological wisdom holds that humans first changed from nomadic hunter-gatherers to settled farmers between 10,000 and 12,000 years ago.

This would lay the foundations for the first urban civilisations to arise in Mesopotamia, somewhere around 6,000 years ago.

Mr Hancock, meanwhile, maintains that an ancient civilisation lived in what is now Antarctica for many thousands of years before this time.

Then, around 11,600-12,800 years ago, he claims a series of cataclysmic events led to the demise of these ancient peoples around the end of the Ice Age.

Mr Hancock claims that the Earth was hit by debris from a comet around 12,000 years ago, triggering changes in the climate which led to the end of the Ice Age

The documentary claims that Antarctica was home to an ancient super-civilisation which existed for thousands of years before most archaeologists believe farming was developed 

Mr Hancock describes this period as 'an abrupt episode of cataclysmic climate change', although it's referred to in science as the 'Younger Dryas'.

Controversially, he also claims that the rapid shift in climate patterns was caused by a collision with a comet in what he calls the 'Younger Dryas Impact Hypothesis'.

'12,800 years ago the Earth crossed the debris stream of a very large, disintegrating comet and was bombarded by hundreds of fragments, some large, some small,' Mr Hancock says.

'It was the resulting shock of these impacts and airbursts that triggered the Younger Dryas.'

However, before they vanished, this ancient civilisation supposedly travelled the world building monuments and teaching other people the foundations of civilisation.

In the show, Mr Hancock (pictured right) travels around the world to look for evidence in support of his eccentric theory 

In his new Netflix series, Ancient Apocalypse, Mr Hancock follows in the footsteps of these lost humans to find the traces of their history.

In the second season, Mr Hancock once again sets out to find evidence for his theory, this time focusing on the Americas.

Speaking to a number of archaeologists and, inexplicably, actor Keanu Reaves, Mr Hancock travels across the continent looking for structures which hint at a more ancient society.

Mr Hancock says: 'Ancient Apocalypse is my own story, in my own words, of my own boots-on-the-ground investigation into the controversial possibility of a lost civilization of the Ice Age.'

During the show, Mr Hancock meets with actor Keanu Reaves who expresses a distrust for the conventional narrative of human history 

Why is the ancient apocalypse theory controversial? 

While Mr Hancock's theories make for a great documentary, they don't stand up to much scientific scrutiny.

Numerous experts have pointed out that the evidence used in the show is at best flimsy and, at worst, outright misleading.

Dr Flint Dibble, an archaeologist at Cardiff University who spoke with Mr Hancock on The Joe Rogan Experience, told MailOnline: 'Most sites on the show are misrepresented in different ways, sometimes small, sometimes large.'

For example, in the first episode of the new season, Mr Hancock refers to the fossilised footprints at White Sands National Park, New Mexico.

Dr Dibble says: 'He states that archaeologists have not directly dated the footprints at white sands, when in fact the sediments under, part of, and above the footprints are directly dated by OSL [optically stimulated luminescence] providing a direct date for them.'

In the show, Mr Hancock claims that the fossilised footsteps at White Sands, New Mexico (pictured) have never been directly dated. This is completely untrue as the soil above, below, and part of the fossils have been dated

Likewise in season one, Mr Hancock claimed that the 11,000-year-old Göbekli Tepe site in Turkey was built by a society capable of farming.

While the initial excavators thought this was the case, new evidence has clearly shown that bones and seeds at the site were from wild animals - proving the monuments at Göbekli Tepe were built by hunter-gatherers.

In another incident, Mr Hancock interviews the architect Professor Hillman Natawidjaja, who claims that the Gunung Padang site in Indonesia is 25,000 years old.

Shortly afterwards Professor Natwidjaja's paper on the site was retracted due to a 'major error'.

Dr Dibble says: 'The theory is about a lost civilization from the end of the Ice Age, but ignores all the evidence from that period we do have that is distributing across the world, on every continent and in every region.

Experts say that Mr Hancock ignores all evidence which contradicts his theories and misrepresents a number of archaeological sites to support his view 

'It also ignores all the scientific evidence that has amassed over the last 40 years from organic remains that clearly dates the development of agriculture to after the Ice Age in different regions of the world, independently from one another.'

The expert reaction to the show has been so bad that, after the release of season one, many called for Netflix to strip it of its 'docuseries' label.

In an open letter to Netflix, the Society for American Archaeology (SAA) wrote: 'Archaeologists have investigated hundreds of Ice Age sites and published the results in rigorously reviewed journals.

'The assertion that Ancient Apocalypse is a factual “docuseries” or “documentary” rather than entertainment with ideological goals is preposterous.'

According to archaeologists, Mr Hancock has ignored all evidence which shows that agriculture emerged separately around the world about 12,000 years ago 

If Mr Hancock were simply incorrect, this might not have caused much of a stir.

However, some experts also see the theories put forward in Ancient Apocalypse as actively harmful.

In the show, Hancock not only promotes his own ideas, but also attacks scientists who he calls 'arrogant', 'patronising', and 'so-called experts'.

Dr Dibble says that this anti-intellectual streak is part of what makes the show so popular as Hancock rides a growing wave of opposition to experts.

While Dr Dibble says he wouldn't call the documentary 'dangerous', he adds: 'Hancock's narrative both on the show and on podcast appearances promotes a distrust in experts.'

Scientists warn that the documentary's disparaging attitude towards expert opinion promotes a wider distrust of science 

Likewise, a number of archaeologists argue that the narrative of world history Mr Hancock promotes could provide the basis for more harmful ideas. 

In the show, Mr Hancock argues that an ancient lost race is responsible for spreading civilisation to less advanced people around the world.

Experts point out that this implies indigenous people could not have created civilisation without outside assistance.

'It promotes a world view where many indigenous peoples around the world are not responsible for their cultural heritage,' Dr Dibble says.

This led Netflix to cancel a number of screenings of the documentary in Arizona and New Mexico following strong opposition from local tribal leaders. 

Some even argue that this theory shares striking similarities with ideas which have inspired white supremacists.

The documentary also implies that indigenous groups could not be responsible for their own achievements, a view which has been accused of being belittling and linked to theories of white supremacy

In some versions of the myth of Atlantis, which is a clear inspiration for the show, the ancient super-race of the lost city were white Arians.

This idea would go on to inspire some theories of white supremacy which draw on the notion of an ancient Arian race. 

While Mr Hancock does not explicitly mention race in the documentary, he has previously argued that caucasian people arrived in the Americas before Columbus. 

Likewise, Hancock has also claimed that the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl was described as having white skin, a red beard, and blue eyes.

Dr Dibble has pointed out that the trope of white-skinned heroes arriving to bring civilisation was used to justify the Spanish crown claiming lands in the Americas. 

In their open letter, the SAA wrote: 'The theory it presents has a long-standing association with racist, white supremacist ideologies.'

 { https://www.dailymail.co.uk/ }

09-11-2024 om 23:51 geschreven door peter  

Scientists Have Discovered a “Lost” Mayan Megacity, Complete With Hidden Pyramids

Tulane researchers uncovered over 6,500 Maya structures in Mexico using lidar, revealing a complex settlement landscape and challenging previous assumptions about the Maya civilization’s urban and rural distribution.

Tulane University researchers have used laser-guided imaging to peer through dense jungle forests, revealing vast unexplored Maya settlements in Mexico and a better understanding of the ancient civilization’s extent and complexity.

The new research, published in the journal Antiquity, was led by Tulane University anthropology doctoral student Luke Auld-Thomas and his advisor, Professor Marcello A. Canuto.

The team used lidar, a laser-based detection system, to survey 50 square miles of land in Campeche, Mexico, an area largely overlooked by archaeologists. Their findings included evidence of more than 6,500 pre-Hispanic structures, including a previously unknown large city complete with iconic stone pyramids.

Lidar technology has allowed scientists to survey large swaths of land from the comfort of a computer lab, uncovering anomalies in the landscape that often prove to be pyramids, family houses, and other examples of Maya infrastructure.

Credit: Marcello Canuto

Surprising Discoveries and Varied Settlements

“Our analysis not only revealed a picture of a region that was dense with settlements, but it also revealed a lot of variability,” said Auld-Thomas, a doctoral student in Tulane’s Anthropology Department and instructor at Northern Arizona University. “We didn’t just find rural areas and smaller settlements. We also found a large city with pyramids right next to the area’s only highway, near a town where people have been actively farming among the ruins for years. The government never knew about it; the scientific community never knew about it. That really puts an exclamation point behind the statement that, no, we have not found everything, and yes, there’s a lot more to be discovered.”

The Middle American Research Institute (MARI) at Tulane University has been pioneering the use of lidar technology in archaeological research. Over the past decade, the MARI has built a state-of-the-art Geographic Information Systems (GIS) lab, managed by Francisco Estrada-Belli, to analyze remote sensing data, such as lidar.

Ancient buildings clustered on a hilltop are revealed by a narrow transect of lidar survey data. Lidar technology uses laser pulses to measure distances and create 3D models of specific areas.

Credit: Luke Auld-Thomas

Lidar technology uses laser pulses to measure distances and create three-dimensional models of specific areas. It has allowed scientists to scan large swaths of land from the comfort of a computer lab, uncovering anomalies in the landscape that often prove to be pyramids, family houses, and other examples of Maya infrastructure.

“Thanks to generous funding from the Hitz Foundation, MARI has been at the forefront of the use of lidar technology in archaeological research over the past decade,” said Canuto, director of the MARI. “Now our efforts are expanding from data analysis to data collection and acquisition. The work conducted on these data from Campeche represents how MARI’s ‘lidar footprint’ is expanding.”

Implications for Understanding Maya Population and Settlement Patterns

This research may also help resolve ongoing debates about the true extent of Maya settlements.

“Because lidar allows us to map large areas very quickly, and at really high precision and levels of detail, that made us react, ‘Oh wow, there are so many buildings out there we didn’t know about, the population must have been huge,’” Auld-Thomas said. “The counterargument was that lidar surveys were still too tethered to known, large sites, such as Tikal, and therefore had developed a distorted image of the Maya lowlands. What if the rest of the Maya area was far more rural and what we had mapped so far was the exception instead of the rule?”

The study highlights the transformative power of lidar technology in unveiling the secrets of ancient civilizations. It also provides compelling evidence of a more complex and varied Maya landscape than previously thought.

“Lidar is teaching us that, like many other ancient civilizations, the lowland Maya built a diverse tapestry of towns and communities over their tropical landscape,” Canuto said. “While some areas are replete with vast agricultural patches and dense populations, others have only small communities. Nonetheless, we can now see how much the ancient Maya changed their environment to support a long-lived complex society.”

Reference:

• “Running out of empty space: environmental lidar and the crowded ancient landscape of Campeche, Mexico” by Luke Auld-Thomas, Marcello A. Canuto, Adriana Velázquez Morlet, Francisco Estrada-Belli, David Chatelain, Diego Matadamas, Michelle Pigott and Juan Carlos Fernández Díaz, 29 October 2024, Antiquity.
  DOI: 10.15184/aqy.2024.148

{ https://scitechdaily.com/ }

08-11-2024 om 21:12 geschreven door peter  

(M. Aiestaran, J. Velaza, et al/Antiquity/Cambridge University)

Archaeologists Unearth 2,000-Year-Old Relic Covered in Mysterious Symbols from Lost Ancient Language

Archeologists in Northern Spain report the discovery of a 2,000-year-old relic in the shape of a hand that is covered in mysterious symbols from an ancient “lost” language.

Previous research into the area’s Iron Age inhabitants seemed to indicate they were pre-literate people without any form of written communication. However, this latest discovery, which they are calling the Hand of Irulegi after the site where it was found, not only refutes that assumption but may offer clues to the origin of the region’s mysterious Basque language, which has no known linguistic relatives.

Mysterious Symbols Cover Bronze Hand

According to a summary of the archaeology team’s research published in the Cambridge University Press Core journal, the relic, which is made of bronze and in the shape of a hand, was discovered at the entrance of an ancient domestic building in present-day Navarre within the northern part of Spain. The researchers note that this particular region of the Pyrenean foothills has received “little attention” from archaeologists, meaning the Late Iron Age societies of this area “remain poorly known.”

In fact, they note that other than a few meager insights from the Roman-period literature, “very little is understood about the language, writing, identity, and beliefs of these pre-Roman Vasconic communities.”

“Relatively few examples of Palaeohispanic writing have been recovered from the Vasconic territories of present-day Navarre,” the researchers explain, “leading to the assumption that the Vascones were a pre-literate society.”

Given these circumstances, the team was somewhat surprised to find a relic covered with a wide array of mysterious symbols of an unknown origin. A close-up analysis of the bronze hand revealed a small hole and four lines of mysterious symbols they interpreted as text.

Interestingly, one of the words written on the hand that could be identified was interpreted to say “sorioneku.” In the Basque language, which still exists in this particular region, the word “zorioneko” means “good fortune.” Given the hand’s location near the entrance of a domestic building and the orientation of the mysterious symbols, the researchers suggest it may have been hung above the doorway to bring good luck.

“The text inscribed on this artifact, which was found at the entrance of a domestic building, is interpreted as apotropaic, a token entreating good fortune,” write the researchers.

“Evidence for widespread burning across the site, combined with the many weapons recovered from the interior of the habitational structures and the quantity and variety of other finds found in primary contexts, strongly suggest that the site was intentionally destroyed by fire,” they explain.

An analysis of the techniques used to create the hand didn’t reveal which tool was used to make the mysterious symbols, but the researchers suppose they could have been made by an iron tool like a Burin.

Another intriguing discovery shows that the inscription methods used to create the symbols seemed to come from two completely different epigraphic cultures. One method, the “punched” method, is consistent with the Celtiberian epigraphic culture, whereas the sgraffito technique is consistent with the Iberian epigraphic culture. The researchers say that no artifacts combining the two methods have previously been found in this region.

“The two-step method, with the use of both sgraffito and punched techniques in the same inscription, has not previously been documented in Palaeohispanic inscriptions.”

Details of the Irulegi hand: a) identical oxidation patina on both the plate and the point; b) punched lettering on incised line; c) ornamental reduction on the perimeter; d) perforation of the lower palm viewed from the front and e) from the back; f–g) details of the fingers and nails; h) punched lettering on the sgraffito and scored guideline (above); i) the same letter with inverted color

(Credit: M. Aiestaran, J. Velaza, et al/Antiquity/Cambridge University).

More Inscriptions Translated Mystery May Never be Solved

In their detailed study, the researchers outline several other inscriptions they may have been able to interpret, including one that may be the name of a place (oTiŕtan) and one that may be a verb (eŕaukon). However, they write, “The rest of the inscription on the Irulegi hand remains obscure.”

Moving forward, the researchers concede that they may never be able to decipher the mysterious symbols on the Hand of Irulegi completely, and its entire purpose and meaning may never be fully understood. However, they do note that the hand is still a significant find since it shows that the people of this area were literate after all.

“The new inscription presented here provides support for a growing awareness that the ancient Vascones knew and made use of writing, at least to a degree,” they explain.

The researchers also point out that most of the other pre-Roman languages from the area “became extinct under the pressure of Latin.” So discovering definitive examples of a pre-Roman, Vasconian language is also incredibly valuable.

“In this context, the recent discovery at the Late Iron Age site of Irulegi of a Vasconic text inscribed on a bronze hand is an important find,” they conclude.

• Christopher Plain is a Science Fiction and Fantasy novelist and Head Science Writer at The Debrief. Follow and connect with him on X, learn about his books at plainfiction.com, or email him directly at christopher@thedebrief.org.

{ https://thedebrief.org/category/science/ }

06-11-2024 om 00:48 geschreven door peter  

'Overlooked' clue on Tutankhamun's death mask that could re-define the boy-king's death

• READ MORE:  Treasure trove found inside King Tutankhamun's tomb

By Nikki Main Science Reporter For Dailymail.Com

King Tutankhamun's death mask is one of the most iconic Egyptian relics, but researchers claim it may not have been intended for the late pharaoh. 

A team from the University of York in the UK say the holes in the ears of the mask suggest the mask was actually intended for a high status female or child rather, possibly King Tut's stepmother whose body has never been found.

They hypothesize that Tutankhamun's sudden death at 18 may have saw the shape of his face grafted on top of the true owner of the mask.

Professor Joann Fletcher said: 'This mask was not made for an adult male pharaoh when the gold was compared, [they found] the face is made of completely different gold to the rest.' 

The researchers arrived at the new theory after re-examining the historical records of the 1922 excavation, finding mentions of body modifications that did not align with ancient Egyptian tradition. 

One document in particular, caught the attention of Professor Fletcher, which read: 'Honed in on one long-overlooked feature... the decidedly pierced ears [on the death mask.'

While pharaohs wore earrings, the modifications were not carried over to the death mask. Piercings have only been on those made for the masks of queens and children. 

Professor Fletcher made the revelations in a newly released History Hit documentary, saying she was sure the death mask was not specifically designed for King Tut.

King Tutankhamun's death mask has pierced ears and is made of a type of gold that wasn't typically used for rulers

The mask was likely made for someone else and was re-molded to more closely resemble Tut. It was found in his tomb in the Valley of Kings in 1922

The idea, however, was first proposed in 2015 by Egyptologist Nicholas Reeves who claimed the gold face covering was originally made for Queen Nefertiti - the young king's stepmother. 

Nefertiti married Akhenaten, Tutankhamun's father, but her tomb has yet to be discovered.

King Tutankhamun ascended to the Egyptian throne at just nine years of age and ruled from 1332 BC to 1323 BC.

In 1922, British archaeologist Howard Carter discovered the mask in Tut's lavish tomb in the Valley of the Kings on the west bank of the Nile River.

A death mask was made for both pharaohs and the everyday person to honor the deceased and establish a connection with the spiritual world.

However, a pharaoh's mask was made of gold or silver, while lesser people's were fashioned from wood or clay.

They were created in the likeness of the person's face to help the deceased's soul return to their body so they could be judged by the Egyptian god Anubis.

In 1922, British archaeologist Howard Carter discovered the mask in Tut's lavish tomb in the Valley of the Kings on the west bank of the Nile River

Tut's mask featured a broad collar made of semiprecious stones and colored beads were inlaid throughout, and Tut was given a false beard made of gold.

Professor Joann Fletcher combed through Carter's burial records of King Tut to see if more discoveries could be made more than a century later.

The ear piercings caught her attention immediately as she is an Egyptologist who has been studying the ancient civilization for decades.

Famed pharaohs like King Tut's great-grandfather, Amenhotep III, and Ramses II were also found buried in death masks, but neither featured ear modifications.

And none of their statues were found with the piercings.

However, placement for the jewelry has been found etched in statues of queens, such as Nefertiti, and the death mask of Sobekneferu.

Professor Fletcher suggested that the clues on the mask meant King Tut's burial was rushed.

The young pharaoh was plagued with health issues due to Akhenaten marrying his sister who gave birth to the boy king.

Black blotches were found on the walls of the tomb, indicating that the paintings were rushed because of the pharaoh's untimely death

King Tutankhamun died at just 19 years old from an infection that researchers believe stemmed from a broken leg

While not proven, King Tut was believed to have a club foot, cleft palate, bone disease and scoliosis. 

Read More

• Scientist crack Pharaoh's curse' that killed more than 20 people who opened King Tutankhamun's tomb 

Some experts have suspected he was murdered, while others believe the health issues took a toll. 

Not only are there clues in the death mask about a rushed burial, archaeologists have documented blotches of paint on the wall that suggested it hadn't dried when the tomb was quickly sealed.

The size of the lavish burial was also much smaller than what was expected for a pharaoh of Tut's stature. 

'This is the tomb that was intended for Tutankhamun, the tomb of Ay,' Prof Fletcher explained.

'To deepen the enigma, dark spots are scattered across the walls of King Tut's tomb marks that scores of experts point to as a sign the paint was still wet when the tomb was sealed, hinting at the hurried nature of its completion.'

VIDEOS

Archaeologists discover incredible 'overlooked feature' on Tutankhamun's death mask

What is the mystery of the Tutankhamun’s Death Mask?

The first ever view inside Tutankhamun's tomb in Egypt | BBC Global

{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/ }

04-11-2024 om 23:32 geschreven door peter  

A city with temple pyramids not far from the road and a site with a Maya complex built alongside a sinkhole lend to evidence that the Maya civilization was even more sprawling than known.

{ https://www.nytimes.com/ }

03-11-2024 om 22:36 geschreven door peter  

Location of 'Noah's Ark' is revealed as scientists decipher world's oldest map on 3,000-year-old Babylonian tablet

• READ MORE: Archaeologists unlock secrets of 4,000-year-old tablet

By Stacy Liberatore For Dailymail.com

Scientists have deciphered the world's oldest map etched in a clay tablet about 3,000 years ago, finding it features the location of 'Noah's Ark' among the drawings.

The Babylonian artifact, known as the Imago Mundi, shows a circular diagram with a writing system that used wedge-shaped symbols to describe the early creation of the world.

Researchers at the British Museum, where the tablet is housed, revealed what they had deciphered last month, but a deeper analysis of their work uncovered the Biblical reference within the ancient language.

The back of the tablet acts like a key, describing what a traveler will see on their journey, with one portion says that they must pass through 'seven leagues... [to] see something that is thick as a parsiktu-vessel.'

The word 'parsiktu' has been found on other ancient Babylonian tablets, specifically to explain the size of a boat needed to survive the Great Flood.

Researchers followed the instructions, finding a path to 'Urartu' where an ancient Mesopotamian poem claims a man and his family landed an ark to preserve life.

The location is the Assyrian equivalent to 'Ararat,' the Hebrew word for the mountain Noah crashed the Biblical vessel that was constructed for the same purpose.

Dr. Irving Finkel, British Museum curator, said: 'It shows that the story was the same, and of course that one led to the other but also, that from the Babylonian point of view, this was a matter of fact thing.

'That if you did go on this journey you would see the remnants of this historic boat.'

The Imago Mundi, also called the Babylonian Map of the World, was discovered in 1882 by renowned archaeologist Hormuzd Rassam in Sippar, an ancient Babylonian city in what is now present-day Iraq

The Imago Mundi has mystified researchers since it was found in 1882 in what is now known as Iraq.

The ancient text, written in cuneiform, was only used by the Babylonians, who etched astronomical events, future predictions and a map thought to be the entire 'known world' at the time.

At the bottom center of the map sits Mesopotamia, enclosed by a circle representing a 'bitter river' that was believed to surround the entire world.

The tablet has since been damaged, but once featured eight triangles that researchers determined signified mountains that match descriptions on the back.

'Number four says 'To the fourth, to which you must travel seven leagues,'' Dr Finkel said in a YouTube video.

He continued to explain that the passage continues to explain how a journeyer will eventually come upon a giant vessel.

'This parsiktu measurement, is something to an Assyriologist which makes their ears prick and the fact is it's only once otherwise known from cuneiform tablets and it's rather an interesting cuneiform tablet too,' said Dr Finkel.

'Because it is the description of the Ark which was built, theoretically, by the Babylonian version of Noah.'

The back of the tablet provides instructions on how to read the map. One passages tells the traveler to pass through the sea and they will come to 'Urartu' where an ancient Mesopotamian poem claims a man and his family landed an ark to preserve life

The location is the Assyrian equivalent to 'Ararat,' the Hebrew word for the mountain Noah crashed the Biblical vessel that was constructed for the same purpose

The Babylonian version of the story says the god Ea sent a flood that wiped out all of humanity except for Utnapishtim and his family, who built an ark at the command of the god and filled it with animals.

'In this account, the details are given and the God says 'You have to do this, this and this' and then the Babylonian Noah says 'I did this, this and this. I've done it! And I made these structures as thick parsiktu vessel,'' Dr Finkel.

The Gilgamesh Flood story is known from clay tablets that date back around 3,000 years, the Biblical Flood was about 5,000 years ago.

Dr Finkle explained that anyone who traveled the path to Urartu would, theoretically, see the wooden ribs of the vessel on the mountain 'like the one in the Bible.'

The Bible claims the ark settled on the 'mountains of Ararat' in Turkey following a 150-day flood that drowned the Earth and every living thing on it that was not housed inside the wooden ship. 

And the mountain in question features a peak that matches the shape and dimensions of Noah's ark. 

The vessel was said to measure '300 cubits, 50 cubits, by 30 cubits', which translates to up to 515 feet long, 86 feet wide and 52 feet high.  

The idea that the ark landed on Ararat has been surrounded by controversy, as some scientists claim the formation was formed by nature and others are sure it came from a higher power.

A team of experts led by Istanbul Technical University has been excavating the mountain for years, revealing in 2023 that they found clay, marine materials and seafood that placed humans at the scene between 3,000 and 5,000 years ago.

However, Dr Andrew Snelling, a young Earth creationist with a Ph.D. from the University of Sydney, had previously said that Mount Ararat could not be the ark's location because the mountain did not form until after the flood waters receded.

Although considered a historical event, most scholars and archaeologists do not believe in literally interpreting the Ark story.

{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/ }

31-10-2024 om 23:35 geschreven door peter  

Lasers reveal 3,000-year-old secret Mayan city with more than 6,500 structures

• READ MORE:  Ancient Mayan city containing 50-foot pyramids discovered

By Nikki Main Science Reporter For Dailymail.Com

Scientists have uncovered a secret Mayan city hiding in Mexico, which once featured an urban landscape of more than 6,500 structures.

The team used lidar technology to create three-dimensional models across 50 miles of land in Campeche, allowing them to map areas not visible to the naked eye.

The method revealed a 21-square-mile metropolis with iconic stone pyramids, houses and other infrastructure that have been concealed for more than 3,000 years.

There are hundreds of documented Mayan sites, but the newest find revealed that researchers aren't close to finding all the major Maya cities.

'Our analysis not only revealed a picture of a region that was dense with settlements, but it also revealed a lot of variability,' said the study's co-author, Luke Auld-Thomas, a doctoral student at Tulane University.

'We didn't just find rural areas and smaller settlements. We also found a large city with pyramids right next to the area's only highway, near a town where people have been actively farming among the ruins for years,' Auld-Thomas said. 

The city, called Valeriana, included a dam, ballcourt, houses and terraces as well as a curved amphitheater and temple pyramids

There are hundreds of documented Mayan sites , but the newest find revealed that researchers aren't close to finding all the major Maya cities

The team conducted an aerial lidar survey, which uses laser pulses to measure distances and create three-dimensional models of specific areas. 

It has allowed scientists to scan large swaths of land from the comfort of a computer lab, uncovering anomalies in the landscape that often prove to be pyramids, family houses and other examples Maya infrastructure. 

'Because lidar allows us to map large areas very quickly, and at really high precision and levels of detail, that made us react, 'Oh wow, there are so many buildings out there we didn't know about, the population must have been huge,' Auld-Thomas said. 

'The counterargument was that lidar surveys were still too tethered to known, large sites, such as Tikal, and therefore had developed a distorted image of the Maya lowlands. 

'What if the rest of the Maya area was far more rural and what we had mapped so far was the exception instead of the rule?' 

The team uncovered two blocks of the Mayan city, one of which included a distinct pseudo-pyramid that was identical to one found at Rio Bec - a pre-Columbian Mayan archaeological site located near the Guatemala border in the Yucatan Peninsula.

The city, called Valeriana, was adjacent to a freshwater lagoon and encompassed two major areas of architecture that includes a dam, ballcourt, houses and terraces.

Valeriana also contained a curved amphitheater, temple pyramids and a reservoir that 'has all the hallmarks of a classic Maya political capital,' the study said.

The survey was conducted near a highway, revealing the hidden city with over 6,5000 structures

The Mayan city was discovered near Campeche in Mexico and covers about 21 square miles

'The discovery of Valeriana highlights the fact that there are still major gaps in our knowledge of the existence or absence of large sites within as-yet unmapped areas of the Maya Lowlands,' researchers shared.

A third region of the city was identified as a 'sparse and modest settlement, consisting of scattered or loosely clustered residences with no monumental architecture and limited investment in water storage.

Read More

• Lasers reveal 650-square-mile ancient Mayan city hidden beneath Guatemala rainforest 

Tulane professor and co-author Marcello Canuto said: 'Lidar is teaching us that, like many other ancient civilizations, the lowland Maya built a diverse tapestry of towns and communities over their tropical landscape.' 

He continued: 'While some areas are replete with vast agricultural patches and dense populations, others have only small communities. 

'Nonetheless, we can now see how much the ancient Maya changed their environment to support a long-lived complex society.'

Although hundreds of sites have been found, it's impossible to determine exactly how many Mayan cities still have to be studied.

However, lidar technology is helping researchers unearth them much more quickly, particularly in regions of southern Mexico and Guatemala.

'The government never knew about it; the scientific community never knew about it. That really puts an exclamation point behind the statement that, no, we have not found everything, and yes, there's a lot more to be discovered,' Auld-Thomas said. 

{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/ }

31-10-2024 om 00:00 geschreven door peter  

Lasers reveal 3,000-year-old secret Mayan city with more than 6,500 structures

• READ MORE:  Ancient Mayan city containing 50-foot pyramids discovered

By Nikki Main Science Reporter For Dailymail.Com

Scientists have uncovered a secret Mayan city hiding in Mexico, which once featured an urban landscape of more than 6,500 structures.

The team used lidar technology to create three-dimensional models across 50 miles of land in Campeche, allowing them to map areas not visible to the naked eye.

The method revealed a 21-square-mile metropolis with iconic stone pyramids, houses and other infrastructure that have been concealed for more than 3,000 years.

There are hundreds of documented Mayan sites, but the newest find revealed that researchers aren't close to finding all the major Maya cities.

'Our analysis not only revealed a picture of a region that was dense with settlements, but it also revealed a lot of variability,' said the study's co-author, Luke Auld-Thomas, a doctoral student at Tulane University.

'We didn't just find rural areas and smaller settlements. We also found a large city with pyramids right next to the area's only highway, near a town where people have been actively farming among the ruins for years,' Auld-Thomas said. 

The city, called Valeriana, included a dam, ballcourt, houses and terraces as well as a curved amphitheater and temple pyramids

There are hundreds of documented Mayan sites , but the newest find revealed that researchers aren't close to finding all the major Maya cities

The team conducted an aerial lidar survey, which uses laser pulses to measure distances and create three-dimensional models of specific areas. 

It has allowed scientists to scan large swaths of land from the comfort of a computer lab, uncovering anomalies in the landscape that often prove to be pyramids, family houses and other examples Maya infrastructure. 

'Because lidar allows us to map large areas very quickly, and at really high precision and levels of detail, that made us react, 'Oh wow, there are so many buildings out there we didn't know about, the population must have been huge,' Auld-Thomas said. 

'The counterargument was that lidar surveys were still too tethered to known, large sites, such as Tikal, and therefore had developed a distorted image of the Maya lowlands. 

'What if the rest of the Maya area was far more rural and what we had mapped so far was the exception instead of the rule?' 

The team uncovered two blocks of the Mayan city, one of which included a distinct pseudo-pyramid that was identical to one found at Rio Bec - a pre-Columbian Mayan archaeological site located near the Guatemala border in the Yucatan Peninsula.

The city, called Valeriana, was adjacent to a freshwater lagoon and encompassed two major areas of architecture that includes a dam, ballcourt, houses and terraces.

Valeriana also contained a curved amphitheater, temple pyramids and a reservoir that 'has all the hallmarks of a classic Maya political capital,' the study said.

The survey was conducted near a highway, revealing the hidden city with over 6,5000 structures

The Mayan city was discovered near Campeche in Mexico and covers about 21 square miles

'The discovery of Valeriana highlights the fact that there are still major gaps in our knowledge of the existence or absence of large sites within as-yet unmapped areas of the Maya Lowlands,' researchers shared.

A third region of the city was identified as a 'sparse and modest settlement, consisting of scattered or loosely clustered residences with no monumental architecture and limited investment in water storage.

Tulane professor and co-author Marcello Canuto said: 'Lidar is teaching us that, like many other ancient civilizations, the lowland Maya built a diverse tapestry of towns and communities over their tropical landscape.' 

He continued: 'While some areas are replete with vast agricultural patches and dense populations, others have only small communities. 

'Nonetheless, we can now see how much the ancient Maya changed their environment to support a long-lived complex society.'

Although hundreds of sites have been found, it's impossible to determine exactly how many Mayan cities still have to be studied.

However, lidar technology is helping researchers unearth them much more quickly, particularly in regions of southern Mexico and Guatemala.

'The government never knew about it; the scientific community never knew about it. That really puts an exclamation point behind the statement that, no, we have not found everything, and yes, there's a lot more to be discovered,' Auld-Thomas said.

{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/ }

29-10-2024 om 23:55 geschreven door peter  

10,000 year old ALIEN paintings found in Kanker, India, ET visitors? UFO Sighting News.

Now this is something. There are dozens of alien paintings on caves and hillsides in India that the public has never head of yet. Some of these paintings are estimated by India scientists to be over 10,000 years old. Thats old guys, and it seems that there are so many of these depictions on the walls that aliens may have considered Charama area in Kanker district, Chhattisgarh, India...a vacation hot spot long ago. Yeah you heard me right, little three legged aliens following the 8 meter mom and dad with cameras taking photos of the locals. Im sure that went over well. I would pay to see that, oh...it's on the walls of the caves in india...for free. 
Scott C. Waring 

{ https://www.ufosightingsdaily.com/ }

27-10-2024 om 18:09 geschreven door peter  

Archaeologist uncovers painting that may prove the existence of a mythical horned serpent

•  READ MORE: Scientist cracks case of 'Pharaoh's curse' that killed dozens

By Ellyn Lapointe For Dailymail.Com

An archaeologist has uncovered a 200-year-old rock painting that depicts an ancient, horned serpent roaming across the land. 

This discovery adds to a growing body of evidence that suggests this mythical creature was more than just a legend. 

Julien Benoit, a senior researcher at the University of the Witwatersrand, found the painting at La Belle France, a rock-art site in northern South Africa. 

It appears to show a long-bodied animal with downward-turned tusks that looks unlike any living animal in the region today. 

A rock painting and unidentified fossils discovered in South Africa may confirm the existence of a legendary 'horned serpent'

The paintings are about ten years older than the first formal scientific descriptions of this horned serpent, which were made in 1845

Analysis revealed that they were made between 1821 and 1835 by an indigenous group called the San. 

According to San legend, this creature was a 'rain animal' from the 'spirit realm,' which means it was probably involved in rain-making ceremonies, Benoit told IFLScience. 

Read More

• Lost tree from the Bible is resurrected from 1,000-year-old mystery seed 

But scientists, including Benoit, believe it's possible that this myth was based on real dicynodont fossils. 

Dicynodontia is an extinct clade of terrestrial herbivores that typically bore a pair of tusks. Hence their name, which means 'two dog tooth.' They roamed the Earth from the Middle Permian through the end of the Triassic periods. 

They likely died out during the end-Permian extinction that wiped out most other therapsids - the larger clade of terrestrial animals that Dicynodontia belongs to. 

An abundance of dicynodont fossils have been found in the Karoo Basin, a sedimentary basin that spans 60,000 square miles across the central and southern South Africa. 

La Belle France, where the painting was uncovered, is located north of the Karoo Basin. But the painting was found in the immediate vicinity of unknown tetrapod (or four-legged vertebrate) fossils.

The Horned Serpent Panel 

Benoit published his findings this month in the journal PLOS ONE.  

He thinks that a fossil discovery could have led the San to paint the horned serpent, guided by an ancient legend in which their ancestors described these creatures as 'great monstrous brutes, exceeding the elephant or hippopotamus in bulk,' he said. 

Together, the painting and nearby fossils 'suggest a case of indigenous paleontology,' Benoit wrote. Perhaps the San weren't painting a fictitious creature, but rather documenting a scientific finding. 

Benoit told IFLScience that 'many cultures explored the world of fossils before Western scientists did.' 

The rock painting was discovered at La Belle France, a rock-art site in northern South Africa

The fossils were found beneath the star in photo A, and fossils were found at the locations shown in photos B, C and D. 

'The Native Americans knew about fossils before colonization and interpreted them in various ways, some implying they knew they belonged to long-gone animals,' he said.

'The San, in southern Africa, also collected fossils, as exemplified by the Bolahla rock shelter, in which they carried a dinosaur phalanx – which may be, by the way, the first time a dinosaur bone was ever discovered,' he added. 

What's more, the painting of a dicynodont by the San would also suggest that they integrated at least some fossils into their belief system, according to the study.

'During rain-making ceremonies, the San enter a state of trance and enter the realm of the dead to catch rain-animals and bring the rain back to the world of the living,' he said.

'By picking a species such as a dicynodont, that they knew was extinct and thus dead, they likely hoped this rain-animal had some increased potency to bridge the two worlds,' he added. 

But this painting alone is not enough to officially confirm that this legendary horned serpent actually existed, or that the unidentified fossils found at La Belle France are its remains.

It will take additional research to determine whether this ancient monster was fact or fiction. 

{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/ }

25-09-2024 om 21:21 geschreven door peter  

More than 300 mysterious Nazca glyphs are discovered in Peru - including a Wall-E-style person, alien-like figures, and killer whales with KNIVES

• 303 new geoglyphs are discovered in the soil of Peru's Nazca Desert
• READ MORE: Images reveal remains of 'ghost city' in the Pacific Ocean

By Jonathan Chadwick For Mailonline

For nearly 100 years, scientists have been perplexed by the famous Nazca geoglyphs – ancient patterns in the soil of the Nazca Desert in southern Peru. 

Now, with the help of AI, researchers have discovered another 303 drawings – and they're possibly the most bizarre yet. 

Among them are alien-like figures, killer whales holding knives, cats, camels and a figure that looks like Pixar's Wall-E robot. 

Photos show some of the new discoveries, with lines manually added on to the images to emphasise the original lines, which have faded due to erosion. 

The mysterious Nazca glyphs may date back to 400 BC, but scientists are still unsure what their exact purpose was, if any. 

More than 300 mysterious Nazca glyphs are discovered in Peru including a Wall-E-style person (top left) and alien-like figures

The actual purpose of the mysterious Nazca Lines has long puzzled archaeologists.

Pictured: killer whales (orcas) holding knives 

The 303 newly discovered geoglyphs have been detailed by a group of researchers at Yamagata University in Japan and IBM Thomas J Watson Research Center in New York in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 

'It took nearly a century to discover a total of 430 figurative Nazca geoglyphs, which offer significant insights into the ancient cultures at the Nazca Pampa,' says the team in their paper. 

'Here, we report the deployment of an AI system to the entire Nazca region, a UNESCO World Heritage site, leading to the discovery of 303 new figurative geoglyphs within only six months of field survey.' 

The researchers scanned aerial images of the Peruvian site with IBM's AI because it can identify markings in the landscape that the human eye would otherwise miss.

Of the 303 newly discovered geoglyphs, 178 were individually suggested by the AI, which had been trained to search for them in drone photos. 

They predominantly depict wild animals such as orcas and domesticated camels, and human-related motifs, including alien-like humanoids.

There's also what appears to be pairs of primates playing together, including one pair with large tails, holding balls, and a feline with a surprised expression. 

Many are simply uncategorisable, but appear to show various distorted forms of the human figure, including a head with spiky hair and another head on a pair of legs. 

They predominantly depict wild animals and human-related motifs, including humanoids and domesticated camels

Many are simply uncategorisable, but appear to show various distorted forms of the human figure, including a head with spiky hair and another head on a pair of legs

The Nazca lines are a group of geoglyphs - large motifs made in the ground - located in the Nazca Desert of southern Peru

However, the purpose of the mysterious Nazca Lines has long puzzled archaeologists. 

Some believe they were intended to act as a kind of observatory, to point to the places where the sun and other celestial bodies rose or set in the solstices. 

Other theories suggest that they were created to be seen by the gods in the sky, but they may also have just been artistic expressions much like the ones we see today. 

Often, a geoglyph is too big to be appreciated at ground level, so only when one is high enough in the air can they discern the shapes of some of the designs.

For this reason, the intricacies of many of the designs were not fully realised until airplanes were invented and the artwork was seen from the sky.

Photos released show some of the new discoveries, with lines manually added on the images to emphasise the original lines, which have faded due to erosion

Pictured: a Homer Simpson-style human Nazca geoglyph previously found by the researchers 

A spider geoglyph at Nazca. The figure is said to be 150 feet long and made out of one continuous line 

The Nazca lines were apparently first spotted in 1939 when a pilot flew over the Nazca plains of the Peruvian coastal highlands, although it's likely they were seen by locals on hilltops much earlier. 

Contrary to the popular belief that the figures can only be seen from the air, many are actually visible from the surrounding foothills too. 

According to the experts, IBM's AI could lead to even more geoglyphs being discovered – possibly thousands. 

'AI may be at the brink of ushering in a revolution in archaeological discoveries like the revolution aerial imaging has had on the field,' they say in their paper.

{ https://www.dailymail.co.uk/ }

24-09-2024 om 21:30 geschreven door peter  

Grotschildering zou geïnspireerd kunnen zijn op het fossiel van een bizar wezen dat 250 miljoen jaar geleden uitstierf

door Janine

Plose One

Een Afrikaanse grotschildering kan volgens een nieuwe studie een uitgestorven wezen voorstellen dat miljoenen jaren voor ons leefde. Dit is wat het volgens de onderzoekers zou zijn.

Het uitgestorven dier geschilderd door de San

PLOSE ONE

Op een rotswand in het Karoo-bekken, in Zuid-Afrika, is een vreemd dier afgebeeld met naar beneden gerichte slagtanden, blauw gekleurd. Deze rotskunst is tussen 1821 en 1835 gemaakt door de inheemse San-bevolking.

Archeologen vroegen zich bij het bekijken van de tekening af of het het resultaat was van de fantasie en dus een mythologisch wezen voorstelde, maar een nieuwe studie beweert het antwoord te hebben gevonden: de tekening zou in werkelijkheid geïnspireerd kunnen zijn door een soort die daadwerkelijk bestond en 250 miljoen jaar geleden uitstierf, lang vóór de mens.

Als dit inderdaad het geval zou zijn, zou dit betekenen dat de stammen van zuidelijk Afrika over meer geavanceerde paleontologische kennis beschikten dan we ons konden voorstellen. Maar wat is het prehistorische dier dat de San inspireerde?

De inheemse San waren mogelijk geïnspireerd door de Dicynodontia

Viliam Simko/Wikimedia commons - CC BY-SA 4.0

Julien Benoit van het Evolutionary Studies Institute, Universiteit van de Witwatersrand, die het onderzoek uitvoerde, is van mening dat het afgebeelde dier is geïnspireerd op het fossiel van de dicynodontia, een zeer robuust plantenetend dier dat in Zuid-Afrika leefde. De grotschildering, die “het paneel met de hoornslang” wordt genoemd, lijkt op geen enkele andere hedendaagse diersoort.

Hoewel hij misschien op een walrus lijkt, leeft deze laatste dichtbij de Noordpool en zeker niet in zuidelijk Afrika. Zelfs als het een figuur is die voortkomt uit de verbeelding van het San-volk, komen mythologische wezens gewoonlijk voort uit de werkelijkheid en halen ze inspiratie uit feitelijk bestaande dieren. Om deze reden geloven onderzoekers dat er concreet bewijs is dat het San-volk erin geslaagd is om fossielen van de dicynodontia te identificeren en deze tijdens lange reizen van de ene plek naar de andere te verplaatsen. Bovendien zijn experts van mening dat verschillende uitgestorven diersoorten opdoken in de cultuur van deze stam.

Dicynodontia uit Zuid-Afrika, een regendier?

In 1905 werd in een verslag dat in de studie wordt genoemd, verwezen naar de woorden van de San bosjesmannen die beschreven hoe hun voorouders omgingen met “enorme monsterachtige beesten, groter dan de olifant of het nijlpaard”. De dicynodontia dateren echter van ver voor het verschijnen van de mens, dus deze mensen waren zich bewust van het bestaan van uitgestorven wezens in de oudheid. Hoewel dit slechts een veronderstelling is, stelt Benoit dat “het dier met de slagtanden op het paneel met de gehoornde slang waarschijnlijk werd afgebeeld als een regendier, wat betekent dat het waarschijnlijk betrokken was bij ceremonies waarbij dit atmosferische fenomeen een rol speelde”.

De San komen namelijk tijdens rituelen om regen aan te trekken in een geestestoestand die hen in staat stelt om een andere dimensie te bereiken om regendieren te pakken en naar onze wereld te brengen. “Door een soort als de dicynodontia te kiezen, waarvan ze wisten dat hij uitgestorven was, hoopten ze waarschijnlijk dat dit regendier meer kracht zou hebben om als brug tussen de twee werelden te fungeren.”

Al met al is de inheemse kennis van het verleden veel nauwkeuriger dan werd vermoed, als je bedenkt dat de wetenschappelijke erkenning van de dicynodontia dateert van 1840, een paar jaar nadat de rotskunst werd gemaakt.

{ https://www.curioctopus.nl/ }

20-09-2024 om 23:05 geschreven door peter  

Trilobites Had Five Pairs of Head Appendages, New Fossils Show

Based on multiple analytical techniques applied to well-preserved soft-bodied specimens of two trilobite species, the Late Ordovician species Triarthrus eatoni and the Middle Cambrian species Olenoides serratus, paleontologists argue that an additional pair of cephalic appendages occurred just behind the antennae, indicating that trilobites had five pairs of cephalic appendages and six segments.

Triarthrus eatoni. Image credit: Jin-bo Hou & Melanie J. Hopkins, doi: 10.1111/pala.12723.

Trilobites are extinct arthropods that dominated the faunas of the oceans of the Paleozoic era.

During their time on Earth, which lasted much longer than the dinosaurs, they survived two major episodes of mass extinctions and dominated ocean floor ecosystems.

They appeared in ancient oceans in the Early Cambrian, about 540 million years ago — well before life emerged on land, and disappeared in the mass extinction at the end of the Permian, about 252 million years ago.

They were extremely diverse, with about 20,000 species, and their fossil exoskeletons can be found all around the world.

Like other arthropods, the bodies of trilobites are made up of many segments, with the head region comprised of several fused segments.

As with other parts of the trilobite body (thorax and tail), these segments were associated with appendages, which ranged in function from sensing to feeding to locomotion.

“The number of these segments and how they are associated with other important traits, like eyes and legs, is important for understanding how arthropods are related to one another, and therefore, how they evolved,” said Dr. Melanie Hopkins, curator and chair of the Division of Paleontology at the American Museum of Natural History.

The segments in the trilobite head can be counted in two different ways: by looking at the grooves (called furrows) on the upper side of the trilobite fossil’s hard exoskeleton, or by counting the pairs of preserved antennae and legs on the underside of the fossil.

The soft appendages of trilobites are rarely preserved, though, and when looking at the segments in the trilobite head, researchers regularly find a mismatch between these two methods.

In the new study, Dr. Hopkins and Nanjing University’s Dr. Jin-Bo Hou examined new specimens of Triarthrus eatoni.

These fossils, known for the gold shine of the pyrite replacement preserving them, show an additional, previously undescribed leg underneath the head.

“This fantastic preservation style allows us to observe 3D appendages in hundreds of specimens directly from the ventral side of the animals, just like looking at the appendages of horseshoe crabs on a beach by grabbing them and turning them upside down,” Dr. Hou said.

By making comparisons with another trilobite species, the exceptionally preserved Olenoides serratus from the Burgess Shale in British Columbia, the authors propose a model for how appendages were attached to the head in relation to the grooves in the exoskeleton.

“This model resolves the apparent mismatch and indicates that the trilobite head included six segments: an anterior segment associated with the developmental origin of the eyes and five additional segments, associated with one pair of antennae and four pairs of walking legs, respectively,” they explained.

• Their paper was published today in the journal Palaeontology.
• Jin-bo Hou & Melanie J. Hopkins. 2024. New evidence for five cephalic appendages in trilobites and implications for segmentation of the trilobite head. Palaeontology 67 (5): e12723; doi: 10.1111/pala.12723

{ https://www.sci.news/ }

15-09-2024 om 20:20 geschreven door peter  

In the remote wilderness of the Shoria Mountains in southern Siberia, a long-hidden secret has remained untouched for millennia. Far from the reach of modern civilization, a discovery was made that would challenge our understanding of ancient human history. 

In 2013, a team of 19 researchers, led by Georgy Sidorov, embarked on an expedition to explore this mysterious region. Their destination was Gora Shoria, a mountain towering 3,600 feet above sea level in a remote part of Russia. Intrigued by reports of strange megalithic structures, the team ventured into this secluded terrain. 

What they found was extraordinary: an immense super-megalith dating back roughly 100,000 years that defied conventional history. These massive stone blocks, later known as the Gornaya Shoria Megaliths, appeared to be made of granite, featuring flat surfaces and precise right angles. The most astounding detail was the weight of the stones, exceeding 3,000 tons—making them the largest megaliths ever discovered. 

The arrangement of these granite blocks suggested a deliberate design, far beyond what could be explained by natural formations. The blocks were carefully stacked, reaching a height of approximately 140 feet. This raised profound questions: how were such massive stones carved, transported, and assembled in this remote and rugged landscape? 

Some researchers have speculated about the existence of a pre-flood civilization, a sophisticated society wiped out by a cataclysmic event. 

Also a deep, narrow vertical shaft was uncovered. The shaft, lined with parallel stone slabs, appeared to be human-made. 

The walls of the shaft were straight and polished, descending 40 meters (around 130 feet) before opening into a vast underground hall, 36 meters (around 118 feet) high. These walls were constructed from large megalithic blocks, perfectly fitted with minimal gaps. Some of the stones resembled columns, reinforcing the idea of deliberate design. The full explored length of the shaft spanned over 100 meters (approximately 350 feet). 

The precision and scale of this structure left no doubt that it was an artificial creation of immense proportions. The polished walls and massive blocks bore a striking resemblance to the shafts within the Great Pyramid of Khufu in Egypt, suggesting a level of architectural sophistication that defies conventional explanations.  

Speculation abounds regarding the shaft’s original purpose. Some believe it served an advanced technological function or was part of a larger, undiscovered structure. The exploration team took over an hour to reach the bottom of the shaft, which required significant climbing expertise and endurance. It is believed that additional chambers and channels, still unexplored, may lie even deeper underground. 

How could these gigantic 200-ton stone blocks have been assembled with such accuracy, deep underground? What kind of technology was used to construct the shaft and underground chamber?  

Some researchers have speculated that it may have been part of an ancient factory, a seismological research device, or even an energy generator. Others believe it was the underground portion of a long-lost pyramid that once stood on the surface of the mountain. 

Despite differing theories, we may wonder what ancient forces or lost civilizations left their mark on this remote corner of the world?

  

{ https://ufosightingshotspot.blogspot.com/ }

14-09-2024 om 20:52 geschreven door peter  

Top 10 Underwater Ruins Of Lost Civilizations

11-09-2024 om 17:38 geschreven door peter  

Het “echte” Atlantis bestaat en bevindt zich in Griekenland: een stad die al 2400 jaar onder water staat

door Janine

Pexels

Bijna alle culturen zijn gefascineerd door verhalen over grote overstromingen of compleet verzonken beschavingen. Een van de bekendste mythen is ongetwijfeld die over Atlantis, de legendarische stad die volgens Plato in de golven verdween en waarvan het bestaan nog steeds wordt onderzocht. Misschien is Atlantis alleen maar een fantasie, maar het is mogelijk dat juist een oude stad verhalen over verzonken beschavingen heeft geïnspireerd. Het verschil is dat het een plaats is die echt heeft bestaan en waarvan de overblijfselen ook zijn gevonden.

Het verhaal van Helike, een stad verzonken in de golven

We bevinden ons in de Peloponnesos aan het begin van de vierde eeuw voor Christus: Helike is een bloeiende stad en zetel van de Achaeïsche Liga, een alliantie van verschillende Griekse poleis. In 373 v.Chr. werd echter binnen een paar uur een hele stad onder water gezet door de golven als gevolg van een sterke aardbeving, en verdween met haar tempels, huizen en inwoners. Het lijkt een verhaal dat we al eerder hebben gehoord, en dat miljoenen mensen vanaf dat moment zullen horen, zij het onder een andere naam.

De verdwijning van Helike moet in de eerste plaats gevolgen hebben gehad voor de burgers van de Griekse poleis, waaronder verschillende schrijvers die de gebeurtenissen beschreven of zich herinnerden. Later wekten de literaire getuigenissen echter een ander soort nieuwsgierigheid: eeuwen na het verhaal van Helike vroegen veel geleerden zich af waar deze stad verdwenen zou kunnen zijn en vooral of het mogelijk is om haar terug te vinden.

Archeologische opgravingen: de herontdekking van Helike

Drekis/Wikimedia Commons - CC BY-SA 3.0

Om te begrijpen waar de overblijfselen van de stad Helike konden rusten, analyseerden onderzoekers de geologische veranderingen die de noordelijke Peloponnesos troffen. En na eeuwen van vergetelheid leverden de onderzoeken eindelijk enkele resultaten op: aan het begin van de 21e eeuw werden overblijfselen gevonden die verenigbaar waren met de klassieke stad, niet ver van de positie die in de bronnen wordt vermeld. Daarnaast hebben archeologen in het gebied ook een nederzetting gevonden die dateert uit de late bronstijd.

De Helike Foundation en het Helike Project houden zich al jaren bezig met de ontdekkingen, met doelstellingen variërend van onderzoek naar de oude Griekse stad en de verschijnselen die de verdwijning ervan veroorzaakten, tot de verspreiding en bescherming van de opgravingslocaties. Om deze reden is Helike opgenomen in de lijst van sites die het meeste risico lopen van het World Monuments Fund.

Is Helike Atlantis?

Ja en nee. Naast de voor de hand liggende overeenkomsten die ook door het verhaal van hun verdwijning worden gegeven, zouden Helike en Atlantis meer met elkaar verbonden kunnen zijn dan we denken, althans op narratief niveau. Naast de wetenschappelijke pogingen om het oude Helike te identificeren, mogen we de datum van de gebeurtenis niet vergeten: deze vond plaats in dezelfde periode waarin Plato zijn dialogen schreef, inclusief die waarin hij spreekt over de mythe van Atlantis.

Natuurlijk kunnen mythen uit het verleden, zoals de Minoïsche uitbarsting die leidde tot de ondergang van het eiland Santorini, hebben bijgedragen aan het verhaal van de filosoof. Maar Plato kan ook geïnspireerd zijn geraakt door het fenomeen dat de verdwijning van Helike veroorzaakte. Per slot van rekening is dat van Atlantis ook om deze reden een mythe: het lijkt op veel echte gebeurtenissen, maar kan niet tot één daarvan worden herleid.

{ https://www.curioctopus.nl/ }

30-08-2024 om 22:04 geschreven door peter  

{ https://thedebrief.org/category/science/ }

23-08-2024 om 21:06 geschreven door peter  

4000 jaar oude Babylonische tabletten voor het eerst ontcijferd: het zijn grimmige voortekenen gebaseerd op maansverduisteringen

door Janine

The British Museum - Takori234/Wikimedia commons - CC BY-SA 4.0

Deskundigen zijn er eindelijk in geslaagd enkele zeer oude Babylonische tabletten te ontcijferen, maar wat ze zeggen is helemaal niet geruststellend. Laten we er meer over te weten komen.

De betekenis van oude Babylonische tabletten ontdekt

Meer dan honderd jaar geleden werden Babylonische tabletten met spijkerschrift van 4000 jaar oud ontdekt. Ze worden momenteel bewaard in het British Museum in Londen, Engeland, maar zijn in al die tijd nooit ontcijferd. Tenminste, tot vandaag.

Wetenschappers hebben eindelijk wat licht geworpen op hun betekenis, maar het nieuws is verre van geruststellend. Blijkbaar bevatten de tabletten informatie over maansverduisteringen, waarvan sommige zijn geïnterpreteerd als voortekenen van belangrijke negatieve gebeurtenissen voor de mensheid. Andrew George, Babylonisch docent aan de Universiteit van Londen, en onderzoeker Junko Taniguchi, leggen in hun studie uit dat de vier kleitabletten "de oudste voorbeelden vertegenwoordigen van compendiums van voortekenen van maansverduisteringen die tot nu toe zijn ontdekt.

Babylonische tabletten, voortekenen gebaseerd op maansverduisteringen

The British Museum

Volgens de auteurs van het onderzoek berekenden degenen die de tabletten hebben gemaakt de nachttijd, de beweging van de schaduwen, de datum en de duur van maansverduisteringen om hun voortekenen te formuleren. Op basis van bepaalde kenmerken van eclipsen voorspelden de oude Babyloniërs de gevolgen ervan. Een van de voortekenen verwijst bijvoorbeeld naar het feit dat als de zonsverduistering “in één keer vanuit het midden donker wordt en in één keer licht wordt”, dit ongeluk zou betekenen voor de koning en de stad Elam, een regio in Mesopotamië waar Iran zich vandaag bevindt.

Als de zonsverduistering in het zuiden zou beginnen en vervolgens opklaarde, spreekt de voorspelling over de “val van Subartu en Akkad”, twee andere gebieden in het oude Mesopotamië. Andere negatieve gebeurtenissen werden verwacht in het geval van een zonsverduistering gedurende de avond. Waarschijnlijk baseerden astrologen uit die tijd hun voorspellingen op eerdere gebeurtenissen, die al hadden plaatsgevonden na maansverduisteringen.

Hemelse gebeurtenissen en voorspellingen in het oude Mesopotamië

Volgens Andrew George zouden de voortekenen in feite afkomstig kunnen zijn van gebeurtenissen die daadwerkelijk hebben plaatsgevonden, ook al waren de meeste voorspellingen naar alle waarschijnlijkheid geformuleerd door de eigenaardigheden van de eclipsen op een volledig theoretische manier met de verschillende voortekenen te associëren. In het oude Babylon geloofde men namelijk dat kosmische gebeurtenissen de toekomst konden voorspellen. De studie zegt dat, volgens mensen uit die tijd, “gebeurtenissen in de lucht gecodeerde signalen waren die daar door de goden waren geplaatst als waarschuwingen over de toekomstperspectieven van degenen die op aarde leefden. Zij die de koning raad gaven, hielden de nachtelijke hemel in de gaten en vergeleken hun waarnemingen met het academische corpus van teksten over hemelse voortekenen".

Aangenomen wordt dat de tabletten afkomstig zijn uit Sippar, het huidige Irak. Toen ze 4000 jaar geleden werden gemaakt en geschreven, breidde het Babylonische rijk zich uit naar verschillende gebieden van Mesopotamië. Tussen 1982 en 1914 werden ze onderdeel van de collectie van het British Museum, maar pas nu zijn ze voor het eerst ontcijferd.

{ https://www.curioctopus.nl/ }

22-08-2024 om 16:36 geschreven door peter