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Categories: Archaeology: General, Physics: Acoustics and Ultrasound
Published Prehistoric person with Turner syndrome identified from ancient DNA
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have developed a new technique to measure the number of chromosomes in ancient genomes more precisely, using it to identify the first prehistoric person with mosaic Turner syndrome (characterized by one X chromosome instead of two [XX]), who lived about 2500 years ago.
Published Discovery of immense fortifications dating back 4,000 years in north-western Arabia
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The North Arabian Desert oases were inhabited by sedentary populations in the 4th and 3rd millennia BCE. A fortification enclosing the Khaybar Oasis -- one of the longest known going back to this period -- was just revealed by a team of scientists. This new walled oasis is, along with that of Tayma, one of the two largest in Saudi Arabia.
Published The extinction of the giant ape: Long-standing mystery solved
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The largest ever primate Gigantopithecus blacki went extinct when other Asian great apes were thriving, and its demise has long been a mystery. A massive regional study of 22 caves in southern China explores a species on the brink of extinction between 295,000 and 215,000 years ago. As the environment became more seasonal, forest plant communities changed Primates such as orangutans adapted their eating habits and behaviors in response but G. blacki showed signs of stress, struggled to adapt and their numbers dwindled.
Published Nine new snail species discovered in Papua New Guinea, a biodiversity hot spot at risk
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study describes nine new species of carnivorous land snails, all of which are so small they could fit together on a U.S. nickel. They present a rare opportunity to study a group that in many other places is disappearing fast. Worldwide, mollusks account for more than 50% of all recorded extinctions since the year 1500, and many of these were land snails from Pacific islands.
Published Cult mentality: Monumental discovery in Italy
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have discovered an ancient Roman temple that adds significant insights into the social change from pagan gods to Christianity within the Roman Empire.
Published Researchers rely on Earth's magnetic field to verify an event mentioned in the Old Testament
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study scientifically corroborates an event described in the Second Book of Kings -- the conquest of the Philistine city of Gath by Hazael King of Aram. The method is based on measuring the magnetic field recorded in burnt bricks. The researchers say that the findings are important for determining the intensity of the fire and the scope of destruction in Gath, and also for understanding construction practices in the region.
Published First high mountain settlers at the start of the Neolithic already engaged in other livestock activities apart from transhumance
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An archaeological find in the Huescan Pyrenees allowed researchers to identify for the first time livestock management strategies and feeding practices which demonstrate how the first high mountain societies, at the start of the Neolithic period, were already carrying out complex livestock and farming activities, instead of being limited to the transhumance of sheep and goats.
Published Rise of archery in Andes Mountains dated to 5,000 years ago -- earlier than previous research
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Focusing on the Lake Titicaca Basin in the Andes mountains, anthropologists found through analysis of 1,179 projectile points that the rise of archery technology dates to around 5,000 years ago. Previous research held that archery in the Andes emerged around 3,000 years ago. The new research from UC Davis indicates that the adoption of bow-and-arrow technology coincided with both the expansion of exchange networks and the growing tendency for people to reside in villages.
Published Mesopotamian bricks unveil the strength of Earth's ancient magnetic field
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Ancient bricks inscribed with the names of Mesopotamian kings have yielded important insights into a mysterious anomaly in Earth's magnetic field 3,000 years ago, according to a new study.
Published AI provides more accurate analysis of prehistoric and modern animals, painting picture of ancient world
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A new study of the remains of prehistoric and modern African antelopes found that AI technology accurately identified animals more than 90% of the time compared to humans, who had much lower accuracy rates depending on the expert.
Published Viking dentistry was surprisingly advanced
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Widespread caries and toothache -- but also some dental work and filing of front teeth. Viking Age teeth from Varnhem bear witness to surprisingly advanced dentistry.
Published 'A ticking clock': First ground-based survey of damage to Ukrainian cultural sites reveals severity, need for urgency
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source And after nearly two years of fighting, war is destroying Ukraine’s cultural heritage on a scale not seen since World War II, according to new research.
Published Archaeologists unearth one of earliest known frame saddles
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Recovered from looters, a new archaeological discovery from a cave in western Mongolia could change the story of the evolving relationship between humans and horses around the world.
Published Ancient DNA analysis reveals how the rise and fall of the Roman Empire shifted populations in the Balkans
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Despite the Roman Empire's extensive military and cultural influence on the nearby Balkan peninsula, a DNA analysis of individuals who lived in the region between 1 and 1000 CE found no genetic evidence of Iron Age Italian ancestry. Instead, a new study has revealed successive waves of migrations from Western Anatolia, central and northern Europe, and the Pontic-Kazakh Steppe during the Empire's reign.
Published Soundwaves harden 3D-printed treatments in deep tissues
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Engineers have developed a bio-compatible ink that solidifies into different 3D shapes and structures by absorbing ultrasound waves. Because the material responds to sound waves rather than light, the ink can be used in deep tissues for biomedical purposes ranging from bone healing to heart valve repair.
Published Baboons in captivity in Ancient Egypt: insights from collection of mummies
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Baboons were raised in captivity before being mummified in Ancient Egyptian sites, according to a new study.
Published Teaching physics from the din of flying discs
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source The sound a disc makes while soaring through the air is full of information about how fast the disc is flying and how quickly it spins. This inspired Kyle S. Dalton of Penn State University to combine disc golf and acoustics into an interactive acoustic signal processing lesson. He set three microphones in a line and connected them to equipment that converts each microphone's signal to a data point. Then he threw a disc with a small whistle mounted on top and recorded the flying disc's acoustical signal. The resulting dataset can be used to learn basic processing tools and practice data visualization.
Published 'Bone biographies' reveal lives of medieval England's common people -- and illuminate early benefits system
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers give medieval Cambridge residents the 'Richard III treatment' to reveal hard-knock lives of those in the city during its famous university's early years. Study of over 400 remains from a hospital cemetery shows spectrum of medieval poverty, and suggests that some of Cambridge University's earliest scholars ended up in penury.
Published Decoding past climates through dripstones
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A recent study demonstrates how dripstones can be crucial for reconstructing past climates. The new approach can provide a detailed picture of the climate around early human occupations in South Africa.
Published Dishing the dirt on human evolution: Why scientific techniques matter in archaeology
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists should seek answers hidden in the dirt using proven and state-of-the-art archaeological science techniques to support new discoveries about human evolution following recent controversies at a cave site in Africa, says a group of international experts. Their recommendations follow claims published in June of this year that Homo naledi --a small-brained human species -- buried their dead in Rising Star Cave, South Africa, between 335,000 and 241,000 years ago, and may also have decorated the cave walls with engravings.