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Categories: Archaeology: General, Ecology: Extinction
Published Feathers from deceased birds help scientists understand new threat to avian populations



Animal ecologists developed an analytical approach to better understand one of the latest threats to feathered creatures: the rise of wind and solar energy facilities.
Published Cult mentality: Monumental discovery in Italy



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



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 How technology and economics can help save endangered species



A lot has changed in the world since the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was enacted 50 years ago in December 1973. Experts are now discuss how the ESA has evolved and what its future might hold.
Published First high mountain settlers at the start of the Neolithic already engaged in other livestock activities apart from transhumance



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 Common insect species are suffering the biggest losses



Insect decline is being driven by losses among the locally more common species, according to a new study. The meta-analysis of 923 locations around the world notes two significant trends: 1) the species with the most individuals (the highest abundance) are disproportionately decreasing in number, and 2) no other species have increased to the high numbers previously seen. This likely explains the frequent observation that there are fewer insects around now than ten, twenty, or thirty years ago.
Published Rise of archery in Andes Mountains dated to 5,000 years ago -- earlier than previous research



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 Study uncovers major hidden human-driven bird extinctions



Humans have wiped out around 1,400 bird species -- twice as many as previously thought -- with major implications for the ongoing biodiversity crisis, a new study has found. The estimated extinctions would mean almost 12 per cent of bird species have died out over modern human history, since the Late Pleistocene around 130,000 years ago, with the vast majority of them becoming extinct directly or indirectly due to human activity.
Published Mesopotamian bricks unveil the strength of Earth's ancient magnetic field



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 Some coral species might be more resilient to climate change than previously thought



Some coral species can be resilient to marine heat waves by 'remembering' how they lived through previous ones, research suggests.
Published AI provides more accurate analysis of prehistoric and modern animals, painting picture of ancient world



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



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



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 Best areas for rewilding European bison



Simulations integrate historical records, fossils, and ancient DNA to reveal why the European bison nearly went extinct, and pinpoint optimal areas for conservation. Since the near-extinction of the European bison, enormous conservation efforts have helped to restore wild populations, and its numbers are on the rise. However, the study authors argue that ensuring the species's long-term protection and recovery requires understanding why they nearly went extinct in the first place. 'Our study also suggests areas where rewilding attempts are most likely to be successful,' said lead author July Pilowsky, currently a disease ecologist at Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies. Pilowsky completed the research while working on their PhD at University of Adelaide and University of Copenhagen.
Published Archaeologists unearth one of earliest known frame saddles



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 This Japanese 'dragon' terrorized ancient seas



Researchers have described a Japanese mosasaur the size of a great white shark that terrorized Pacific seas 72 million years ago. The mosasaur was named for the place where it was found, Wakayama Prefecture. Researchers call it the Wakayama Soryu, which means blue dragon.
Published Nature and animal emojis don't accurately represent natural biodiversity



The current emoji library doesn't accurately represent the 'tree of life' and the breadth of biodiversity seen in nature according to a new analysis. A team of conservation biologists categorized emojis related to nature and animals and mapped them onto the phylogenetic tree of life. They found that animals are well represented by the current emoji catalog, whereas plants, fungi, and microorganisms are poorly represented. Within the animal kingdom, vertebrates were over-represented while arthropods were underrepresented with respect to their actual biodiversity.
Published Coral reefs in peril from record-breaking ocean heat



Record breaking marine heatwaves will cause devastating mass coral bleaching worldwide in the next few years, according to a coral reef scientist.
Published Study reshapes understanding of mass extinction in Late Devonian era



A recently published study puts forth a new theory that volcanic eruptions combined with widespread ocean detoxification pushed Earth's biology to a tipping point in the Late Devonian era, triggering a mass extinction.
Published First global estimate of marine aquarium trade to encourage sustainable practices



New research estimates 55 million marine organisms worth $2.15bn are sold in the marine aquarium trade each year, making it as valuable as global fisheries such as tuna.