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Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Rare whale tooth fossil reveals secrets of ancient Iberian people
A rare whale tooth unearthed at a Copper Age 'mega village' in Spain has shed light on the artistry of Iberian people who lived in the Mediterranean region over 4,000 years ago. The tooth, discovered at the Valencina archaeological site in southwest Spain in 2018, is the first such fossil dated to this period in Iberia. According to a study published in PLOS One, the tooth was likely collected from an ancient shoreline and carefully worked on by Copper Age craftspeople. The craftspeople, living in a coastal village 5,300 to 4,150 years ago, likely used the tooth to fashion personal ornaments or symbolically meaningful artefacts. After it was worked on, the fossil was deliberately buried as indicated by further wear and tear and the hard crust covering its surface, the study noted. The findings add to our understanding of the use of ivory to craft ornaments, musical instruments and sculptures since the Old Stone Age, which began almost 40,000 years ago. Ivory's striking appearance, durability, and strength made it an integral part of trade and sociocultural activities of ancient societies. However, much of what we know about the use of ivory in prehistoric times is based only on examining ivory sourced from terrestrial animals like elephants, hippos, deer and bears. While previous research underlines elephant ivory use in Old Stone Age and Copper Age societies of southern Spain, little is known about the significance of the material from marine mammals. The whale tooth from Valencina, measuring 17cm tall and 7cm wide and weighing over 0.5kg, provides a unique glimpse into the past. Analysis of the fossil revealed it came from an adult sperm whale and showed evidence of erosion from worms and barnacles as well as suspected shark bites, indicating it spent time on the seafloor. Researchers also identified signs of human activity on the tooth, like drilled holes and distinct cut marks that could not have occurred naturally. These observations prompted researchers to conclude that the whale likely died of natural causes, following which its body sank to the seafloor and one of its teeth washed ashore before it was found and used by ancient Iberians. 'Although no ivory artefact has yet been diagnosed as coming from a sperm whale tooth, recent finds of ivory of marine origin in European archaeological contexts have brought a new focus to the study of the use of marine resources by prehistoric societies,' the study said.
The Independent
a day ago
- Science
- The Independent
Rare whale tooth fossil reveals secrets of ancient Iberian people
A rare whale tooth unearthed at a Copper Age 'mega village' in Spain has shed light on the artistry of Iberian people who lived in the Mediterranean region over 4,000 years ago. The tooth, discovered at the Valencina archaeological site in southwest Spain in 2018, is the first such fossil dated to this period in Iberia. According to a study published in PLOS One, the tooth was likely collected from an ancient shoreline and carefully worked on by Copper Age craftspeople. The craftspeople, living in a coastal village 5,300 to 4,150 years ago, likely used the tooth to fashion personal ornaments or symbolically meaningful artefacts. After it was worked on, the fossil was deliberately buried as indicated by further wear and tear and the hard crust covering its surface, the study noted. The findings add to our understanding of the use of ivory to craft ornaments, musical instruments and sculptures since the Old Stone Age, which began almost 40,000 years ago. Ivory 's striking appearance, durability, and strength made it an integral part of trade and sociocultural activities of ancient societies. However, much of what we know about the use of ivory in prehistoric times is based only on examining ivory sourced from terrestrial animals like elephants, hippos, deer and bears. While previous research underlines elephant ivory use in Old Stone Age and Copper Age societies of southern Spain, little is known about the significance of the material from marine mammals. The whale tooth from Valencina, measuring 17cm tall and 7cm wide and weighing over 0.5kg, provides a unique glimpse into the past. Analysis of the fossil revealed it came from an adult sperm whale and showed evidence of erosion from worms and barnacles as well as suspected shark bites, indicating it spent time on the seafloor. Researchers also identified signs of human activity on the tooth, like drilled holes and distinct cut marks that could not have occurred naturally. These observations prompted researchers to conclude that the whale likely died of natural causes, following which its body sank to the seafloor and one of its teeth washed ashore before it was found and used by ancient Iberians. 'Although no ivory artefact has yet been diagnosed as coming from a sperm whale tooth, recent finds of ivory of marine origin in European archaeological contexts have brought a new focus to the study of the use of marine resources by prehistoric societies,' the study said.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
Maternal domestic violence linked with depressive disorders in adolescents, Indian study finds
A new multi-site study from India has revealed troubling associations between maternal experiences of domestic violence (DV) and adolescent mental health outcomes. Conducted across seven urban and rural locations, this large-scale analysis is the first of its kind in the Indian context to show significant links between maternal abuse -- psychological, physical or sexual -- and increased rates of anxiety and depression among adolescents. The study analysed responses from 2,784 adolescent-mother pairs, focusing on the connections between maternal DV and adolescent mental disorders such as anxiety and depression. The results suggest that maternal exposure to DV particularly physical abuse is significantly associated with higher rates of mental health disorders in children, even after adjusting for factors such as site, gender and education status. The study published in the journal PLOS One, draws on secondary analysis of data from the Consortium on Vulnerability to Externalising Disorders and Addictions (cVEDA). Data collection was carried out through private face-to-face interviews conducted by trained research staff, including psychologists and health professionals certified in nursing or related fields. Each mother-child pair was interviewed at their respective study site in a confidential setting. During this process, adolescents were directly administered the Standard of Living Index–Modified (SDI-M), Wealth Index, and MINI-Kid, all in the presence of their mothers. In contrast, the Domestic Violence questionnaire -- based on the Indian Family Violence and Control Scale (IFVCS) was administered privately to mothers. The Adverse Childhood Experiences–International Questionnaire (ACE-IQ) was administered directly and privately to the adolescent participants. All instruments were translated into the appropriate regional languages and administered in the participant's primary language . Health risks and cultural implications of maternal violence The most significant association identified was between maternal physical abuse and adolescent depressive disorders, suggesting that trauma in the household has ripple effects on children. According to the study's principal investigator, Amritha Gourisankar, resident physician, Internal Medicine-Paediatrics , University of Minnesota, this may reflect the longer duration or severity of abuse. 'There is evidence to show that physical abuse is a later manifestation of domestic violence -- those experiencing physical abuse have often experienced psychological abuse before as well,' she noted. 'The presence of physical abuse may suggest a progression or length of time of the abuse that may drive the association with adolescent depressive disorders.' The findings also highlight the importance of recognising non-visible forms of violence. Psychological abuse, often harder to detect, was still significantly linked to anxiety and depression among adolescents. 'These experiences in homes are being observed and absorbed by children,' Dr. Gourisankar said. 'Knowing the prevalence of domestic violence and its impact can lead to earlier conversations with children, improved screening in schools, and more informal supports in communities.' Unlike standard Western surveys, the IFVCS included context-specific references such as dowry-related threats and restrictions on visiting one's natal home, making the experience of abuse more recognisable and reportable. 'By asking the questions in a culturally relevant way, we're able to get more accurate responses,' Dr. Gourisankar explained. 'People may recognise the violence they're experiencing that they otherwise might not have.' . 'In our region, domestic violence often involves extended family members-- not just the husband. In many cases, the in-laws join in the abuse, leaving women with no refuge -- neither in their marital homes nor at their natal homes, where returning is seen as taboo,' said R.K. Lenin Singh, professor and former head, department of psychiatry, Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal, Manipur, and co-author of the study. The resulting trauma for women is often silently endured, but its effects are not: 'Adolescents, who begin to understand the household dynamics, are caught in this pain, confused and helpless, unable to intervene or escape,' he added. In such contexts, the mental health burden is compounded by social and familial expectations, including stigma around leaving a marriage, the absence of a male child, or infertility -- all of which can exacerbate domestic tensions. 'These are not common drivers of domestic violence in many Western countries,' Dr. Singh noted, 'but they are crucial to understand in our settings if we are to develop meaningful mental health interventions.' Call for trauma- informed systems rooted in empathy The implications of this research go beyond epidemiological significance -- they call for trauma-informed interventions in schools, communities, and healthcare systems. Dr. Gourisankar emphasises the critical role of frontline workers such as ASHA workers, teachers, and paediatricians. 'Healthcare systems -- particularly those embedded in communities -- need more support in recognising trauma symptoms in children,' she said. 'This includes changes in mood and behaviour, withdrawal or aggression. Trainings led by psychologists can empower community-level workers to act as early responders.' Dr. Singh reinforced this point: 'In our communities, ASHA workers know the ground realities. They see what doctors and teachers often don't -- because it's taboo to talk about abuse, especially within families. If equipped with the right tools, ASHAs could play a transformative role in recognising and addressing mental health concerns in adolescents stemming from domestic violence,' he said. While national programmes on school mental health exist, Dr. Singh expressed concern about the gap in implementation in many northeastern states. 'Most schools in Manipur don't have even a part-time counsellor. Yet, we are seeing increasing rates of mental health issues in students, from anxiety and exam stress to ADHD. Without basic screening and support systems in place, these children are left to cope alone.' Interestingly, while the study accounted for household structure (joint vs. nuclear families), this variable did not significantly affect the associations between maternal DV and adolescent mental health. Still, the researchers argued that future qualitative investigations into in-law dynamics may offer deeper insights into how extended family structures shape domestic violence experiences. Study limitations and the need for further research The genesis of this work lies in the cVEDA project, a large-scale research initiative focused on the role of environment -- including genetics, pollution, and domestic violence -- on the mental health of children and adolescents. 'Our site at RIMS in Imphal was part of one of the largest adolescent mental health cohorts in India,' Dr. Singh said. 'Although funding gaps briefly stalled the project, we are now continuing under a modified initiative, PARAM. More than 30 papers have been published across journals from this data, exploring everything from genetic vulnerabilities to the role of parental substance abuse.' The study however, is not without limitations. One key concern is the potential for participant fatigue, given the length of the four-hour survey battery, which may have affected response reliability. Also, the study was unable to control for all potential confounders known to influence adolescent mental health, such as family history of mental illness or parental substance use, due to the limitations of the parent dataset. Future research using longitudinal designs, qualitative approaches and focused exploration of intergenerational trauma, in-law dynamics and cultural stigmas can offer a more nuanced understanding of how domestic violence shapes adolescent mental health in Indian contexts. 'Understanding how domestic violence is experienced in India, and how it affects the mental health of adolescents, allows us to design better tools, support systems, and prevention strategies,' Dr. Gourisankar said. In a country where one in three women experience domestic violence, and youth mental health challenges are rising, this research urges families, schools, and systems to listen more carefully -- and respond more holistically --to the children caught in the silence of abuse.
Free Malaysia Today
5 days ago
- Science
- Free Malaysia Today
Why does your cat ignore you?
With cats, total indifference is the highest form of flattery. (Envato Elements pic) PARIS : It is often believed that cats deliberately ignore us. But in reality, this apparent coldness hides a sophisticated form of olfactory recognition. Indeed, a Japanese study published in the journal PLOS One reports that domestic cats identify their owners mainly by their scent. As such, they know they these familiar humans are part of their inner circle. As part of this study, Yutaro Miyairi and colleagues at Tokyo University of Agriculture conducted a revealing smell test with 30 domestic cats – 11 males and 19 females, with an average age of seven – in their owners' homes. Each animal had to identify three samples: the scent of its owner, that of a stranger, and a control tube with no scent. The samples were collected from behind the ears, under the armpits, and between the toes, after asking participants to avoid alcohol, tobacco, spices and perfumes. The researchers found that the cats spent significantly less time sniffing their owner's scent than that of a stranger. This difference suggests immediate recognition: familiar scents require only a brief check. According to the researchers, this shorter sniffing time suggests that cats quickly recognise their owners' scent before moving on to something else. When faced with an unfamiliar person, they investigate longer to gather information. The study also reveals that cats prefer to use their right nostril to analyse unfamiliar smells, then switch to the left once the information has been processed. This mechanism suggests that the right hemisphere of their brain processes new information, while the left hemisphere handles routine information. Smell as social compass Another intriguing discovery was that many cats did not simply sniff the odours presented to them by the researchers. They frequently rubbed their faces against the sample tubes, favouring the side that had just been used for exploration. This behaviour indicates a direct link between olfactory exploration and territorial marking. If your cat spends time sniffing a visitor, it simply means his or her scent is new to them. (Envato Elements pic) Personality also influences these olfactory behaviours: more anxious cats first examine the odourless tubes, while the more sociable ones head for their owner's sample. In males, this correlation is particularly marked: the most anxious cats make multiple trips back and forth, while the more serene creatures explore calmly. All these discoveries teach us a little more about our feline friends. When your cat sulks when you return from vacation, it may be because you smell unusual. Try taking a shower with your usual products and putting your old clothes back on to make it easier for your cat to warm to you again. Similarly, if your cat spends all its time sniffing a visitor, don't be jealous. This sign of attention simply means that the scent is new to them. Indeed, smell is king of the feline senses: only 54% of cats recognize human faces, as Julia Henning, a PhD student in feline behaviour at the University of Adelaide, points out in an article in The Conversation. But a smell, they never forget. So 'cat parents' can rest assured: your scent has earned you entry into the very exclusive club of 'trusted smells' – those that can be safely ignored.
Gizmodo
6 days ago
- Health
- Gizmodo
Climate Disasters Hit the Brain Before Babies Are Even Born, Study Suggests
When Superstorm Sandy made a beeline for New York City in October 2012, it flooded huge swaths of downtown Manhattan, leaving 2 million people without electricity and heat and damaging tens of thousands of homes. The storm followed a sweltering summer in New York City, with a procession of heat waves nearing 100 degrees. For those who were pregnant at the time, enduring these extreme conditions wasn't just uncomfortable—it may have left a lasting imprint on their children's brains. That's according to a new study published on Wednesday in the peer-reviewed journal PLOS One. Using MRI scans, researchers at Queens College, City University of New York, found that children whose mothers lived through Superstorm Sandy had distinct brain differences that could hinder their emotional development. The effects were even more dramatic when people were exposed to extreme heat during their pregnancy, in addition to the tropical storm, the researchers found. 'It's not just one climate stressor or one isolated event, but rather a combination of everything,' said Donato DeIngeniis, the lead author of the study and a doctoral student in neuropsychology at the CUNY Graduate Center. DeIngeniis' study is the first of its kind to examine the joint effects of natural disasters and extreme heat—events that often coincide. A few years ago, scientists dubbed summer 'danger season' since it's a time of colliding risks, including heat, hurricanes, wildfires, and toxic smoke. And summertime temperatures keep climbing to new heights. The study analyzed brain imaging data from a group of 34 children, approximately 8 years old, whose mothers were pregnant during Superstorm Sandy—some of whom were pregnant at the time that Sandy made landfall, and some of whom were exposed to heat 95 degrees F or higher during their pregnancy. While the researchers didn't find that heat alone had much of an impact, living through Superstorm Sandy led to an increase in the basal ganglia's volume, a part of the brain that deals with regulating emotions. While that larger size could be a compensation in response to stress, changes in the basal ganglia have been linked to behavioral challenges for children, such as depression and autism, DeIngeniis said. 'What we are seeing is compelling evidence that the climate crisis is not just an environmental emergency, it is potentially a neurological one with consequence for future generations who will inherit our planet,' said Duke Shereen, a co-author of the study and the director of the MRI facility at CUNY Graduate Center, in a press release. Global warming made Superstorm Sandy more damaging as a result of rising sea levels and higher ocean temperatures that might have amped up its rainfall. Yoko Nomura, a co-author of the study and a psychology professor at the Queens College, CUNY, said that the time before birth is 'very, very sensitive' for development because the fetus' body is changing so drastically. The human brain grows the most rapidly in the womb, reaching more than a third of its full adult volume before birth, according to the study. Any added stress at that time, even if small, 'can have a much bigger impact,' Nomura said. But that extra-sensitive period also presents a window of opportunity. 'Developmental science, including the science in this paper, is exciting because it not only tells us what we can do to protect children from the effects of climate change, but it also tells us when we can step in to protect children to make the greatest difference,' Lindsey Burghardt, chief science officer at the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, said in an email. Although there's a lot of evidence that prenatal stress generally can affect child brain development, according to DeIngeniis, research on climate-related stress specifically is lacking. 'It is still a field that has potential for explosive growth,' said Jennifer Barkin, a professor at Mercer University School of Medicine in Macon, Georgia, who is studying the effects of last year's Hurricane Helene on maternal health. DeIngeniis' study offers concrete evidence of how climate-charged events can affect the brain, Barkin said. 'People have a hard time sometimes with mental health, because it's not like you can take an X-ray and see a broken bone.' But it's easier to understand imaging showing a difference in brain volume based on exposure to environmental stress, she said. Barkin, who developed an index for measuring maternal health after childbirth, says that people are beginning to pay more attention to mothers and their mental health—not just in terms of delivering a healthy baby, but over the long term. 'We tend to focus things on the child's outcome, which is important, but to keep the child healthy, the mother has to be healthy, too,' she said. 'Because when Mom's struggling, the family's going to struggle.' This article originally appeared in Grist at Grist is a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future. Learn more at
