Latest news with #Paleolithic
Scoop
a day ago
- Science
- Scoop
How Much Of The Past Should We Bring Back To Life?
There is an incredible amount of scientific effort put toward understanding the past and bringing some of it back to life. Everyone agrees it's nice to have some old structures around—like the pyramids at Giza and the Great Wall of China—but what about the living creatures we once lived alongside? With recent advances in genetic technology, de-extinction may be a possibility—but should we be doing it? Several scientific disciplines are currently geared specifically to provide us with realistic insights into what life would have been like in the past. Archaeology in particular has rank after rank of specialists tuned toward reconstructing the built environment—monuments, houses, caves, and even whole towns—and the ways people would have lived in those environments. We conduct these experiments to understand the choices our species has made as we evolved into the cultures and societies that exist today, and we conserve the walls and temples of our pasts because they mean something to the people who visit them. We have highly trained conservators who carefully rebuild, brick by brick, the great Mesopotamian temples of 5,500 years ago (alongside conservators who are not as well-trained but whose good intentions outstrip their abilities, as seen with the case of the Ecce Homo reconstruction in Borja, Spain). There are also an extraordinary number of experimental archaeology projects aimed at unraveling even the most intangible mysteries of the past—helping us see that the beautiful Paleolithic art in caves like Lascaux may have been an early form of animation when seen under a torch, or that making some stone tools requires special cognitive abilities. Advances in technology make the reconstruction of the past increasingly realistic. But what if we could recreate the living environment of our evolutionary past? What if we could bring back species that haven't been seen since the last Ice Age? This is exactly the question that a major new research effort is asking. The Colossal project is a private enterprise that wants to use advances in genetics to attempt the 'de-extinction' or 'resurrection' of an iconic Ice Age animal: the woolly mammoth. De-extinction has certainly grabbed imaginations (not to mention headlines), but as research funding is squeezed by economic conditions around the globe, scientists must ask themselves: what will this achieve? For Colossal, there are clear benefits. There is the wow factor of creating a cold-adapted elephant that has not existed for thousands of years, and of course, there is the potential of developing new and, possibly, incredibly lucrative bioscience tech based on modifying genetics. Perhaps these technologies could save animals from extinction and bring back the past, even if many scientists are concerned about the prospect due to ethical and technical reasons. However, as archaeology has learned, bringing back the past is never as straightforward as it seems. Something as obvious as preserving 1,000-year-old ruins for future generations to marvel at becomes less clear-cut when future generations might need to build their own monuments and walls (or even just roads). How much of the past should we bring back? The debate over how much of the Stonehenge prehistoric landscape should be sacrificed to build a tunnel for one of the most congested roads in England has shown that even trained professionals can't agree on what is 'enough' of the past to save. This makes for some tricky questions for those who want to rebuild and recreate the past. What will happen if we really do succeed in the 'de-extinction' of a woolly mammoth—an animal that will be born alone into a world that it is not adapted to? Will it help us save the elephants that are under threat today? Colossal is putting a lot of effort into elephant conservation, but how will creating a genetically cold-adapted elephant address the habitat loss that has led our big-bodied species to face extinction? Would we be better off spending our research efforts on recreating the environments of the past, or the charismatic animals who once roamed them? What parts of the past to preserve—and which to leave behind—remains a complicated tangle of ethical, practical, and even philosophical quandaries. The toppling of a historic statue of a slave trader into Bristol harbor in 2021 by outraged citizens is a clear example of how governments, citizens, and professionals are still grappling with how we bring the past into the present. As technology advances, we will be confronted with even thornier issues—like the ethics of bringing animals or even people back to life. If we cannot agree on the morality of preserving the past as a cold metal statue, how will we resolve the question surrounding the consequences of bringing something that lives and breathes back into the world? Author Bio: Brenna R. Hassett, PhD, is a biological anthropologist and archaeologist at the University of Central Lancashire and a scientific associate at the Natural History Museum, London. In addition to researching the effects of changing human lifestyles on the human skeleton and teeth in the past, she writes for a more general audience about evolution and archaeology, including the Times (UK) top 10 science book of 2016 Built on Bones: 15,000 Years of Urban Life and Death, and her most recent book, Growing Up Human: The Evolution of Childhood. She is also a co-founder of TrowelBlazers, an activist archive celebrating the achievements of women in the 'digging' sciences.
Ya Biladi
10-06-2025
- Science
- Ya Biladi
Bread : A Moroccan tradition rooted in millennia-old practices
More than just a daily staple, bread symbolizes the accumulation of traditions, the transmission of know-how, and the preservation of ancestral ways of life. In Morocco, there are many regional variations, but the basic method typically involves mixing ground cereals (flour), yeast, salt, water, and sometimes olive oil. Within Amazigh culinary heritage, tafarnout exemplifies a centuries-old tradition: kneading a simple dough and baking it in an earthen oven to accompany every meal, breakfast, and snack. This practice has been passed down through generations, often enjoyed with argan oil, honey, or amlou, a traditional almond spread. While it's difficult to pinpoint exactly when traditional bread became part of Moroccan cuisine, historical evidence shows that this type of preparation is common to many ancient civilizations. Even in prehistoric times, combining water and cereals laid the foundation for early sustenance. Archaeological findings have revealed the earliest evidence of flour dating back to the Upper Paleolithic, around 30,000 years ago. Later, during the Neolithic period, about 10,000 years ago, flour was transformed into unleavened bread as wheat and barley cultivation emerged in Mesopotamia and along the Nile. A Process Developed by Ancient Civilizations With the rise of agriculture, bread preparation became widespread. Between 3400 and 3200 BC, more advanced techniques appeared, including retaining some dough from the previous day as a leaven to induce fermentation. This method was notably practiced in Greece, as archaeological finds at Pompeii confirm. Ancient Egypt (3150–31 BC) saw a significant evolution in bread-making, which became a societal symbol. Cereals were cooked into thick porridge, likely why many historical accounts associate bread's origins with this region. Food historian Pierre Leclercq, a scientific collaborator at the Transitions Research Unit at the University of Liège, explains this in detail. In his 2018 interview, «The Great Myths of Gastronomy: The History of Bread», Leclercq revisits the story of leavened bread's origins, including the legend of an Egyptian peasant woman who supposedly left dough forgotten in a corner, only to find it had risen days later. Leclercq notes this tale was popularized by 19th-century sociologist Louis Bourdeau, who, in his 1894 book History of Food, argued that early farmers invented the millstone to grind grain into flour. Initially, this flour was eaten as porridge «a very simple, quick preparation, but one that was unappetizing and heavy on the stomach». According to him, leavened bread would thus be an invention dating back nearly 4,000 years. «Forty years after the publication of Louis Bourdeau's work, this story was taken up and refined by Polish botanist Adam Maurizio in his monumental History of Plant-Based Food, published in 1932, which would become authoritative for the next fifty years. Not only is this story far too simplistic, but it also involves several myths», explains Pierre Leclercq. In his remarks, the historian indeed deconstructs «the myth of a linear evolution from porridge, necessarily rustic and indigestible, to flatbread and finally to leavened bread, the pinnacle of civilization that ousted its predecessors». «Faced with archaeological reality, this cultural prejudice does not hold up. On one hand, it is quite probable that flatbread preceded porridge, not the other way around, and on the other hand, it is noted that porridge was sometimes preferred over flatbread, despite the presence of bread-making wheats, as, for example, at the Neolithic site of Çatal Höyük», he emphasized. «Theories of chance present our ancestors as passive beings entangled in a routine that would only be disrupted by one accident or another responsible for a spontaneous innovation, as if fallen from the sky. The men and women of the Neolithic and Late Antiquity were capable of anticipation; they had imagination. One action leads to another, and a product progresses slowly with technological, agricultural, but also cultural evolutions». Traditions Rooted in Culinary Habits Further on, Pierre Leclercq mentions that despite limited archaeological evidence, it could be said that sourdough bread might have emerged around 6,000 BC, with the proliferation of bread molds in the Middle East. «But this does not mean that leavened bread eradicated all other forms of cereal products, as in Neolithic Europe as well as in Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilizations, breads, porridges, and flatbreads coexisted», he specifies. This coexistence explains the many regional variations in dough and cereal mixtures around the Mediterranean, such as Morocco's tafarnout. In Europe, bread-making evolved over centuries, becoming a social marker by the Christian medieval era. For example, stale bread was used as an edible plate, or «trencher», a practice that continued until wooden plates became common. On the southern shore of the Mediterranean, a distinction between «white bread» and «black bread» existed, notes Mohamed Houbaida, history professor at Ibn Tofail University in Kenitra. In his 2017 book Vegetal Morocco – Agriculture and Food in Pre-Colonial Morocco (Le Fennec), Houbaida highlights Morocco's rich cereal production history. Barley and whole-grain breads were staples for the general population, while wheat-based bread was traditionally reserved for the elite. The taste of kneaded, baked dough has long attracted enthusiasts beyond cultural boundaries. Houbaida cites Danish consul Georg Høst, who lived in Rabat in the 18th century and described Moroccan white bread in 1799 as «the best in the world». Houbaida also points to different dough variations—some with yeast, some without—prepared in cities and rural areas. Industrial flour-based bread only became widespread in Morocco in the mid-20th century. Beyond being a culinary habit, bread-making has been a driver for many trades: neighborhood ovens, mills, and bakeries emerged as integral parts of society. Despite economic, social, and industrial changes, bread remains central to daily diets in Morocco.
Al Etihad
08-06-2025
- Science
- Al Etihad
Over 100 Paleolithic sites unearthed in northwestern China
8 June 2025 09:35 XI'AN, CHINA (XINHUA)Archaeologists have discovered more than 100 Paleolithic sites in the city of Weinan, located in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, confirming that human activity in the region dates back at least 600,000 years. The sites were identified during a year-long special survey conducted as part of the fourth national cultural heritage census in Shaanxi. According to experts, the findings provide crucial evidence of ancient human evolution in the area, and refine academic understanding of early human history and cultural traits on the eastern Guanzhong Plain -- once the heartland of ancient has a long history of Paleolithic archaeology, including the landmark discoveries of the Lantian Man and Dali Man fossils during the 1960s and 2020, surveys led by the Shaanxi Academy of Archaeology have revealed extensive clues regarding Paleolithic culture across the city. Zu Liang, curator of Weinan Museum, said the latest findings extend the historical timeline of continuous human habitation in the area, and offer evidence for tracing the cultural legacy of the Yellow River.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Yahoo
Oldest-known whale bone tools discovered in a Spanish cave
Prehistoric stone tools are among some of the oldest and important pieces of evidence we have of a time when our species began to evolve a higher level of intelligence. Many of these tools were also made from animal bones–including the bones of some of the biggest animals on the planet. New research finds that humans living up to 20,000 years ago may have been making tools out of whale bones. The discovery not only adds more to the story of early human tool use, but gives a glimpse into ancient whale ecology. The findings are detailed in a study published May 27 in the journal Nature Communications. 'That humans frequented the seashore, and took advantage of its resources, is probably as old as humankind,' Jean-Marc Pétillon, an archaeologist at the Université Toulouse Jean Jaurès in France and study co-author, tells Popular Science. 'There is evidence of whale scavenging at the site of Dungo 5 in Angola dating to 1 million years.' For our Paleolithic ancestors living in coastal areas, the sturdy bones of large whales were potentially an excellent resource for various tools. However, many prehistoric coastal archaeological sites are fragile and are at risk of rising sea levels, making reconstructing the past interactions between marine mammals and humans a challenge for scientists.. 'The tools were dated between 20,000 and 16,000 years before [the] present, a period way before the invention of agriculture, and during which all human groups in the world lived a life of nomadic hunter-gatherers,' says Pétillon. 'Climatically, this is the last part of the last glaciation, with a climate much colder than today.' That colder climate brought a sea level that was roughly almost 400 feet lower than it is today. With this change in sea level, we have no direct evidence of the human occupations on the shore, since the rise in sea level either wiped them out or the settlements lay buried under 300 or so feet of water. With this lack of evidence Paleolithic people have historically been viewed as inland hunters. Those living in present day western Europe would have hunted red deer, reindeer, bison, horse, and ibex. While they did hunt inland, there is a growing body of evidence from the last 20 years showing that they also took advantage of the Paleolithic seashore. 'There are studies showing that people also gathered seashells, hunted seabirds, fished marine fish, etc., as a complement to terrestrial diet, and these studies were made possible because Paleolithic people carried remains of marine origin away from the seashore, into inland sites,' explains Pétillon. 'Our study adds whales to the lot. It is one more contribution showing that Late Paleolithic humans also regularly frequented the seashore and used its resources.' [ Related: Ice age humans made needles from animal bones, archeologists discover. ] In the new study, the team analyzed 83 bone tools that were excavated from sites around Spain's Bay of Biscay and 90 additional bones uncovered from Santa Catalina Cave in Spain. They used mass spectrometry and radiocarbon dating to identify which species the bones belonged to and estimate the age of the samples. The bones come from at least five species of large whales–sperm, fin, blue, gray, and either right whales or bowheads. The latter two species are indistinguishable using this technique. The oldest whale specimens are dated to roughly 19,000 to 20,000 years ago, representing some of the earliest known evidence of humans using the remains of whales to make tools. Some of the whale bone points themselves were over 15 inches long. 'Most of the objects made of whale bone are projectile points, part of the hunting equipment. They can be very long and thick, and were probably hafted on spear-style projectiles rather than arrows (and the use of the spearthrower is documented in this period),' says Pétillon. 'The main raw material used to manufacture projectile points at that period is antler, because it is less brittle and more pliable than bone, but whale bone was preferred in certain cases probably because of its large dimensions.' Most of these whale species identified in this study are still found in the Bay of Biscay and northeastern North Atlantic to this day. However, gray whales are now primarily limited to the North Pacific Ocean and Arctic. Additional chemical data from the tools also suggests that the feeding habits of the ancient whales were slightly different than those living today. According to the authors, this is likely due to behavioral or environmental changes. That the whales in the area have stayed relatively the same was particularly intriguing for Pétillon. 'What was more surprising to me—as an archeologist more accustomed to terrestrial faunas—was that these whale species remained the same despite the great environmental difference between the Late Pleistocene and today,' he says. 'In the same period, continental faunas are very different: the ungulates hunted include reindeer, saiga antelopes, bison, etc., all disappeared from Western Europe today.' Importantly, the findings here do not imply that active whaling was occurring. The techniques at the time would not allow humans to hunt sperm, blue, or fin whales and the team believes that these populations took advantage of whale strandings to harvest the bones for tools. 'The earliest evidence of active whaling is much younger, around 6,000 [years] before present in Korea (site of Bangudae) and maybe around 5,000 before present in Europe (Neolithic sites in the Netherlands),' says Pétillon. Future studies could look at the systematic way that these ancient Atlantic Europeans systematically used the seashore and how they developed their ocean hunting techniques.
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Time of India
Caveman Skin Trend: Why is it getting viral and popular among teens
Several glitzy product-haul videos pale in comparison to the 178 million views that clips with the hashtags #cavemanskincare and #cavemanregimen have received on TikTok. Since creator Tia Zakher (@tiazakher) posted a brief video stating that her objective is to repair her skin barrier through the caveman regime, it has become a real trend among teens. If you've no idea about the caveman skin trend, you might be living in the Stone Age. Going bare is the main goal of this skincare trend. No makeup, no sunscreen, no moisturizer, and no washing —just your own skin in the hopes that it will cure acne. This surely takes you back to the prehistoric era when you wash your face with just water. However, we are all aware of the skincare that is currently resting in glory on our shelves, if not in a pile. What does the Caveman Skin Trend claim? Thousands of creators are filming themselves doing virtually nothing to their skin—no moisturizers, cleansers, sunscreen, and occasionally even water—instead of chasing every new serum. The promise is enticingly straightforward: if our Paleolithic ancestors survived without niacinamide or glycolic acid, maybe today's complexions can do the same. According to several beauty bloggers, it will restore your skin's natural attractiveness and repair it. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2025: Steel Suppliers From Mexico At Lowest Prices (Take A Look) Steel Suppliers | search ads Search Now Undo What baffles us, though, is how we can still be cavemen in the twenty-first century when the air we breathe is more contaminated than the air we exhale. Why is this trend being called a fad by many? It is not supported by any scientific evidence. There must be much more than anecdotal proof for us to support a skincare trend. Furthermore, people have been manufacturing soap since 2800 B.C. So, ditching the soap may not be the best skincare practice. Secondly, the sun's rays are far more harmful than before due to widening ozone layer depletion. Saying nada to a sunscreen may cause oxidative stress to the skin, causing more dark spots and pigmentation. And even if you find the 'caveman skin' concept appealing See a dermatologist. Instead of using facewash, use a cleanser. Aloe vera can be used as a mask and moisturizer. Only on the weekends can you go all caveman to give your skin a chance to reset. Avoid going outside in the sun during the day. Always consult your doctor Since some people are exposed to fewer possible irritants, they may find success with this method, but it may not be effective for everyone. Teens with hormonal acne should speak with a dermatologist or other skincare specialist who can offer individualized guidance and therapies depending on their unique circumstances. Kiki challenge: From rage to headache One step to a healthier you—join Times Health+ Yoga and feel the change
