NOAA employees witness deliberate interference during workforce reductions

A group of National Maritime and Atmospheric Administration workers, who were terminated in February, rehired in March, and then fired again in April, claim they experienced payroll issues during that time and did not receive their health insurance plans or essential documents.

Kayla Besong, a physical scientist at the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, described the situation as intentional chaos and weaponized incompetence. She revealed that she missed one of her final paychecks and was later rehired and fired for the second time after issuing a Tsunami Alert.

Another worker mentioned having to undergo a $70,000 operation without proper insurance coverage.

After initially terminating more than 600 probation employees in February, which included hurricane hunters, meteorologists, and storm modelers, the Commerce Department and NOAA were ordered to reinstate many of them in March. However, after the Supreme Court suspended some of the reinstatements, NOAA decided to fire the workers for the second time.

Communication issues prevented workers from receiving unemployment benefits and paying out-of-pocket for healthcare costs that should have been covered. Civil servants highlighted these challenges faced by NOAA workers, urging for better support.

Despite multiple attempts to reach out for interviews, neither NOAA nor the Commerce Department responded to NBC News.

Concerns about lack of planning and deliberate chaos have been raised by critics, pointing out the challenges faced by federal employees.

The concerns were outlined in a letter addressed to Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, accusing the Ministry of Commerce of engaging in illegal conduct.

Limited communication and lack of proper documentation added to the confusion for affected NOAA workers, who had to rely on former colleagues for assistance.

Former employees shared their struggles with receiving proper information and dealing with administrative issues.

Despite the challenges, some workers remain hopeful of returning to their jobs once the situation is resolved.

The uncertainties surrounding the employment situation have left some workers worried about their future prospects.”

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Study shows deliberate use of geometric patterns in Paleolithic artifacts from the Levantin Cave

In the new study, archaeologists analyzed five inscribed artifacts from the Paleolithic period in central Levantin. Two engraved levalovacores from the Manot and Kahuze caves, engraved plackets from the site of Kneitra, and flakes and cortical blades from the Amdo caves. Their findings highlight the intentionality behind the sculpture and provide important insights into the development of abstract thinking and the cultural complexity of mid-Paleolithic society.

Carved cortical revarova core of the Manot Cave. Image credit: E. Ostrovsky/M. Smelansky/E. Paixão/L. Schunk.

Until now, the intentionality of central Paleolithic incised stone artifacts has been widely accepted and not fully supported by empirical testing.

Many archaeologists view these marks as functional and were created through the use of tools or natural wear.

Being skeptical of the existence of abstract or symbolic thinking in early hominins, understanding that symbolic actions such as art and abstract expressions appear much later than human evolution and are particularly relevant to modern people. I have.

Current research challenges the view by providing evidence of intentional and symbolic sculptures before global colonization by modern humans.

This study focuses on artifacts from major Levantin sites, including Dr. May Goldberger, an archaeologist at Hebrew and Ben Gurion University, as well as the outdoor sites of Manot Cave, Amdo Cave, Kahuze Cave and Queneitra. I guessed it.

Using advanced 3D surface analysis, the researchers examined the shape and pattern of the incision to distinguish intentional engraving from functional marks.

The findings reveal significant differences. The artifacts of Manot, Kahuze and Queneitra feature careful sculptures with geometric patterns that match the surface topography, highlighting aesthetic and symbolic intent.

In contrast, the incisions of artifacts from Amud Cave are shallow and unscattered, consistent with their functional use as an appraider.

“Abstract thinking is the basis of human cognitive evolution,” said Dr. Goder-Goldberger.

“The intentional sculpture found in these artifacts emphasizes the ability to represent symbolic representation and proposes a society with high conceptual capabilities.”

“The methodology we employed not only emphasize the intentional nature of these sculptures, but also provides for the first time a comparative framework for studying similar artifacts, enriching understanding of mid-term paleolithic society.” Zentrum für Archäogie, University of Johannes Gutenberg, University of Algarve.

“The inscribed artifacts of Qafzeh, Queneitra, and Manot are isolated initiatives within time series and geographical contexts, but the similarity of the shared properties and pattern structure of the incision itself suggests intentional and pre-determined behavior. I am.

“These findings provide a greater understanding of symbolic behavior and provide important insights into the cognitive and cultural development of early hominins.”

“This study illustrates an important step in understanding the scope of our ancestors' symbolic behavior and bridging the gap between the use of functional tools and abstract representation.”

Team paper Published in the journal Archaeological and anthropological sciences.

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M. Goder-Goldberger et al. 2025. An incised stone craft from the complexity of ancient stones and human behavior in the central Levantin. Archaeol Anthropol Sci 17, 27; doi:10.1007/s12520-024-02111-4

Source: www.sci.news