Tag Archives: Immigration

US Surveillance Firm Celebrates Success Amid Trump’s Immigration Crackdown | Technology

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Greetings and thank you for joining us at TechScape. I’m your host, Blake Montgomery, currently captivated by Shirley Jackson’s haunting final novel. We always dwell in the castle.

The Age of Corporate Surveillance

Surveillance equates to industrialization and privatization. In the United States, it has become a major industry and continues to expand.

My colleagues, Johanna Bouyan and Jose Olivarez, delve into companies aiding Donald Trump in his immigration enforcement efforts.

Palantir, a tech giant, as well as Geo Group and Corecivic, private prison and surveillance firms, reported this week that their earnings exceeded Wall Street expectations due to the administration’s immigration policies.

“As always, I was advised to temper my enthusiasm for our impressive figures,” remarked Alex Karp, CEO of Palantir, earlier this week. He then expressed his excitement over the company’s “extraordinary numbers” and his “immense pride” in its accomplishments.

Executives at private prison firms found it challenging to inform investors about the chances for “unprecedented growth” in immigration detention during their respective calls.

Read all episodes: Companies that assist Trump in immigration crackdowns report “extraordinary” revenue

In the meantime, Microsoft’s cloud computing solutions have been linked to extensive surveillance of Palestinian communications, as reported by The Guardian.

Equipped with Azure’s nearly boundless storage capabilities, IDF unit 8200 has embarked on developing a sophisticated mass monitoring system. This tool captures and archives millions of phone calls made daily by Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.

This cloud-based framework, initially launched in 2022, enables Unit 8200 to store vast amounts of daily conversations over extended periods.

Read all episodes: “1 million people make a call per hour”: Israel depends on Microsoft Cloud for extensive surveillance of Palestinians

Microsoft has not publicly promoted this surveillance project and has initiated an internal inquiry following the exposé.

Listen: How Israel Utilized Microsoft Technology to Monitor Palestinians – Podcast

Technology Confusion




Mark Zuckerberg at Siggraph 2024 in Denver, Colorado, on July 29th. Photo: David Zalubowski/AP

Meta faces renewed scrutiny over child safety concerns, with an investigation initiated by US Congress member Senator Josh Hawley. Recently, Reuters uncovered an internal document revealing the company’s policy allowing AI chatbots to engage in “romantic or sensual” chats with minors. Subsequently, the company modified these guidelines.

The overall backlash feels incredibly familiar.

The same journalist who published the original story about Jeff Horwitz at Reuters also released information regarding Facebook in the Wall Street Journal, which revealed that Meta acknowledged its platforms could contribute to teenage, particularly female, depression. Senator Hawley, who initiated the recent inquiry, had previously criticized Zuckerberg in early 2024 regarding child safety.

The familiar elements of this controversy evoke feelings of both anger and indifference. Will this ongoing turmoil result in increased regulations for Zuckerberg, or will the American public and lawmakers simply express resignation at the repetition?

Read all episodes: Meta confronts backlash over AI policies permitting bots to engage in “sensual” conversations with minors

Robot vs Human, Both Physically and Emotionally




Unitree Robotics’ humanoid robots compete in a kickboxing match during the first worldwide humanoid robot games in Beijing, China, on Friday. Photo: Tingshu Wang/Reuters

Humans are in competition with robots, in real life and online. My colleague Amy Hawkins reports on the developing field of robot games in China:

The government-supported event kicked off with an audience of 12,000 gathered around a national speed skating rink, initially constructed for the 2022 Winter Olympics, as they sang the Chinese national anthem on Friday morning.

In addition to kickboxing, humanoids also participated in athletics, soccer, and dance competitions. One robot was unable to complete a 1500-meter distance as its head dislodged halfway through the course.

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Read all episodes: Box, Run, Crash: Insights from the Chinese Humanoid Robot Games Show Progress and Limitations

In the digital realm, the creators of AI chatbots aren’t clashing significantly either. Human developers equip their creations with features to mitigate conflict. My colleague, Rob Booth, has reported on a recent announcement regarding innovative safety measures for chatbots that enable them to disengage from “painful” conversations with users, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding AI’s “well-being.”

Within a landscape of millions employing advanced chatbots, the Claude Opus 4 tool demonstrates a reluctance to perform harmful tasks, such as generating sexual content involving minors or offering information that could facilitate widespread violence and terrorism.

This San Francisco-based organization, recently valued at $170 billion, has introduced the Claude Opus 4 (along with the Claude Opus 4.1 Update), a substantial language model that allows for the comprehension, generation, and manipulation of human language.

Read all episodes: Chatbots Designed to End “Painful” Conversations to Protect “Welfare”

Our Post-Nine Online Lexicon




One of the Skibidi toilets featured on YouTube. Photo: dafuq! ? Boom!

Cambridge Dictionary announced on Sunday that it has added various new words to its lexicon, reflecting the Internet’s impact on our language.

“Internet culture significantly alters English, and documenting this evolution in a dictionary is quite intriguing,” noted Colin McIntosh, vocabulary program manager for the dictionary.

Among the newly added terms are “delulu,” referring to “traditional wife,” and a more elongated abbreviation for “delusion.” Both terms carry notable connotations—one related to marriage behaviors and the other highlighting social conservatism, where individuals choose to embrace misinformation rather than truth.

Read all episodes: Recent additions to the Cambridge dictionary feature “Skibidi,” “Deryl,” and “Trad Wife.”

Notably, “Skibidi,” which gained recognition through the “Skibidi toilet” meme, was also entered into the dictionary. The associated clips often feature humorous lyrics like “shtibididob dob dob dob dob dob yes yes yes yes,” with the term “Skibidi” serving as a playful interjection.

In the Cambridge Dictionary, “Skibidi” is described as “a term that can have several interpretations; it may mean ‘cool’ or ‘bad’, or serve as a lighthearted joke with no definitive meaning.”

Reflecting on my childhood, my parents found the odd humor in shows like SpongeBob SquarePants, often leaving them puzzled. Imagine animated toilets capturing the bewildered faces of their parents.

While “TradWife” and “Delulu” hold specific meanings tied to human behaviors and emotions, “Skibidi” offers an emphatic and humorous filler devoid of genuine meaning. What verbal creations can ease the flood of captivating visuals, contrasting viewpoints, and marketing messages? Perhaps simply “Skibidi.”

Jean Baudrillard introduced the notion of “simulation,” creating language and imagery that lack genuine origins. His analysis of the media landscape of his time, particularly television, reflected similar sentiments. “Skibidi,” too, stands as a hyperreal term, indicative solely of the peculiar and ongoing distortion of significance it has accumulated online.

“Territories will no longer precede or survive, and in the future, the map will take precedence over the territory,” he noted in 1981.

This term does not preface TikTok nor is it poised to endure. The medium will overshadow the definition in the future.

The Broader Techscape

Source: www.theguardian.com

Companies Assisting Trump in Immigration Crackdown Experience “Extraordinary” Profits

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The companies involved in technology, surveillance, and private prison services that are supporting Donald Trump’s vast escalation and militarization of immigration enforcement are celebrating after announcing their recent financial performance.

Palantir, a tech firm alongside Geo Group and CoreCivic—both private prison and surveillance providers—reported this week that their earnings exceeded Wall Street’s forecasts, driven by the administration’s aggressive immigration policies.

“As usual, I was advised to temper my enthusiasm regarding our impressive numbers,” stated Alex Karp, CEO of Palantir, earlier this week. He then praised the company’s “remarkable numbers” and expressed his “immense pride” in its achievements.

Executives from private prison companies did not hesitate to highlight the chance for “unprecedented growth” in the immigration detention sector during their financial discussions.

Palantir reported that revenues from US government contracts exceeded $1 billion in the second quarter of 2025, a significant rise compared to the same period last year. Analysts had predicted revenue of $939.4 million.

Firms that aggregate and analyze various data sets, enabling clients to leverage that information for product development, will derive a substantial portion of their income from government deals. The largest customer in the US is the Department of Defense, which houses the US Army and recently announced a $10 billion contract with Palantir. Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has enhanced its partnership with Palantir since the Trump administration commenced, maintaining a collaboration that dates back to 2011. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) primarily focuses on the apprehension, detention, and deportation of immigrants.

“We provide safety and uphold values, so Palantir may face backlash simply because we help improve this nation,” Karp remarked. “The fact that we can succeed while holding a distinct viewpoint ought to provoke some jealousy and discomfort, given our perceptions of those we deem less desirable.”

While Palantir facilitates immigration enforcement, private prison companies Geo Group and CoreCivic have reported higher-than-expected earnings. Geo Group posted revenue of $636.2 million for the quarter, surpassing analysts’ forecasts of $623.4 million, while CoreCivic announced $5.382 million for the second quarter of this year, marking a 9.8% increase from the same period last year. George Zoley, CEO of Geo Group, noted that detention centers are fuller than ever, utilizing 20,000 beds across 21 Geo Group facilities and approximately one-third of the 57,000 available beds in ICE detention centers nationwide. Zoley also mentioned in a call that he is investigating detention centers on US military sites, one of the many “unprecedented growth opportunities” he discussed during the call.

Awaiting the Surveillance Boom

Though Geo Group’s detention sector has experienced a significant uplift, the growth of its monitoring division has not yet materialized as anticipated by executives earlier this year.

Executives anticipate that the Intensive Supervision Emergency Program (ISAP), an immigration monitoring initiative managed for the past 20 years by its subsidiary Bi Inc, will exceed its previous high of 370,000 monitored immigrants. Recent months have seen the number remain around 183,000 individuals.

“[ICE hasn’t] communicated any ISAP expansion at this time,” Zoley explained during an investor call.

Nevertheless, the company expects ISAP figures to rise next year, aiming to “maximize detention capacity.” The Trump administration has expressed interest in increasing the number of immigrants under surveillance through ankle monitors. Many immigrants have described ISAP surveillance as invasive and at times physically uncomfortable and ineffective.

In a discussion with investors, CoreCivic executives shared that they are offering ICE around 30,000 beds for detaining immigrants across their national network.

ICE Expansion Signals Future Financial Gains

A significant funding bill passed by Congress and signed by Trump last month has facilitated a substantial influx of funds into DHS. ICE received $45 billion to expand its detention infrastructure.

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Currently, ICE has approximately 41,500 beds available, while detaining around 57,000 individuals across its network. This funding influx could lead agents to detain thousands more, making it advantageous for private prison contractors.

“Our business is perfectly aligned with the demands of this moment,” stated CoreCivic CEO Damon T. Hininger during an investor call on Thursday. “We are in a unique situation, witnessing a rapid escalation of federal detention requirements nationwide, along with a continual need for our solutions.”

Management and budget offices are financially primed due to the spending package, allowing private prison firms to act swiftly in offering services to immigration officials.

“As we understand, the budget reflects moral priorities, and last month Congress decided to fully fund actions targeting the immigrant community at the cost of crucial programs benefiting all Americans.” “Since last November, private prison companies have been eagerly eyeing the potential for profit at the expense of everyone else.”

Since Trump’s re-inauguration this year, CoreCivic has amended, extended, or signed new contracts to detain immigrants at eight different facilities, as per the company’s financial reports. Geo Group has done similarly at five facilities.

Both firms expect to generate revenues amid increasing scrutiny from immigration rights and human rights organizations regarding conditions in immigration detention facilities across the nation.

Setareh remarked that the benefits from private prisons arise from “the devastation of human lives, orchestrated by the Trump administration, and made feasible by a complicit Congress.”

Cibola Correctional Facility, a facility in New Mexico housing both immigrants and federal prisoners, is currently facing investigation from the FBI for alleged drug trafficking activities. Since 2018, at least 15 individuals have died in the facility.

Last September, the company promoted Cibola as an ideal location for detaining additional migrants.

Source: www.theguardian.com

UK Border Officials Utilize AI to Assess Ages of Child Asylum Seekers

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Officials will employ artificial intelligence to assist in estimating the age of asylum seekers who claim to be minors.

Immigration Minister Angela Eagle stated on Tuesday that the government will pilot technology designed to assess a person’s age based on facial characteristics.

This initiative is the latest effort aimed at helping the Labor Minister leverage AI to address public service issues without incurring significant expenses.

The announcement coincided with the public release of a report by David Bolt, the Chief Inspector of Borders and Immigration. A crucial report indicated efforts to estimate the age of new arrivals.

Eagle mentioned in a formal statement to Parliament: “We believe the most economically feasible approach is likely to involve estimating age based on facial analysis. This technology can provide age estimates with known accuracy for individuals whose age is disputed or uncertain, drawing from millions of verifiable images.”

“In cases where it’s ambiguous whether the individual undergoing age assessment is over 18 or not claiming to be a minor, facial age estimation offers a potentially swift and straightforward method to validate judgments against the technology’s estimates.”

Eagle is launching a pilot program to evaluate the technology, aiming for its integration into official age verification processes by next year.

John Lewis announced earlier this year that it will be the first UK retailer to facilitate online knife sales using facial age estimation technology.

The Home Office has previously utilized AI in other sectors, such as identifying fraudulent marriages. However, this tool has faced criticism for disproportionately targeting specific nationalities.

Although there are concerns that AI tools may intensify biases in governmental decision-making, the minister is exploring additional applications. Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle announced a partnership with OpenAI, the organization behind ChatGPT, to investigate AI deployment in areas like justice, safety, and education.

Bolt expressed that the mental health of young asylum seekers has deteriorated due to failings in the age verification system, especially in Dover, where the influx of small boats is processed.

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“Many concerns raised over the past decade regarding policy and practices remain unresolved,” Bolt cautioned, emphasizing that the challenging conditions at the Dover processing facility could hinder accurate age assessments.

He added: “I have heard accounts of young individuals who felt distrustful and disheartened in their encounters with Home Office officials, where hope has faded and their mental well-being is suffering.”

His remarks echo a report from the Refugee Council, indicating that at least 1,300 children have been mistakenly identified as adults over an 18-month period.

Last month, scholars from the London School of Economics and the University of Bedfordshire suggested that the Home Office should be stripped of its authority to make decisions regarding lonely asylum seekers.

Source: www.theguardian.com

FBI arrests Wisconsin judge in immigration dispute during Trump Administration live update

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On March 11, approximately 50 judges gathered in Washington for a six-month meeting of the Judicial Council, which oversees the administration of federal courts. This meeting marked the first gathering since President Trump assumed office.

Discussions during the meeting focused on staffing levels, long-term planning, and the increasing threats to judges and their safety, according to attendees.

At one session, Judge Richard J. Sullivan, chairman of the conference’s Judicial Security Committee, raised concerns about potential threats to the safety of judges. He highlighted the authority that the US Marshals Service, overseen by the Justice Department, has in judicial security matters. Given the history of former officials like Mike Pompeo and John Bolton having their security stripped by Trump, Judge Sullivan wondered if federal judges could be the next target.

Judge Sullivan, who was appointed by President George W. Bush and later elevated to appeals judge by Trump, emphasized the importance of trusting the head of judicial security amidst uncertainties about potential threats to the federal bench.

While there is no evidence that Trump is considering revoking judges’ security, Judge Sullivan’s remarks highlighted the unease among judges about the agency responsible for their safety ultimately answering to the President through the Attorney General, without sufficient funding to address rising threats.

In a statement, the Marshall Services affirmed their commitment to following all legal orders from federal courts to ensure the protection of judges, jurors, and witnesses. However, concerns have been raised about the frozen court security funds at a time when threats to federal judges are on the rise.

Judge Robert J. Conrad Jr., in a letter to Congress, expressed disappointment that court security funds remain stagnant despite the escalating threats. The total amount spent has seen minimal increase, despite inflation and higher staff salaries.

The former US S’s responsibilities have expanded to include protecting the Supreme Court’s residence in response to growing threats. Concerns about the oversight of Marshall Services have led some to propose transferring control of the agency to the judiciary for better protection of judges.

As the threats to judges continue to increase, some members of Congress are considering legislation to make judicial security more independent. The former US S’s response to court orders and the potential interference from political branches remain critical issues to address for the safety of judges.

Despite the challenges, efforts to reduce Marshall Services to increase efficiency may impact the agency’s ability to fulfill its crucial mission of protecting judges and upholding court orders.

Source: www.nytimes.com

Plans for Increased Surveillance by ICE Contractors During Trump’s Immigration Crackdown | Technology

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GEO Group, the largest single private contractor for U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE), has expanded its surveillance operations to monitor hundreds of thousands or potentially millions of migrants.

Geo Group, a private prison company and parent company of Bi Inc, has been working with ICE for nearly two decades to oversee the agency’s electronic surveillance program. Currently, they are tracking approximately 186,000 immigrants using various devices like ankle monitors, smartwatches, and facial recognition apps, as reported by Public Ice Data. With the increasing demand from the administration of Donald Trump, which has promised significant deportations, company executives anticipate that this number will surpass the previous peak of 370,000 to 450,000 immigrants within the next year. This statement was made during the company’s fourth-quarter revenue call on Thursday morning.

“About two years ago, ISAP contract utilization peaked at around 370,000,” mentioned George Zorry, executive chair of GEO Group, during a revenue call discussing the ICE and GEO contract. “If the contract exceeds its previous peak usage, achieving revenues of $250 million is possible.”

The company is ramping up the production of additional GPS units in preparation for expanded ICE contracts. Executives suggest they can monitor “hundreds of thousands” of individuals and are positioning themselves to monitor even more, potentially reaching into the millions. Zoley mentioned that GEO Group and its competitor, Core Civic, will engage in conversations with ICE to expand current contracts and electronic monitoring for detention facilities.

“It’s a dynamic situation, rapidly evolving,” he stated. “We’ve shifted from initial proposals to detailed pricing and operational discussions. The procurement process is moving at an unprecedented pace. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Established in 2004 as an alternative to detention, the company’s extensive electronic surveillance program has been entrusted to Bi Inc, a subsidiary of Geo Group. Many individuals wearing ankle monitors raised concerns about overheating, discomfort, or tightness. The company has introduced SmartLink, a Smart Watch location tracker, and a smartphone app as less intrusive monitoring methods. However, during the revenue call on Thursday, executives expressed a desire to return to relying primarily on ankle monitors.

“Our top priority is ankle monitors for high-security monitoring,” Zoley emphasized.

While the company has not received indication from ICE about reissuing a new agreement for their electronic monitoring program, the executive team is focusing on expanding the number of individuals tracked through existing programs. Geo Group plans to invest $16 million to increase federal ISAP use and build up Ankle Monitor inventory to cater to hundreds of thousands and potentially millions of participants.

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Company officials believe that under the Laken Riley Act, immigrants charged with violent crimes or thefts must be monitored “indefinitely” under the ISAP program due to the risk they pose. Executives intend to expand the surveillance program to monitor an estimated 7-8 million individuals with non-decisive immigration statuses who entered the US through unauthorized routes. They are also preparing to monitor an estimated 95-100 million people in the United States.

“Given our population size, we view this as an opportunity to enhance detention capacity… The Laken Riley Act mandates a significant increase in electronic monitoring services to combat human trafficking involving individuals with non-decisive immigration statuses and ensure compliance with immigration court requirements,” Zoley stated.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Italian Immigration Agreement critic claims he was targeted by Israeli spyware, via Whatsapp

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An Italian vocal critic has been warned by WhatsApp about targeting military-grade spyware last week, raising concerns about potential use by a strong European government. A Libyan activist in Sweden, proposed Sweden, was also warned.

WhatsApp discovered that Husam El Gomati’s mobile phone, along with the phones of 89 other activists, journalists, and civil society members, were compromised in late December.

The messaging app, owned by Meta in California, stated that El Gomati and others may have been “compromised” by spyware created by Paragon Solutions, an Israeli-based company recently acquired by a US private equity firm.

Paragon declined to comment, but sources close to the company revealed that they had around 35 government customers, described as democratic governments.

Regarding El Gomati, Facebook shared a document from Libya linking him to a network involving Tripoli, Zawia, and the Italian Intelligence leader, connected to an illegal migration route and detention center, which was promptly discovered.

Criticism has been voiced for a long time about Italy supporting Libya’s coastal guards and militias to prevent people from crossing the Mediterranean, causing chaos among some activists.

El Gomati expressed concerns about protecting Libya’s confidential sources of information, highlighting the implications of Paragon’s spyware, called Graphite, which can intercept encrypted messages on apps like Signal and WhatsApp.

He emphasized the importance of safeguarding information as activists in Libya expose corruption and class control, stating that such issues can be a matter of life and death.

El Gomati mentioned the intrusive nature of spyware, particularly its ability to eavesdrop on conversations and access personal photos, raising significant privacy concerns.

Paragon, like other military-grade spyware manufacturers, was founded by former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, primarily selling spyware to government clients for targeting purposes. They reportedly secured a contract with the US Immigration Agency under the Biden administration, subject to review due to concerns about compliance with new regulations on spyware use.

El Gomati contacted The Guardian following a story about Italian investigative journalist Francesco Cancelleri, the Editor-in-Chief of a news outlet known as Fan Page.

While it’s unclear which government may have targeted El Gomati and Cancelleri, WhatsApp notified individuals in over 20 countries, including Europe, about potential surveillance.

There are ongoing concerns regarding the release of Osama Nazim, also known as Al-Ramli, the former chief of Libya’s judicial police, accused of war crimes and other offenses. The International Criminal Court has questioned Libya’s handling of his release and return without consultation.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Archaeologists say beach and underwater ruins in Sicily offer insights into early immigration

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Sicily is thought to be one of the first islands inhabited by humans during the European Upper Paleolithic period. Research to understand the early occupation of the island has focused primarily on the north coast. An international team of archaeologists led by Washington University in St. Louis is currently searching for signs of human habitation in 25 caves and trenches in southeastern Sicily, Italy.

Coastal and underwater cave sites in southern Sicily contain important new clues about the routes and fate of early human migrants to the island. Image credit: Ilaria Patania.

Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean, is considered by many scholars to be the oldest permanently inhabited island of human ancestors in the region, but it is unclear when and how these early settlers arrived. It remains unclear whether he accomplished this feat.

Although the island is less than three miles from mainland Italy, it would have been extremely difficult for early humans to cross the ocean.

In the ancient Greek poem The Odyssey, Homer describes Odysseus sailing past the mythical sea monsters Scylla and Charybdis as they crossed the Strait of Sicily.

This strait was well known to ancient sailors. They attributed the terrifying power of its waves and whirlpools to powerful monsters.

In modern times, thousands of migrants from North Africa attempt to cross the Channel each year. Many never make it, and some capsize just a few hundred meters from landing.

“We're not just looking for the first arrivals, we're looking for the first communities,” says Dr. Ilaria Patania, a researcher at Washington University in St. Louis.

“Understanding the timing of Sicily's early colonization provides important data on the patterns and modes of Sicily's early expansion. homo sapiens To the Mediterranean. ”

“This study shows that new ways of thinking and seeing can reveal previously invisible patterns,” added TR Kidder, a professor at Washington University in St. Louis.

“Previous scholars believed that the ruins on Sicily's southern coast were eroded or too damaged to yield useful information.”

“But discovering underwater ruins opens up a whole new area of ​​research.”

“This allows us to reconsider the migration routes of these earliest modern human ancestors.”

Scholars agree that humans reached Sicily by 16,000 years after the Last Glacial Maximum.

But that date is puzzlingly late, given that humans are known to have dispersed from land to Siberia about 30,000 years ago.

This discrepancy has led some to wonder whether humans actually reached Sicily long before the currently accepted date.

Also, no one yet knows whether humans arrived in Sicily by sea or by foot over a land bridge, or even from what direction.

“The challenge in understanding the spread of early modern human ancestors is that we don't fully understand how they spread and colonized the world so early on,” Professor Kidder said. said.

“Did people come across the Strait of Messina from Italy or from the south along the coast of Africa?”

“Or could they have been island hopping in the Mediterranean? Locating a location on the southern coast helps us consider their route, and therefore their mode of movement.”

“In southeastern Sicily, very few Upper Paleolithic sites have been excavated and analyzed using scientific methods,” Dr. Patania said.

“Although our project is still in its early stages, we have already identified and assessed more than 40 locations of interest, of which around 17 locations have been more accurately relocated based on older identification information. .”

Two of the new sites identified by the research team may contain evidence of Upper Paleolithic human occupation, including fossilized animals.

Coruzzi is located at the southernmost tip of Sicily. This site was originally identified by other researchers in the 1940s.

“This is the location where a second land bridge would have connected this island to Malta,” Dr Patania said.

“When we investigated this site, we found European wild donkey teeth and stone tools.”

“Analysis of the ruins at this site may provide insight into the final leg of the human journey south down Sicily's southernmost coast and towards Malta.”

In the summer of 2024, archaeologists began excavating the second site, a cave called Camporato.

“Here we found evidence of sea level changes caused by the last ice age and local earthquakes. We are still investigating,” Dr. Patania said.

“We reconstruct not only the period of human habitation, but also the environments in which these people lived and how they coped with natural phenomena such as earthquakes, climate and environmental changes, and even volcanic eruptions. I am thinking of doing so.”

of findings appear in the diary PLoS ONE.

_____

I. Patania others. 2024. Between land and sea: an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the early occupation of Sicily (EOS). PLoS ONE 19 (10): e0299118;doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299118

This article is a version of a press release provided by Washington University in St. Louis.

Source: www.sci.news