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Easter Island Statues Possibly Built by Independent Small Groups

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Moai Statues of Easter Island

Maurizio De Mattei/Shutterstock

The grand stone statues of Easter Island may have originated from diverse artistic and spiritual traditions, where multiple communities independently created their own massive carvings, rather than through a centralized effort led by a powerful ruler. This revelation aims to better identify the island’s primary quarries.

Easter Island, or Rapa Nui, located in the Pacific Ocean, is believed to have been settled by Polynesian navigators around 1200 AD.

Archaeological observations indicate that the Rapa Nui were not politically unified, prompting discussions on whether the numerous moai statues were produced under a centralized authority.

The island had only one quarry, Rano Raraku, that provided the volcanic rock utilized for the statue carvings.

Curl Lipo and his team at Binghamton University in New York employed drones and advanced mapping technology to develop the first 3D representation of the quarry, which holds many incomplete moai. Lipo noted that earlier studies yielded varying results regarding the number of moai remaining at the site.

Lipo and his associates documented 426 features representative of the moai at different completion stages, 341 grooves indicating the planned carving blocks, 133 carved cavities for removing the statues, and five bollards likely used for lowering the moai into position.

It was also noted that the quarry was divided into 30 distinct working areas, each functioning independently with various carving methods, according to Lipo.

The idea that small factions of workers may have relocated the moai statues, along with prior evidence of separate territories marked by groups at freshwater sources, hints that the statue carvings stemmed from community-level competition rather than centralized governance, Lipo explained.

“Monumentalism signifies a competitive display among peer communities instead of top-down mobilization,” he stated.

Historians continue to discuss the alleged decline of the Rapa Nui, with some contending that resource over-exploitation resulted in a severe social breakdown, while others challenge this narrative.

Lipo argues that the collapse theory presumes a centralized leadership pushed for monument construction, leading to deforestation and social disintegration. “However, if monuments are decentralized and arise from community competition rather than intentional expansion, then deforestation cannot be attributed to egotistical leadership,” Lipo comments.

Nevertheless, some researchers are skeptical about this perspective. Dale Simpson, from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, concurs there wasn’t a singular overarching chief as seen in other Polynesian regions such as Hawaii and Tonga; however, he suggests clans were not as isolated as proposed by Lipo and others, indicating there must have been collaboration among the groups.

“I think they’ve had a bit too much Kool-Aid and haven’t fully considered the limiting factors in a confined area like Rapa Nui, where stone is paramount. It’s not feasible to carve moai within a single clan without interaction and stone-sharing,” he notes.

Jo Ann Van Tilburg from the University of California, Los Angeles, mentioned that further investigations are in progress to ascertain how the Rapa Nui exploited Rano Raraku, asserting that the conclusions drawn by Lipo’s team appear “premature and overstated.”

Machu Picchu and the Science of the Incas: Peru

Immerse yourself in the vital ruins of the Inca civilization with two visits to Machu Picchu, and discover that the tale of the Incas encompasses much more than just one location.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Research Suggests Invasive Polynesian Rat Contributed Significantly to Easter Island Deforestation

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The ecological shifts experienced on Easter Island (Rapanui) represent one of the most illustrative yet contentious examples in environmental archaeology. This discussion centers around the Polynesian rat (brown rat) amid the island’s deforestation, an event that wiped out an estimated 15 million to 19.7 million palm trees, specifically the palm tree (pashalococcos disperta) between approximately 1200 and 1650 AD.

Easter Island, known as Rapa Nui to its early inhabitants, is one of the least populated islands in the world. It is located approximately 3,512 km from the west coast of Chile and about 2,075 km west of the nearest inhabited island, Pitcairn Island. For reasons still unclear, the early Rapa Nui people began carving giant statues from volcanic rock. These monumental statues, known as moai, are among the most remarkable ancient artifacts discovered. Image credit: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen / CC BY-SA 3.0.

Prior to human settlement, Rapa Nui was dominated by large palm trees of now-extinct varieties, including the Chilean wine palm (Jubaea chillensis).

These majestic trees can survive for up to 500 years, but are slow-growing, taking around 70 years to mature and bear fruit.

By the time Europeans arrived in 1722, very few palm trees remained. When European interest in the island’s ecosystem peaked, these trees had largely disappeared.

“European accounts often describe islands devoid of trees, yet they also mention palm trees and their fronds,” notes Carl Lipo, a professor at Binghamton University.

“It’s uncertain whether they used this term to denote other types of trees.”

When exploring new islands, Polynesians transported various subsistence items such as taro, sweet potatoes, bananas, yams, dogs, chickens, and pigs, along with the omnipresent Polynesian rat.

In contrast to the Norway rat (brown rat), which was introduced post-European contact and favors the tree canopy, this smaller arboreal species provides a wealth of information for researchers.

“Their genetics showcase unique haplotypes due to the ‘founder effect’,” explains Professor Lipo.

“The genetic diversity of rats as they traverse the Pacific allows us to trace human migrations and the frequency of these settlements.”

The methods by which these rats entered Polynesian outrigger canoes is debated. Were they stowaways or intentionally included as a backup food source? Ethnographic evidence leans toward the latter.

“After European arrival, a naturalist collecting specimens for the British Museum witnessed a man walking with a mouse, who informed him it was for lunch.”

Additionally, rat bones have been uncovered in midden deposits, or ancient refuse piles, on various Pacific islands.

Upon their arrival at Rapa Nui around 1200 AD, the rats discovered a predator-free paradise filled with their preferred foods.

Their population surged into the millions within a few years, as they can breed multiple times annually.

“The palm fruit was like candy to the rats. They turned into a significant food source,” Professor Lipo commented.

Rapa Nui’s palm trees had coevolved with birds and did not develop the boom-and-bust production cycle that would have enabled some nuts to withstand rodent exploitation.

As a result, rats consumed the palm fruit, preventing the next generation of trees from establishing.

Simultaneously, humans cleared land for sweet potato fields. This dual pressure led to the deforestation now characteristic of the island.

Alongside plants and animals, Polynesians also incorporated practices such as slash-and-burn agriculture to enhance soil fertility.

Old volcanic islands like Rapa Nui possess poor soil, and rainfall depletes nutrients.

Clearing or burning parts of the forest temporarily rejuvenates soil quality.

Once nutrients are exhausted, farmers relocate, the land recuperates, and trees regrow.

“This pattern is also observable in New Guinea and other regions across the Pacific,” Professor Lipo mentions.

“However, in Rapa Nui, the slow growth of trees and the rats consuming coconuts inhibited regrowth.”

Eventually, the islanders shifted to a farming technique that utilized stone mulch to enrich their crops.

While the reduction of palm forests marked a significant ecological transformation, it was not a disaster solely orchestrated by humans.

The islanders’ survival did not hinge on the palm trees; rather, it depended on the availability of cleared land for agriculture.

Moreover, palms are not hardwoods; they belong to the grass family and do not provide material for canoes, homes, or fuel.

“The loss of palm forests is unfortunate, yet it wasn’t catastrophic for the people,” states Professor Lipo.

“They didn’t rely on them for survival.”

Though some palms may have persisted into European colonization, the introduction of sheep farming in the 19th century likely sealed their extinction, as any remaining seedlings would be consumed by sheep.

Ironically, the Polynesian mouse suffered a similar fate to the palm trees, being outcompeted by Norway rats or predated by non-native species like hawks on most islands.

Despite changes in species, islanders still discuss the rodents’ cyclical population booms and severe declines.

The narrative of Rapa Nui exemplifies unintended consequences as well as resilience and adaptability in one of the most remote inhabited islands, with its closest neighbor situated 1,931 km (1,200 miles) away.

“A more nuanced perspective on environmental change is essential,” says Professor Lipo.

“We are integral to the natural world and often modify it for our benefit; however, this does not necessarily imply we are creating an unsustainable environment.”

Findings from this study will be published in the archeology journal.

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Terry L. Hunt and Carl P. Lipo. 2025. Re-evaluating the role of Polynesian rats (brown rat) in the deforestation of Rapa Nui (Easter Island): Faunal evidence and ecological modeling. archeology journal 184: 106388; doi: 10.1016/j.jas.2025.106388

Source: www.sci.news

Encounter Your Descendants and Future Self! Extended Travel to Reality Island at the Venice Film Festival

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In Guests, the largest cinema at the Venice Film Festival, will converge for the premiere of Frankenstein. The stunning portrayal of Guillermo del Toro mirrors that of the creator who played God and crafted a monster. When a young scientist resurrects a body for his peers, some see it as a deceit, while others react with anger. “It’s hateful and grotesque,” shouts a hidden elder, and his concern is partially warranted. Every technological advancement unseals Pandora’s box. I’m uncertain about what will be craved or where this will lead me.

Behind the main festival venue lies Lazarete Vecchio, a small, forsaken island. Since 2017, it has hosted Venice Immersive, an innovative section dedicated to showcasing and promoting XR (Extended Reality) storytelling. Previously, it served as a storage facility, and before that, as a plague quarantine zone. This year’s judge, Eliza McNitt, recalls a time when construction halted as human bones were uncovered. “There’s something unforgettable about presenting this new form of film at the world’s oldest film festival,” she remarks. “We are delving into the medium of the future, while conversing with ghosts.”

This year, the island is home to 69 distinct monsters, ranging from expansive walk-through installations to intricate virtual realms accessible via headsets. Naturally, Frankenstein’s creations draw the attention of its makers, and McNitt acknowledges similar worries surrounding immersive art, which is often intertwined with runaway technology that poses a threat to all of us, frequently associated with AI.

“Immersive storytelling is a fundamentally different discussion than AI,” she states. “Yet, there’s a palpable anxiety regarding what AI signifies for the film industry. It largely stems from the false belief that a mere prompt can conjure something magical. The reality is that utilizing AI tools to cultivate something personal and unique is a collaborative effort involving large teams of dedicated artists. AI is not a substitute for humans,” she emphasizes, “because AI lacks taste.”




“Each experience requires a leap of faith”… Zan Brooks, left, experiencing the reflection of a small red dot. Photo: Venice immersion

McNitt has embraced AI tools early on and recently employed them in the autobiographical film Ancestra, set for release in 2025. She suspects that other filmmakers are not far behind. “I believe this experience here is merely the beginning of experimenting with these tools,” she says. “But next year, we will likely see deeper involvement in all aspects of these projects.”

The immersive storytelling segment at the Venice Film Festival aligns seamlessly with the film itself, encouraging attendees to view it as a natural progression or heir to traditional cinema. Various mainstream Hollywood directors have already explored this avenue. For instance, Asteroids, a high-stakes space thriller about disastrous mining expeditions, led by Dagriman, the Swingers director, reflects this trend. His production partner, Julina Tatlock, states that the interactive short films effectively brought Liman back to his independent roots, allowing him to conceive and create projects free from studio constraints. Asteroids is a labor of love, entwining elements of a larger narrative that could still be recognized as a feature of conventional cinema. “Doug is fascinated by space,” she adds.

The clouds possess a similar cinematic quality, floating above 2000 meters. This passionate arthouse drama depicts a grieving family pursuing the spirits of their deceased wives through the pages of uncompleted novels. Taiwanese director Singing Chen, adept in both traditional film and VR, believes each medium possesses unique strengths. “Immersive art was a pathway to film,” she remarks. “Even with the arrival of film, still images retain their potency and significance; they do not overshadow photographs. They affect us in ways distinct from moving images.”

Films in the Venice lineup are largely familiar. We often recognize the actors and directors, allowing for intuitive engagement with the storylines. In contrast, the artwork on the island can span a vast range—from immersive videos and installations to interactive adventures and virtual worlds. In the afternoon space, visitors can engage with the interactivity of an arcade game featuring Samantha Gorman and Danny Canisarro’s faces, along with a whistletop tour of Singapore’s cultural history. Every experience demands a leap of faith and hinges on a willingness to get lost. You might stumble, but you may also soar.




Visitors often meander through a dazzling…dark room. Photo: Venice immersion

Three projects stand out from this year’s Venice showcase. The Ancestors by Steye Hallema are lively ensemble interactives where visitors first form pairs, then expand into large families, viewing photos of their descendants on synchronized smartphones. This experience is unique in its pure focus on community, joyful yet slightly chaotic, embodying the essence of a good family. If Ancestors emphasizes relationship significance, here the form and content are beautifully synchronized.

The extraordinary blur by Craig Quintero and Phoebe Greenberg (likely the most sought-after ticket on the island) explores themes of cloning and identity, Genesis and extinction, requiring an impromptu immersive theater approach. It shifts perspectives, creating a bizarre, provocative, and enticing experience. As it concludes, users face a chilling VR representation of aging—a messenger from the future. The eerie, decrepit figure approaching me made me feel a year or two older than I actually am.

If there’s a real-world parallel to the Frankenstein scene, where an enraged scientist screams “hate” and “obscene,” it occurs when a middle-aged Italian finds himself in a dispute with the producer of sensory installations dubbed the Dark Room as he ferries to the island. He accuses the producer of being a Satanist. They assure him it’s not the case. “Maybe it’s not,” he responds. “But you did Satan’s bidding.” In truth, dark rooms are splendid and not at all demonic. Co-directed by Mads Damsbo, Laurits Flensted-Jensen, and Anne Sofie Steen Sverdrup, this vivid ritual tale immerses participants in a dynamic, intense journey through various corners of queer subculture, nightclubs, and backrooms, ultimately leading them across the sea. It’s captivating, disquieting, and profoundly moving. Visitors often navigate aimlessly, as I noted.

Initially, many stories at Venice oversimplified the experiences to comfort newcomers intimidated by technology. However, the medium is now gaining assurance. It has matured from its infancy to adolescence. This art form has evolved to become more robust, daring, and psychologically intricate. It’s no coincidence that many immersive experiences at Venice explore themes of ancestors and descendants, examining the connections between both. Moreover, numerous experiences unfold in mobile environments, fragile bridges, and open elevators. The medium reveals its current state—somewhere between stages of transit, perpetually evolving. It journeys between worlds, fervently seeking its future trajectory.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Helgorand: Exploring the Past and Future of Quantum Physics on a Tiny Island

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Helgoland Island occupies a nearly mythical position in quantum mechanics history

Shutterstock/Markus Stappen

Having attended numerous scientific conferences, the recent one on Helgoland Island, marking a century of quantum mechanics, stands out as one of the most peculiar, in a positive sense.

This tiny German island, stretching less than a kilometer in the North Sea, exudes the ambiance of a coastal resort. Even during summer, its charm wanes, giving way to the scent of quaint streets filled with souvenir shops, fish eateries, and ice cream stalls. Picture cutting-edge experimenters in Quantum Technologies casually mingling after discussions at the town hall beside a miniature golf course—it’s quite an experience.

Our purpose here becomes evident as we stroll along the cliffside road, where a bronze plaque commemorates physicist Werner Heisenberg’s purported invention of quantum mechanics in 1925. While it sounds intriguing, it’s an embellishment; Heisenberg merely outlined some concepts here. The more recognized formulation came from Erwin Schrödinger in early 1926, who introduced wave functions to predict quantum system evolutions.

Nonetheless, this year clearly holds significance as we commemorate a century of quantum mechanics. Regardless of how much of Helgoland’s narrative stems from Heisenberg’s own embellishments—he recounted his breakthrough there several years later—this “Remote Control Island” serves as a unique venue for celebratory gatherings.

And what a celebration it is! It’s almost surreal to witness such a congregation of renowned quantum physicists. Among them are four Nobel laureates: Alain Aspect, David Wineland, Anton Zeilinger, and Serge Haroche. Collectively, they’ve validated the bizarre aspects of quantum mechanics, showcasing how the characteristics of one particle can instantaneously influence another, no matter the distance. They’ve also developed techniques to manipulate individual quantum particles, crucial for quantum computing.

In my view, these distinguished individuals would concur that the younger generation is poised to delve deeper into the implications of quantum mechanics, transforming its notoriously counterintuitive essence into new technologies and a better understanding of nature. Quantum mechanics is renowned for encompassing multiple interpretations of its mathematical framework concerning reality, with many seasoned experts firmly entrenched in their perspectives.

Helgoland’s plaque honors Werner Heisenberg’s role in quantum mechanics

Philip Ball

This divisive sentiment was noticeable during Zeilinger and Aspect’s evening panel discussion. Jill’s Brothers pioneered quantum cryptography at the University of Montreal.

In fairness to the veterans, their theories emerged under considerable skepticism from their peers, particularly regarding the significance of examining such foundational concerns. They navigated an era where “silent calculations” were prevalent—a term coined by American physicist David Mermin to describe how it was frowned upon to ponder the implications of quantum mechanics beyond merely solving the Schrödinger equation. It’s no wonder they developed thick skins.

In contrast, younger researchers seem more pragmatic in their approach to quantum theories, often adopting various interpretations as tools to address specific challenges. Elements of the Copenhagen interpretation and the multiverse theory are intertwined, not as definitive claims about reality, but as frameworks for analysis.

The new wave of researchers, such as Vedika Khemani from Stanford University, are actively bridging condensed matter physics and quantum information. I heard her highlight the evolution from storing information on magnetic tapes in the 1950s to the crucial error correction techniques in today’s quantum computing.

Quantum mechanics applications are on the rise, with theorists also stepping up their game. For instance, Flaminia Giacomini at the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich spoke about her pursuit of reconciling the granular quantum realm with the smooth continuous world required for quantum gravity, offering profound insights into the essence of quantum mechanics.

While some may consider this exploration to be veering into the realm of speculation, as seen in string theory attempts, Giacomini asserted, “There is no experimental evidence that gravity should be quantized.” Hence, empirical validation remains elusive, despite a wealth of theoretical discourse.

Excitingly, there are plans to test hypotheses in the not-so-distant future. For instance, examining whether two objects can entangle purely through gravitational interactions is a goal. The difficulty is ensuring the objects are substantial enough to exert meaningful gravitational pull while being sufficiently small to demonstrate quantum characteristics. Several speakers expressed confidence in overcoming this hurdle within the next decade.

The conference revealed the interconnectedness of quantum theories and experiments: perturbing one aspect inevitably influences others. Gaining a nuanced understanding of quantum gravity through delicate experiments involving trapped particles could shed light on black hole information paradoxes and inspire innovative ideas for quantum computing and the nature of quantum states.

Ultimately, achieving progress in any of these areas appears promising for uncovering the enduring questions that have fascinated Heisenberg and his contemporaries. What occurs when we measure quantum particles? However, rather than perceiving it as a repetitive struggle, it’s clear that quantum mechanics is much more sophisticated and intriguing than the founders ever envisaged.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

The Venice Biennale: A Magical Island Inspired by Mexico

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Small urban farms in Mexico City, referred to as Chinampas, employ a distinctive farming technique. Rather than transporting water to the land, Chinampas bring the land into the water.

Dating back over 1,000 years, the Chinampas were developed by Aztec farmers who constructed rectangular plots on expansive lakes to cultivate food for Tenochitlan. At one time, tens of thousands of these plots existed, organized in precise grids with narrow canals between them; however, many were damaged or abandoned after Hernan Cortes and his Spanish troops changed the region’s civil structure in 1521.

Yet, the Chinampas in Xochimilco continue to thrive in South Mexico City, despite pressures from developers and competition with industrial farms. The sustainable farming methods are gaining renewed interest amid the challenges of climate change and prolonged drought.

Could other regions around the globe adopt the concept of “floating islands,” as these fields are sometimes termed? A group of Mexican designers, landscapers, and farmers believes that this ancient technology could be adapted widely. They aim to replicate the Chinampas for their country’s pavilion at this year’s Venice Architectural Biennale.

“Chinampas boast a simple, clever design that has emerged collectively, benefiting not just people but all surrounding life,” remarked Lucio Usobia, who has dedicated the last 15 years to preserving the remaining Chinampas through his nonprofit, Arca Tierra.

The Mexican pavilion aligns perfectly with the major exhibition “Intelligent. Natural. Artificial.” The Chinampas are both artificial and organic, thriving only when there’s a close gaze on the rows of corn and inhabited plots, alongside farmers, policymakers, and tourists embarking on popular canoe tours.

Promoting the Chinampas as an eco-friendly design inspiration was an obvious choice for the Biennale, the team members stated. “Venice, built on water, shares vulnerabilities with Xochimilco,” mentioned Ana Paula Ruiz Galindo, the founder of the design company Pedro y Juana.

They highlighted that Venice and Xochimilco were both designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the same year, 1987, and that both places are waterborne communities where boats navigate, striving to balance tourism’s benefits and drawbacks.

Venice boasts its iconic gondolas, while Xochimilco features brightly decorated flat boats, known as trajineras, which take visitors on festive rides. Both types of boats are maneuvered by pilots using long poles.

Creating a replica of the Chinampas on-site required imagination and compromise.

The Aztecs methodically built the islands over time using branches and reeds to establish borders at the bottom. This allowed for layered sediment and decomposed vegetation to accumulate until the islands emerged above the water’s surface for cultivation. In addition to crops like corn, beans, and squash, traditional agricultural methods known as milpas are also utilized to naturally enrich soil nutrients by planting trees at the island’s corners.

The Mexican pavilion is situated in the Biennale’s Arsenale complex, featuring a scaled-down version at a mere fraction of the typical 500 square meters (0.12 acres) of a traditional Chinampa. A video produced in Mexico City, showcasing authentic Chinamperos, enhances the exhibition, complemented by bleacher seating along the walls. Artificial light simulates sunlight for the plants.

At the center lies a functional garden filled with vegetables, flowers, and herbs. (The plants originated from Italian nurseries and were transported by boat to the Arsenale in mid-April.) They will be in full bloom during the Biennale, which runs until November 23rd.

“By the end of the Biennale, we can harvest corn and make tortillas,” Usobia shared. “Before that, we can gather beans, squash, tomatoes, and chili.”

Visitors will have a chance to learn about unique seed cultivation techniques specific to Chinampas and even plant their seedlings by themselves.

Acknowledging local agricultural practices, Chinampas will also incorporate a version of Vite Maritata, an ancient Etruscan method that involves planting grapes alongside trees, thus creating a natural trellis system for the grapes. The exhibition team is investigating the synergy between these two agricultural immersion methods, blending trees and crops into a cohesive ecosystem.

“We observe a dialogue between these ancient cultures and discuss how we can progress,” noted Usobia.

The exhibition team emphasized their intention to avoid overly romanticizing the Chinampas, acknowledging the challenges of scaling practices to feed today’s population. The farms thrive in Mexico City because they are situated in a lake, allowing for manageable water control levels. In contrast, Venice, located in a lagoon adjacent to the sea, faces constant threats from flooding.

Additionally, the economics of small farms are challenging, with high production costs and low yields making profitability difficult. Many farmworkers receive inadequate wages and the repetitive nature of planting and harvesting jobs has diminished their appeal.

“This is a significant concern here. Young people, in particular, are less inclined to work on Chinampa farms,” stated Maria Maria de Buen, the graphic designer for the team.

Indeed, many Chinampas in Xochimilco lie fallow as their owners struggle to make a living. Some have been repurposed into soccer fields for community rental, while others serve as venues for events like weddings and birthday parties. Despite official restrictions against development, cattle grazing, and hunting for endangered species, such activities occur frequently.

Still, the team perceives the crucial connection between nature and urban development, advocating for the integration of existing water resources within residential and educational spaces as essential inspiration. Architects visiting the Biennale may not be able to design extensive agricultural landscapes, but they can adapt existing conditions to replicate ideas on a smaller scale, suggested Jachen Schleich, principal of the Mexico City architectural firm Dellekamp + Schleich.

“If someone executes this in their backyard, they could at least feed their family, or the people on the fourth floor of their building. It could serve as a micro-intervention in a landscape or public space.”

Source: www.nytimes.com

Research: Seafaring hunter-gatherers reached a remote island well before the arrival of farmers

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The discovery of stone tools, hearths and cooked food waste at a cave site in Latniya on the Mediterranean island of Malta indicates that hunter-gatherers had crossed at least 100 km of open water to arrive on the island 8,500 years ago.

Hunters and Gatherers had crossed at least 100 km of open water to arrive in Malta 8,500 years ago. Image credits: Daniel Clark/MPI GEA.

Maltese archipelago is a chain of smallest islands in the Mediterranean.

Humans were not thought to have reached and lived such a small, isolated island, about 7,500 years ago, until the Neolithic regional shift to life.

In the standard view, the limited resources and ecological vulnerability of the small island, combined with the technical challenges of long-distance sailors, meant that hunter-gatherers were unable or unfulfilled to take these journeys.

“Relying on the use of sea-level currents and wind breezes, as well as the practice of exploring landmarks, stars and other paths, there is a crossing of about 100 km per hour at a speed of about 4 km per hour.

“Even on the longest day of the year, these sailors would have been open water in the darkness of hours.”

At the site of a cave in Latniya in the northern Merry area of ​​Malta, researchers discovered human traces in the form of stone tools, hearths and cooked food waste.

“At this location, we recovered a variety of animals, including hundreds of bodies of deer, birds, turtles and foxes,” said Dr. Matthew Stewart, a researcher at Griffith University.

“Some of these wildlife were long thought to have been extinct by this point,” added Professor Eleanor Scerri, a geographer at the Max Planck Institute and a researcher at the University of Malta.

“They were hunting and cooking red deer with turtles and birds.

In addition to this, scientists have found clear evidence regarding the exploitation of marine resources.

“We found that seals, groupers, thousands of edible marine gastropods, crabs and sea urchin debris all cooked undoubtedly,” said Dr. James Brinkhorn, a geography researcher at the University of Liverpool and the Max Planck Institute.

“The diverse range of terrestrial areas, particularly the incorporation of the ocean fauna into their diet, have enabled these hunter-gatherers to maintain themselves on an island as small as Malta,” Dr. Stewart said.

These findings raised questions about the extinction of endemic animals in Malta and other small Mediterranean islands, and whether distant Messium Age communities are linked through seafarers.

“The results add a millennium to Maltese prehistoric times and enforce a reassessment of the capabilities of Europe’s last hunter-gatherer sailors, and its connections and ecological impacts,” Professor Scerri said.

Team’s paper It was published in the journal today Nature.

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EML Scerri et al. The marine voyage of hunter-gatherers has been extended to remote Mediterranean islands. NaturePublished online on April 9, 2025. doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08780-y

Source: www.sci.news

A Study on the Unique Variety of Camellia sinensis Found in the Tea Plant of Hainan Island

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Tea (Camellia sinensis) originated in China more than 3,000 years ago and evolved from a medicinal herb to a widely consumed beverage. Although there is considerable research focusing on tea plants in southwestern China, research on tea plants has received little attention. Hainan Island. Remarkable similarities between Hainanese tea and tea leaves Camellia sinensis variable Asamika Along with the island’s unique geographic and climatic conditions, research on Hainanese tea presents significant challenges. A new study fills this gap by collecting 500 tea tree samples from Hainan and using whole-genome resequencing to examine differences between Hainanese teas and cultivars. Camellia sinensis.

Guo others. A clear taxonomic position of Hainan tea was confirmed. Camellia sinensis providing valuable insights into resource conservation and molecular breeding. Image credit: Lin2015.

Tea is the oldest recorded tree crop in China, with a history of cultivation spanning more than 3,000 years.

Originally used as a medicinal herb with roots dating back approximately 5,000 years, it later evolved into a widely consumed beverage.

Tea plants grown worldwide are divided into two main groups. Camellia sinensis variable sinensis and Camellia sinensis variable Asamika.

Hainan Island, located in the northern part of the South China Sea, has a rich history of tea cultivation and has vast plantation areas.

There were reports that Hainan Island had abundant tea plant resources at the end of the Qing Dynasty.

For example, American missionary and botanist Benjamin Couch Henry discovered significant numbers of wild tea plants during his extensive explorations of the Li region of Hainan province, indicating that the island had an ancient tea plant resource. I have confirmed that it is plentiful.

Since the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau is widely recognized as a potential geographic origin of tea, most studies on tea population genomics have focused on southwestern China, especially Camellia sinensis variable Asamika Despite the large number of varieties, research on Hainan tea plants remains relatively sparse.

“Our study clarifies the taxonomic position of Hainan tea and highlights the importance of conservation and molecular breeding efforts,” said researcher Dazhong Guo of Yunnan Agricultural University and colleagues.

In this study, the authors analyzed 500 tea plant samples (including those from ancient tea plants) collected from four major tea-producing regions in Hainan province: Ledong, Qiongzhong, Baisha, and Wuzhishan. The genome sequence was analyzed.

They acquired a total of 6.9 terabytes of raw sequencing data, which they filtered and aligned with a reference genome (Yunkang 10), achieving a final average alignment rate of 98.98%.

After variant calling, 32,334,340 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified, the majority of which were located in intergenic regions and a small number in exonic regions.

Phylogenetic analysis using SNP data revealed that Hainan tea samples formed a distinct cluster separate from the overall tea leaves. Camellia sinensis variable sinensis and Camellia sinensis variable Asamika There is a significant geographic concentration within the Rim Mountain region, but no clear pattern elsewhere.

Population structure analysis further confirmed that Hainan tea exhibits a unique genetic composition compared to global varieties.

Principal component analysis (PCA) supported these findings and showed that Hainan tea is genetically different from other teas. Camellia sinensis variable sinensis and Camellia sinensis variable Asamikabut shares some genetic similarities with their global counterparts. Camellia sinensis variable Asamika.

Moreover, gene flow analysis suggested limited historical movement between Hainan tea and other tea varieties, reinforcing its unique genetic lineage.

Kinship analysis showed that the close genetic relationships observed in certain Hainanese tea samples were influenced by human activities in managed tea plantations.

Genetic diversity analysis revealed that the Hainan Island and Lim Mountains populations had higher levels of diversity compared to other populations. Camellia sinensis variable sinensis and Camellia sinensis variable Asamikathere is minimal genetic differentiation between Hainan tea and Limshan tea.

These results highlight the unique evolutionary trajectory of Hainan tea, provide valuable insights into its genetic background, and provide implications for conservation and breeding strategies.

The genetic uniqueness and high diversity of Hainan tea highlight its potential as a valuable resource for future breeding programs.

“Our research provides a deeper understanding of biological evolution. Camellia sinensis The stage is now set for further studying the genetic basis of Hainan's amazing plants,” the researchers said.

Their paper Published in a magazine agricultural biodiversity.

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Guo Dazhong others. 2024. Genome resequencing reveals genes with unique origins Camellia sinensis Variety – Hainanese tea. agricultural biodiversity 1 (1): 3-12;doi: 10.48130/abd-0024-0003

Source: www.sci.news

The ancient inhabitants of Easter Island journeyed to South America

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The famous Moai statues of Easter Island

Tero Hakala/Shutterstock

DNA analysis of ancient ruins on Easter Island has revealed that the population was actually growing when Europeans arrived, rather than plummeting as some history books have reported.

The findings also indicate that there was contact between the inhabitants of this island and those of South America long before the arrival of Europeans. This island and its people are also known as Rapa Nui.

Located in the Pacific Ocean 3,500 km from South America, Rapa Nui is one of the most isolated inhabited islands on Earth. Polynesians first settled here around 1200 AD, when palm forests covered 164 square kilometers of the island.

By the time Europeans arrived in 1722, rats and excessive logging had almost completely destroyed the vegetation, and the island’s history has often been portrayed as an example of the unsustainable exploitation of ecosystems and their subsequent collapse after human population growth.

The researchers worked closely with representatives of the Rapa Nui community, and one of their aims was to verify that the people on display at the museum were in fact from the island, as efforts to repatriate remains are underway, led by modern residents.

The findings showed that 15 people who died in the past 500 years were from Rapa Nui.

Populations that are experiencing bottlenecks due to population decline will show signals in their DNA that indicate reduced genetic diversity, Moreno-Mayer said.

“We use statistical methods that allow us to reconstruct the genetic diversity of the Rapa Nui population over the past few thousand years,” he says, “and intriguingly, we find no evidence of the dramatic population decline around 1600 that would be predicted by collapse theory.”

Instead, the findings suggest that Rapa Nui’s population grew steadily until the 1860s, when slave traders abducted hundreds of islanders and many more died in a smallpox epidemic.

The study also identified regions of DNA in the ancient Rapa Nui genome that were of Native American origin, and the analysis suggests that mixing between these populations occurred around the 1300s.

“Our interpretation is that the ancestors of Rapa Nui first settled on the island and then returned to the Americas shortly thereafter,” Moreno-Mayer says.

Previous studies have also cast doubt on the idea of population decline. Carl Lipo The researcher, from New York’s Binghamton University, said it was
“fantastic” to see that a completely independent body of evidence points to the same conclusion his team reached in a paper published earlier this year using radiocarbon and archaeological evidence.

He said the research confirmed that the island was inhabited by people who lived resilient and successful lives before Europeans arrived.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

An ancient stone bridge dating back 5,600 years signals the early settlement of humans on the Spanish island of Mallorca

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Archaeologists say Genovesa Cave Discovered in Mallorca, the main Balearic island and the Mediterranean's sixth largest, the find suggests that humans settled in the western Mediterranean much earlier than previously thought.

5,600-year-old underwater stone bridge in Genovesa Cave, Mallorca, Spain. Image courtesy of R. Landreth.

Limited archaeological evidence makes it difficult to reconstruct early human colonization of the Balearic Islands in the western Mediterranean.

By studying the 7.7-metre (25-foot) submerged bridge, Professor Bogdan Onak of the University of South Florida and his colleagues were able to provide compelling evidence of prior human activity within Genovesa Cave.

“The presence of this underwater bridge and other artefacts indicates a high level of activity and suggests that early settlers were aware of the cave's water resources and strategically built infrastructure to navigate through them,” Prof Onak said.

Genovesa Cave, located near the coast of Mallorca, has had parts of its passage flooded by rising sea levels and has clear calcite deposits when sea levels were higher.

These layers, along with the light-colored bands on the submerged bridge, act as markers to precisely track historical sea-level changes and pinpoint the date of the bridge's construction.

Previous studies had suggested a human presence at the site as far back as 9,000 years ago, but inconsistencies in nearby carbon-dated bones, pottery and other evidence, as well as poor preservation, had left the findings in doubt.

Recent studies have used charcoal, ash and bones found on the island to create a timeline of human settlement dating back about 4,400 years ago.

This allows the timeline of human presence to coincide with important environmental events, such as the extinction of the goat antelope. Myotragus balearix.

By analysing the bridge's mineral overgrowths and the height of the bridge's colour bands, the authors found that the bridge was built around 6,000 years ago – more than 2,000 years older than previous estimates, narrowing the gap in the timelines between eastern and western Mediterranean settlements.

“The history of the bridge's construction appears to be closely linked to the rapid Holocene sea-level rise just before 6,000 years ago and the brief period of sea-level stillness that caused parts of the upper part of the cave to be flooded,” the researchers said.

“Our chronology shows that sea-level rise stopped and stabilized for several hundred years, between 5,964 and 5,359 years ago. During this time, so-called phreatic expansions of speleothems (POS) formed in the cave lake and the characteristic 'bathtub ring' formed on the bridge.”

“Construction of the bridge probably began early in this period, as it was needed to cross the 0.25 metre deep lake, but it must have been completed before 5,600 years ago, when the upper part of the bridge was submerged.”

“Evidence suggests that humans constructed a cobblestone path and a sturdy bridge leading to the cave's water pool, facilitating access to the only dry part of the cave, located in the Sala d'Entrada across the lake.”

“The exact reason these structures in Genovesa Cave were built remains unclear.”

“However, the dating constraints imposed by the depth of the bridge, and the similar depths at which the POS and colour marks are found, support the idea that early humans were present on the island by 5,600 years ago, potentially extending the date back to 6,000 years ago.”

a paper A paper describing the findings was published in the journal Neurology today. Communication Earth and the Environment.

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BP Onac others2024. An underwater bridge built at least 5,600 years ago marks early human arrival on the Spanish island of Mallorca. Community Global Environment 5, 457; doi: 10.1038/s43247-024-01584-4

Source: www.sci.news

Discovery of Giant Fossil Legume Seed from Extinct Plant in Borneo Island, Indonesia

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Paleontologists unearthed three large seeds (up to 7.2 centimeters long) and 43 fossil leaves of the ancient legume at the Wahana Baratama coal mine near Satui in South Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo.

Juntungspermum gunneriImages/Photos Courtesy of: Spagnuolo others., doi: 10.1086/730538.

The newly identified legume lived in Southeast Asia between 40 and 34 million years ago (the Eocene Epoch).

Named Juntungspermum gunneriIt is very similar to the Australian black bean plant. Cassis.

“The tree currently occurs only in the coastal rainforests of northern Australia and nearby islands,” said Professor Peter Wilf of Pennsylvania State University and his colleagues.

Paleontologists found three fossil seeds, 43 leaves and pollen samples. Juntungspermum gunneri of Tanjun Formation South Kalimantan, Indonesian Borneo.

Also found were fossil tracks of a variety of birds, burrowing evidence of marine invertebrates, and the fossil remains of turtles.

“The seeds Juntungspermum gunneri “Apart from coconuts and other palm trees, it is one of the largest in the fossil record,” the researchers said.

“They probably grew up to a metre (3 feet) in length – about the length of a baseball bat – and in pods that could hold up to five seeds.”

“This fossil is the oldest legume fossil ever found in the Malay Archipelago and the first fossil record of a plant related to the black bean plant anywhere in the world.”

The researchers suggest that ancestors of the black bean plant migrated from Asia to Australia during a plate collision that brought the continents closer together, allowing for the exchange of plants and animals between the continents.

“The collision of the Southeast Asian and Australian plates, which began approximately 20 million years ago and is ongoing today, has led to a large-scale exchange of plant and animal species between the two continents,” the researchers said.

“This discovery provides the first macrofossil evidence of a migration of plant lineages from Asia to Australia following the Asia-Australia tectonic collision.”

“These fossil seeds are Cassis “They migrated from Southeast Asia to Australia during a tectonic collision and then became extinct in Asia,” said Edward Spagnolo, a doctoral student at Pennsylvania State University.

“This proposal runs counter to most of the existing direct macrofossil evidence of plant migration, which shows lineages migrating from Australia into Asia.”

of result Appears in International Journal of Plant Science.

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Edward J. Spagnuolo others2024. Giant seeds of extant Australian legumes are discovered in Eocene Borneo (South Kalimantan, Indonesia). International Journal of Plant Sciencein press; doi: 10.1086/730538

Source: www.sci.news

Review of Crush House: A Dark and Twisted Love Island Experience in a Gaming World

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TThe Crush House developer Nerial describes the game as a “first-person shooter,” which is a surprisingly accurate tagline. On the Malibu coastline, a grand vaporwave-and-neon mansion stands. Producer Jae sleeps in a bleak little basement below. Your job is to roam the house from behind the camera, filming the reality show’s hot and sexy cast. You pick a panel of 12 for each season, chase them around the glitzy grounds, and make sure they fight, kiss, or both to boost ratings and satisfy viewers. You’re free to move around, but you’re warned never to talk to the cast. As the tagline suggests, the game certainly has a first-person shooter vibe, but instead of a gun, you’re brandishing a camera. Think sexy Pokémon Snap.

Every night a different demographic tunes in, and all of them have very specific needs. Some want to see drama, some want to see art in the house, some want to see food being prepared, and of course some want to see detailed, zoomed-in looks at feet, lots of feet, or other body parts. Your job is to satisfy them all, or risk your show being canceled.




What a surprise…Crash House. Photography: Devolver Digital

This makes the play experience a fun and surprising cinematography simulator. Audience requests scroll across the screen, telling you where the cast sleeps, asking where you shower, asking if anyone will kiss you even once. They’re weirdos, but if you don’t listen to them, you’re fired. The script is sharp, funny, and sometimes a little shocking. Definitely one of the funniest games I’ve played this year. Conversations between cast members are algorithmically executed. Each of the 12 brings something slightly different to the table, and different possibilities for getting along or clashing with the other housemates. This means every combination is a surprise. If one set doesn’t work out, you can try a different combination in the next season. The housemates don’t care. You come back fresh, as if your memory has been wiped, or worse.

At night, when the housemates have retired to bed, the player re-enters the house and adds props to make it more interesting. These props (some of which match the interests of the housemates) cost money earned by running surreal advertisements during the day. Another challenge is finding a balance between the advertisements and the viewers who might enjoy them. Of course, more engaged viewers bring in more money, which might allow you to buy a sauna, a lighthouse, a saxophone, etc. – all things that make the house more interesting.

But as you set up your props after dark, you might bump into an escaped housemate who asks you for a favor: more airtime, a specific angle, a personal request to be filmed flirting with two people to really piss your mom off. It’s up to you to decide if you want to grant it or not. Going this route will reveal the stories behind the poolside fun and deep chats by the bonfire. Of course, there’s more going on than meets the eye. What fun it will be to discover the darkness that lingers behind the neon lights.

If The Crush House was simply a smart, funny photography and cinematography game, I would have been pleased and pleased. But the game offers players much more than that. Beneath the snappy text and playful design, it also has a quirky heart. It’s worth noting that the review build still had its moments of glitches, but the strength of the idea and execution far outweighs any technical issues. This in itself is remarkable. The Crush House is so much fun that I didn’t want to turn it off, even when some parts were a little broken. It’s a great way to spend the last cool evenings of summer, and the season ahead.



Crash House is available on PC

Source: www.theguardian.com

Photos Show Plastic Threatening Bird Populations on Paradise Island

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Lord Howe Island

Neil Hadaway

Jutting out into the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand is the curved, crescent-shaped volcanic remnant of Lord Howe Island. Measuring 10 kilometres in length and 2 kilometres at its widest point, the rocky island is covered in lush, unspoiled forest and boasts a sandy, coral-rich lagoon.

“This is paradise.” Neil HadawayA photographer who went there to document the activities of the marine research group. drifting“There are birdsongs all around, beautiful coral reefs and golden sand beaches.” Among the bird calls is the shearwater (Aldena CarneipesOf the total, approximately 22,000 breed on the island.

Petrel chick (Ardenna carneipes)

Neil Hadaway

But life there is not ideal, and newly hatched petrel chicks, like the one pictured above, are under threat from increasing marine plastic pollution. Adult petrels mistake plastic debris in the sea for food and end up feeding it to their young. In fact, Adrift researchers have found that the amount of plastic ingested by chicks is increasing every year. One of the team, pictured below, sifts through chunks of plastic in the stomach of just one bird.

As a result, these chicks become increasingly underdeveloped, with dozens dying each year from starvation and plastic-related diseases.

“This island may be magical,” Hadaway said, “but it's also full of frustration and sadness.”

He says stricter laws against plastic pollution are needed to protect populations of petrels, which locals affectionately call “muttonbirds” (see above) after their taste.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Review of Riven: A modern, intense reimagining of the beloved 90s island adventure classic

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TThe best-selling PC game of 1997, Riven It now seems like a relic of a lost creative era. Set on a sunlit archipelago that would be swarming with Instagram influencers if it were real, the game combines computer-generated stills from postcards with live-action footage to create an elaborate island-scale escape room. Packed across five CDs, the game is a technical marvel, but its depths were only understood by those with the tenacity and tenacity to master lateral thinking. Few designers have come close to matching ingenuity or ability since. Riven– Similarities; the memory sank like a pebble in a still ocean.

After 30 years, this remake is back Riven The mysterious and enchanting world of Islands is recreated as a fully realized destination. To explore these islands, you walk over scorched cliffs and through stone-cold tunnels, rather than clicking through richly rendered still images (there’s also the option to play with a VR headset, for those ready and equipped for it). The basic beats and rhythms will be familiar to fans; you’ll still be playing with a mouse in one hand and a notebook in the other, cracking codes and figuring out how the world’s creaky underlying mechanisms fit together. But much has also changed, including the solutions to some of the puzzles. And there are new characters, including a star-studded appearance by real-life investigative journalist Ronan Farrow (who, along with his mother, actor Mia Farrow, is an avid fan of the islands). Riven And its predecessor mist).

The oppressive, murky pace won’t be to everyone’s tastes, and you’ll need a powerful machine to recreate the world as the author intended, but surprisingly, Riven‘s mystical powers have only grown stronger with each passing year. There’s nothing quite like it. As many of us count the days until summer vacation, it’s a destination without tourists, with lush scenery and tricky puzzles that, when solved, provide an invigorating, satisfying feeling.

Source: www.theguardian.com

The mammoth population on Wrangel Island remained stable before extinction

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Mammoth (Mammutus primigenius) is isolated Wrangel Island Mammoths were discovered off the coast of Siberia approximately 10,000 years ago and survived for over 200 generations before going extinct approximately 4,000 years ago. To study the evolutionary events leading up to their extinction, scientists analyzed the genomes of 21 Siberian mammoths and found that mammoth populations recovered quickly from a severe bottleneck and remained demographically stable for the next 6,000 years.

Three mammoths (Mammutus primigenius) walks up a snow-covered hill with snow-capped mountains rising behind him above a dense green forest of fir trees. Image by Daniel Eskridge.

“We can confidently reject the idea that the population was so small that it was destined to go extinct for genetic reasons,” said Dr Love Dalen, an evolutionary geneticist at the National Academy of Sciences of Canada. Center for PaleogeneticsIt is a joint collaboration between the Swedish Museum of Natural History and Stockholm University.

“This means that it was probably just a chance event that caused the mammoths to go extinct, and if that chance event hadn't occurred, mammoths would still be around today.”

“In addition to shedding light on the population dynamics of woolly mammoths, analysis of the Wrangel Island mammoths could inform conservation strategies for this currently endangered animal.”

“The mammoth is an excellent system for understanding the ongoing biodiversity crisis and what happens from a genetic perspective when a species experiences a population bottleneck, because it reflects the fate of many modern populations,” said Dr Marianne DeHask, also from the Centre for Palaeogenetics.

To understand the genomic impact of the Wrangel Island bottleneck on mammoth populations, the researchers analyzed the genomes of 21 woolly mammoths, 14 from Wrangel Island and seven from the mainland population that existed before the bottleneck.

Overall, the samples span the woolly mammoth's existence over the past 50,000 years and provide insight into how the animal's genetic diversity has changed over time.

Compared to their mainland ancestors, the genomes of the Wrangel Island mammoths showed signs of inbreeding and low genetic diversity.

In addition to the overall low genetic diversity, Major histocompatibility complexA group of genes known to play important roles in the immune response of vertebrates.

The scientists showed that the genetic diversity of the population continued to decline, albeit at a very gradual rate, throughout the 6,000 years that the mammoths lived on Wrangel Island, suggesting that the population size remained stable until the end.

They also showed that the island's mammoth population gradually accumulated moderately deleterious mutations over its 6,000-year existence, but that the most deleterious mutations were slowly eliminated.

“If an individual had a highly deleterious mutation, they would basically not be able to survive, so over time those mutations would slowly disappear from the population. But we know that mammoths accumulated mildly deleterious mutations almost all the way up until their extinction,” Dr DeHask said.

“It's important to remember that current conservation programs will not be enough to simply re-establish populations to a reasonable size. They also need to be actively and genetically monitored, as these genomic effects could last for more than 6,000 years.”

The mammoth genomes analyzed in this study span a long period of time, but do not include the last 300 years of the species' existence.

However, the authors plan to excavate fossils from the final stages of the mammoth and analyze its genome sequence in the future.

“What happened to them at the end is still a mystery. We don't know why they went extinct after surviving fairly well for 6,000 years, but we think it was probably a sudden event,” Dr Dallen said.

“I think there's still hope we can figure out why they went extinct, but I can't make any promises.”

of Investigation result Published in the online journal this week cell.

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Marianne DeHask othersTemporal dynamics of genomic erosion in pre-extinction mammoths. cellPublished online June 27, 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.05.033

Source: www.sci.news

New Research Challenges Easter Island Population Decline Theory

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Easter Island (Rapa Nui) is often held up as an example where overexploitation of limited resources led to catastrophic population declines. A key element of this story is that the rapid rise and fall in pre-contact Rapa Nui population growth rates was caused by the construction and overexploitation of once-extensive rock gardens. However, the extent of rock gardens across the island, important for understanding food systems and demographic dynamics, needs to be better understood. New research by archaeologists from Binghamton University and Columbia University shows that the extent of this agricultural infrastructure was significantly smaller than previously claimed, and likely could not have supported the large populations assumed.

Map of Easter Island and its location in the southeastern Pacific Ocean. Image courtesy of Davis. others., doi: 10.1126/sciadv.ado1459.

In their study, Professor Carl Lipo of Binghamton University and his colleagues used modern techniques to more accurately estimate the number of rock gardens on Easter Island and their pre-human contact food production.

“This volcanic island was formed by an eruption a million years ago, so there has been enough time for rain to wash away the potassium, phosphorus, and nitrogen needed for plant growth,” Professor Lipo said.

“Salty sea spray further reduces soil fertility.”

“The soils on Rapa Nui were not particularly productive. When people arrived on the island, they had to deal with those constraints.”

“Their first method was slash-and-burn agriculture, which involved cutting down the trees on the island.”

“This temporarily restored nutrients to the soil, but once the trees died, islanders turned to other methods, such as composting plant waste and rock mulch.”

“The fertilization benefits from composting are not enough to support a culture's food supply. Rock mulch was sufficient, but it was a very labor-intensive process.”

“The islanders chipped away some of the exposed bedrock and mixed the stone chunks into the soil, restoring nutrients and protecting the soil from further weathering.”

Rock mulch has also been traditionally used by the Maori people of New Zealand, Native Americans in the American Southwest, and in other areas such as the Netherlands.

“We do it ourselves using non-organic fertilizers. We basically use machinery to break the rocks into smaller pieces, which is more effective because it creates a larger surface area,” Professor Lipo said.

“The Rapa Nui people are literally breaking rocks by hand and burying them in the soil.”

“The gardens also grow dryland taro and yams, but the main crops are dozens of varieties of sweet potato. But not all rockeries are ancient gardens,” said Dr Robert DiNapoli from Binghamton University.

But how many gardens were there on Easter Island? When Europeans first encountered the island, they reported that 10 percent of the island was covered in gardens. Researchers have previously used satellite imagery to map the rock gardens, but this has resulted in misidentifications of things like roads.

Rapa Nui is one of the most remote human settlements on Earth, more than 2,000 km from the nearest inhabited island (Pitcairn Island) and more than 3,700 km from the South American mainland. The island is small (164 km2) and has relatively limited soil productivity and freshwater sources. Image credit: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen / CC BY-SA 3.0.

The study authors used shortwave infrared (SWIR) satellite imagery and machine learning to come up with a more precise estimate, finding that the area covered by mulch is about 180 acres, far less than previously thought.

“SWIR imagery, primarily used for geological mapping, can distinguish mineral composition and water content,” said Dr. Dylan Davis, a postdoctoral researcher at Columbia University.

“Due to unique mineralogical characteristics and moisture patches, the rock gardens stand out from their surroundings.”

Using the latest estimates of the number of gardens, the researchers calculated that around 3,000 people lived on Easter Island at the time of European contact.

The oldest European records indicate a population of between 3,000 and 4,000, which is consistent with artifacts found on the island.

“What we're actually seeing here is that ecological constraints mean that islands just can't support that many people in the first place,” Dr Davis said.

“People actually changed the landscape to increase the amount of crops they could cultivate intensively, but the numbers were still very small.”

“This is not an example of ecological catastrophe, but rather an example of how people have managed to survive for a long time in a fairly sustainable way, despite very limited natural resources.”

“The misconception about the island's population size comes from the island's large and impressive moai statues and the assumption that it takes a large number of people to build such statues,” Prof Lipo said.

“Ecologists tend to use Easter Island as a model for how population size can lead to ecological catastrophe.”

“You can't use Easter Island as an example to suit your story.”

“We need to understand the island in its own context, because what it really tells us is quite different from what people believe.”

of Investigation result Published in today's journal Scientific advances.

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Dylan S. Davis others2024. Island-wide characterization of agricultural production casts doubt on the population collapse hypothesis for Rapa Nui (Easter Island). Advances in Science 10(25):eado1459; doi:10.1126/sciadv.ado1459

Source: www.sci.news

There was no legendary social collapse on Easter Island

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The people of Easter Island built hundreds of monolithic statues called Moai.

Stephanie Morcinek via Unsplash

The widely held claim that the ancient people of Easter Island experienced a social collapse due to overexploitation of natural resources is being called into fresh doubt: analysis of historical agricultural practices suggests that a small, stable population lived sustainably for centuries before Europeans arrived.

Famous for its towering stone statues, Easter Island (also known as Rapa Nui) in the Pacific Ocean is thought to have been inhabited by Polynesians as early as A.D. 1200. At the time, the island’s 164 square kilometers were covered in palm forests, but a combination of rats and over-logging soon destroyed them.

According to a narrative popularized by historian Jared Diamond, unsustainable resource use led to a rapid population growth and collapse before Europeans arrived in 1722.

The islanders made their living primarily from rock gardening, a type of agriculture common in areas with poor soil and harsh climates, by scattering stones throughout the fields to create micro-habitats and windbreaks, conserve moisture, and provide important minerals.

Previous studies have suggested that the rock gardens covered 21 square kilometers of land on Rapa Nui and supported a population of up to 16,000 people.

To learn more, Carl Lipo Researchers from Binghamton University in New York combined satellite imagery and machine learning models trained on ground surveys to generate estimates of rock gardening areas across the island.

They found that the largest rock gardens measured just 0.76 square kilometers. The researchers estimate that such a system could not have supported more than 4,000 people, roughly the estimated population at the time Europeans arrived. In other words, the population was remarkably stable, the team argues.

Robert DiNapoli, a researcher at Binghamton University in New York, inspects the rock garden.

Carl Lipo

Lipo says those who continue to use Easter Island as a case study of degradation and collapse need to see the empirical evidence: “The results we produce suggest that the island was never… [had] “Huge populations overconsumed resources,” he says, “and overall, the archaeological record shows no evidence of population collapse before European arrival.”

Instead, Lipo says, the increasingly popular theory is that the islanders modified their environment to enable sustainable livelihoods for generations: “Their small populations and scattered, low-density settlement patterns enabled them to reliably produce enough food for over 500 years before Europeans arrived.”

Dale F. Simpson The University of Illinois researchers say further research is needed to assess whether the precision and accuracy of the model calculations used in the study match the archaeological record.

“Overall, this is [study] Rapa Nui [people] “Rapa Nui is often portrayed as a culture that collapsed due to sociopolitical competition, overexploitation of ecosystems, and megalithic overproduction, but the argument is better served by recognizing Rapa Nui as a Polynesian island culture of adaptation and survival that thrived for almost a millennium,” Simpson said.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Greek Island of Aegina reveals ancient workshop where 3,600-year-old purple dye was made

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Coloured dyes were essential commodities in the Mediterranean region during the Late Bronze Age.

Berger and his colleagues unearthed a purple dye factory at site K10 (marked in red) outside Colonna, Aegina, during the Bronze Age. Image courtesy of Berger others., doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0304340.

of The small island of Aegina It is located in the middle of the Saronic Gulf, between Attica, the Peloponnese and the central Aegean Sea.

The island has played an important role in the cultural history of the Aegean for thousands of years.

From the Neolithic to the Byzantine period (6th millennium BC to the 10th century AD), Aegina's main settlement was located on a small, well-protected promontory on the northwest coast called Cape Colonna.

During the 2nd millennium BC, this densely built and heavily fortified settlement reached the height of its economic prosperity and culture.

Representative monuments, outstanding finds and rich tombs indicate an economically stable and complex social system integrated into inter-regional trade networks and emerging cultures in the Middle and Late Bronze Age Aegean.

in New paper In the journal PLoS OneDr. Lydia Berger from the Université Paris-Lodron de Salzburg and her colleagues describe the remains of a 16th century BC purple dye workshop at Aegina Colonna.

The existence of this workshop is inferred from three main pieces of evidence: purple pigment preserved on pottery shards believed to be remnants of dye containers, dyeing tools such as grinding stones and waste pits, and crushed shells of marine snails harvested for the pigment.

Analysis of the chemical composition of shells and pigments indicates that the workshop mainly produces Mediterranean snails. Murex striped dye (Hexagonal column trunk).

Excavations at the site also uncovered numerous burnt bones of young mammals, mainly piglets and lambs.

Archaeologists hypothesize that these may be the remains of animals that were ritually sacrificed as sacred offerings to protect the dye-producing areas. This practice is known from other cultural sites, but the exact relationship of these bones to dye production is not yet entirely clear.

The site provides valuable insight into the tools and processes of Mycenaean purple dye production.

Further investigations may reveal more information about the scale of dye production at Aegina Colonna, details of procedures at the site, and the use of this dye in regional trade.

“The discovery for the first time of a remarkably large amount of well-preserved pigment, a large amount of crushed mollusc shells and several functional installations allows detailed insights into the production of purple dye on the Greek island of Aegina around 3,600 years ago,” the researchers said.

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L. Burger others2024. More than just a colour: Archaeological, analytical and procedural aspects of Late Bronze Age purple dye production at Cape Colonna, Aegina. PLoS One 19(6):e0304340;doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0304340

Source: www.sci.news

Porous iceberg on Saturn’s moon Titan believed to be a strange ‘magical island’

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Infrared image of Saturn’s icy moon Titan

NASA/JPL-California Institute of Technology/Stephane Le Mouelik, Virginia Pasek

Saturn’s moon Titan is home to strange “magical islands” that appear and disappear over hours to weeks. These so-called islands are actually porous, sponge-like masses of snow that can slowly fill with liquid before sinking.

Titan’s thick atmosphere is filled with complex organic molecules that can clump together and fall to the moon’s surface like snow. Sintin Yu Researchers at the University of Texas at San Antonio thought that snow could be the cause of the magical islands. To test their idea, they took advantage of what we know about these atmospheric compounds and how they are expected to interact with Titan’s oceans.

Titan’s liquid is methane, not water, so any solids on the surface of these oceans would normally be expected to sink quickly. Water molecules tend to stick together and displace other substances, but methane easily sticks to other molecules, so the surface tension of a pool of liquid methane is very low.

“Water molecules just love themselves by excluding certain molecules,” he says. michael marasca from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California was not involved in the study. “But if you put methane on the same surface, it’ll start crawling all over the place.” That means Titan’s methane oceans and lakes should immediately swallow up any solids that are expected to float. It means that.

But that clearly won’t happen on the magical island, which appeared as a temporary bright spot in observations from the Cassini spacecraft. “For us to see magical islands, they cannot float briefly and then immediately sink,” Yu said in the paper. statement. “You have to stay afloat for a while, but not forever.” Researchers have found a solution to this problem. When large amounts of snow accumulate on the coast, they can form sponge-like, porous ice. Once these porous “icebergs” separated from the land, they could float in Titan’s oceans for long enough to rival Cassini’s observations. The researchers calculated that this would work if the sponge-like structure contained enough free space (at least about 25 to 50 percent, depending on the exact composition of the ice).

However, this does not mean that these mysterious islands are definitely porous icebergs. “We’re narrowing down different scenarios for the magical island, but we don’t know the answer yet,” Malasca says. Other possible explanations include nitrogen gas bubbles, waves caused by wind or solid ocean deposits. However, this provides evidence that Titan’s temporary islands may actually be suspended matter from this strange world’s atmosphere.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Porous iceberg on Saturn’s moon Titan may be a mysterious ‘magical island’

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Infrared image of Saturn’s icy moon Titan

NASA/JPL-California Institute of Technology/Stephane Le Mouelik, Virginia Pasek

Saturn’s moon Titan is home to strange “magical islands” that appear and disappear over hours to weeks. These so-called islands are actually porous, sponge-like masses of snow that can slowly fill with liquid before sinking.

Titan’s thick atmosphere is filled with complex organic molecules that can clump together and fall to the moon’s surface like snow. Sintin Yu Researchers at the University of Texas at San Antonio thought that snow could be the cause of the magical islands. To test their idea, they took advantage of what we know about these atmospheric compounds and how they are expected to interact with Titan’s oceans.

Titan’s liquid is methane, not water, so any solids on the surface of these oceans would normally be expected to sink quickly. Water molecules tend to stick together and displace other substances, but methane easily sticks to other molecules, so the surface tension of a pool of liquid methane is very low.

“Water molecules just love themselves by excluding certain molecules,” he says. michael marasca from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California was not involved in the study. “But if you put methane on the same surface, it will start crawling all over the place.” That means Titan’s methane oceans and lakes should immediately swallow up any solids that are expected to float. It means that.

But that clearly won’t happen on the magical island, which appeared as a temporary bright spot in observations from the Cassini spacecraft. “For us to see magical islands, they cannot float briefly and then immediately sink,” Yu said in the paper. statement. “You have to stay afloat for a while, but not forever.”

Researchers have found a solution to this problem. When large amounts of snow accumulate on the coast, they can form sponge-like, porous ice. Once these porous “icebergs” separated from the land, they could float in Titan’s oceans for long enough to rival Cassini’s observations. The researchers calculated that this would work if the sponge-like structure contained enough free space (at least about 25 to 50 percent, depending on the exact composition of the ice).

However, this does not mean that these mysterious islands are definitely porous icebergs. “We’re narrowing down different scenarios for the magical island, but we don’t know the answer yet,” Malasca says. Other possible explanations include nitrogen gas bubbles, waves caused by wind or solid ocean deposits. However, this provides evidence that Titan’s temporary islands may actually be suspended matter from this strange world’s atmosphere.

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Source: www.newscientist.com