Latest news with #PLOSOne
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Humans hurled massive mammoth tusk boomerangs 40,000 years ago
Boomerangs are some of humanity's oldest tools. In the northernmost region of Australia, 50,000-year-old cave art appears to depict Indigenous hunters throwing the weapons at prey, including kangaroos. While most associated with Australia, boomerangs are also documented around the world. One famous example was discovered in an ancient cave in southern Poland in 1985. Instead of using wood, these Early Upper Paleolithic ancestors crafted their tool from a mammoth tusk. And according to recent radiocarbon reevaluations and Bayseian probability modeling, researchers now believe the ivory weapon is even older than previously estimated. Their findings are detailed in a study published in the journal PLOS One. The conclusion comes after an international research team reviewed artifacts recovered from Obłazowa Cave, one of Poland's most important Paleolithic sites. Originally identified in 1985, Obłazowa Cave contains evidence of both Neanderthal and human activity spanning at least ten eras. Some of the most important finds relate to Homo sapiens who occupied the cave roughly 30,000 years ago. These included animal bone pendants, a potential whistle made from a snail shell, and human remains. Archaeologists at the time also unearthed a mammoth tusk boomerang estimated to date back to the same era. For nearly three decades, that specimen offered the tool's oldest known example in Europe. But after careful reexamination using more accurate radiocarbon dating methods, the boomerang's origin is likely closer to 40,000 years ago. As Interesting Engineering explains, the revised age can help researchers better contextualize an important time during the Upper Paleolithic known as the Early Aurignacian, when humans began migrating across Europe in large numbers. Even that long ago, archaeological evidence clearly shows Homo sapiens already engaging in creative, complex, and symbolic projects. These included the manufacturing of refined tools, decorative adornments and jewelry, as well as participating in elaborate ritualistic burials. At about 2.36 feet wide, the ivory boomerang wasn't designed to arc through the air and return to its user. Instead, hunters almost certainly intended the hefty weapon to accurately smack into their prey and kill it—or at least stun a creature long enough for them to close in on the target. 'From an economic perspective, creating and transporting a sizable object like the boomerang represents a unique commitment,' they wrote. 'The intentional thinning of the mammoth tusk to achieve symmetry reflects a notable investment in a context where mobility was essential. Since no ivory fragments were found at the site, the boomerang must have been crafted elsewhere and carried to Obłazowa Cave, underscoring its special status.' According to archaeologists, their latest research not only furthers their understanding of early human adaptive strategies, but highlights 'the nuanced interplay of technology, symbolism, and environmental interaction during the earliest phases of human dispersals in Central Europe.'While experts have previously confirmed the use of boomerangs at various locations including Australia, Central Europe, North Africa, and ancient Egypt, the tools were by no means ubiquitous across all cultures. This means that evidence of the weapons—let alone those carved from mammoth tusks—can serve as vital sources of information on human societal evolution.
MTV Lebanon
3 days ago
- Science
- MTV Lebanon
World's Oldest Boomerang Doesn't Actually Come Back
The world's oldest boomerang is older than previously thought, casting new light on the ingenuity of humans living at the time. The tool, which was found in a cave in Poland in 1985, is now thought to be 40,000 years old. Archaeologists say it was fashioned from a mammoth's tusk with an astonishing level of skill. Researchers worked out from its shape that it would have flown when thrown, but would not have come back to the thrower. It was probably used in hunting, though it might have had cultural or artistic value, perhaps being used in some kind of ritual. The mammoth ivory boomerang was unearthed in Oblazowa Cave in southern Poland. It was originally thought to be about 30,000 years old. But new, more reliable radiocarbon dating of human and animal bones found at the site puts the age at between 39,000 and 42,000 years old. "It's the oldest boomerang in the world, and the only one in the world made of this shape and this long to be found in Poland," said Dr Sahra Talamo of the University of Bologna, Italy. It gives a "remarkable insight" into human behaviour, she said, particularly how Homo sapiens living as long as 42,000 years ago could shape "such a perfect object" with the knowledge it could be used to hunt animals. The boomerang is exceptionally well preserved, with score marks suggesting it had been polished and carved for use by a right-handed individual. Boomerangs are generally associated with Aboriginal culture in Australia. However, rare finds in the historical record outside Australia suggest they were used across different continents. The oldest known boomerang from Australia dates to about 10,500 years ago, made from wood. But the oldest images of boomerangs in Australia are rock art paintings 20,000 years old, according to National Museum Australia. A wooden boomerang dating back 7,000 years has been found in Jutland, a peninsula between Denmark and Germany, while fragments of a 2,000-year-old oak boomerang – which does come back – has been found in The Netherlands. The research by a team of scientists from Poland, Italy, Germany, France, Switzerland and the UK is published in the journal PLOS One.
BBC News
3 days ago
- Science
- BBC News
World's oldest boomerang doesn't actually come back
Boomerangs are generally associated with Aboriginal culture in Australia. However, rare finds in the historical record outside Australia suggest they were used across different continents. The oldest known boomerang from Australia dates to about 10,500 years ago, made from wood. But the oldest images of boomerangs in Australia are rock art paintings 20,000 years old, according to National Museum Australia. A wooden boomerang dating back 7,000 years has been found in Jutland, a peninsula between Denmark and Germany, while fragments of a 2,000-year-old oak boomerang – which does come back – has been found in The Netherlands. The research by a team of scientists from Poland, Italy, Germany, France, Switzerland and the UK is published in the journal PLOS One.
Saudi Gazette
3 days ago
- Science
- Saudi Gazette
World's oldest boomerang doesn't actually come back
WARSAW — The world's oldest boomerang is older than previously thought, casting new light on the ingenuity of humans living at the time. The tool, which was found in a cave in Poland in 1985, is now thought to be 40,000 years old. Archaeologists say it was fashioned from a mammoth's tusk with an astonishing level of skill. Researchers worked out from its shape that it would have flown when thrown, but would not have come back to the thrower. It was probably used in hunting, though it might have had cultural or artistic value, perhaps being used in some kind of ritual. The mammoth ivory boomerang was unearthed in Oblazowa Cave in southern Poland. It was originally thought to be about 30,000 years old. But new, more reliable radiocarbon dating of human and animal bones found at the site puts the age at between 39,000 and 42,000 years old. "It's the oldest boomerang in the world, and the only one in the world made of this shape and this long to be found in Poland," said Dr Sahra Talamo of the University of Bologna, Italy. It gives a "remarkable insight" into human behaviour, she said, particularly how Homo sapiens living as long as 42,000 years ago could shape "such a perfect object" with the knowledge it could be used to hunt animals. The boomerang is exceptionally well preserved, with score marks suggesting it had been polished and carved for use by a right-handed individual. Boomerangs are generally associated with Aboriginal culture in Australia. However, rare finds in the historical record outside Australia suggest they were used across different continents. The oldest known boomerang from Australia dates to about 10,500 years ago, made from wood. But the oldest images of boomerangs in Australia are rock art paintings 20,000 years old, according to National Museum Australia. A wooden boomerang dating back 7,000 years has been found in Jutland, a peninsula between Denmark and Germany, while fragments of a 2,000-year-old oak boomerang – which does come back – has been found in The Netherlands. The research by a team of scientists from Poland, Italy, Germany, France, Switzerland and the UK is published in the journal PLOS One. — BBC
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Miami Herald
Science proves crime really does rise when darkness falls
By Stephen Beech Crime really does rise when darkness falls, reveals new research. But the risk of some types of offenses - including sex attacks - does not increase at night, according to a British study of data from more than 34,000 crimes. The findings, published in the journal PLOS One, show that the overall risk of crime rises when darkness falls - but that risk varies depending on the type of crime and geographical area. Previous research has shown that darkness reduces people's feelings of safety, and that improved street lighting can help people feel safer being out after dark. But studies on whether the riskof crime is actually higher after dark had produced inconclusive results. To help clarify the potential influence of darkness on crime risk, University of Sheffield researchers analyzed data from 34,618 crimes that occurred from 2010 through 2019 in the South Yorkshire region. Some of the crimes were committed at times of the day that, because of seasonal changes, occur during daylight for part of the year but after dark for the rest of the year. That enabled the researchers to test whether crime risk at such times of day is greater during daylight hours or after dark. The research team also statistically accounted for other potentially influential factors, such as weather and holiday periods. The analysis showed that, overall, crimes were more likely to occur after dark than during daylight. But, out of 14 types of crime analyzed, only five appeared to be significantly more likely to occur after dark: burglary, criminal damage, personal robbery, bicycle theft, and vehicle offenses. Other crimes - including sexual offenses, arson and shoplifting - did not show the same association. The analysis also showed that the change in crime risk between daylight and darkness isn't uniform across all areas in South Yorkshire, with the risk of crime after dark varying by neighbourhood. The research team concluded that the findings "strongly suggest" darkness affects the risk of crime. They say information from the study could be used to help optimize the potential crime-reduction effects of streetlights and other artificial lighting. However, the research didn't account for the presence or absence of street lighting. Study author Dr. Jim Uttley said, "There is an assumption that street lighting helps reduce crime. "Evidence in support of this assumption is unclear, though. "In our research, we took a step back and asked whether darkness itself increases crime risk. "If it doesn't, the presence or absence of street lighting is unlikely to matter. "We worked with analysts in South Yorkshire Police to assess changes in the risk of crime taking place in daylight and after dark, using 10 years of crime data. "Our findings suggest darkness does increase the risk of certain crimes, including burglary, robbery and criminal damage. "We also found the risk of crime after dark varied by neighborhood." He added: "We are now working to understand whether street lighting can reduce the risk of crime after dark, and if it can, how we can maximize the crime reduction benefits of street lighting." The post Science proves crime really does rise when darkness falls appeared first on Talker. Copyright Talker News. All Rights Reserved.
