footprints

The size of the circles corresponds to the number of substances detected per sampling point. The colors quantify the number of chemicals detected simultaneously at a sampling site (e.g. 51 to 100 substances were detected in 41% of the sites). Credit: UFZ Many pesticides, industrial chemicals, and pharmaceuticals, as well as their degradation products, end up in streams and rivers after use. …

Archaeologists in Morocco have unearthed more than 80 human footprints dating back around 100,000 years and believed to be the oldest in North Africa.The footprints, probably left by five Homo sapiens, including children, were discovered on the coast of Larache, a city 90 kilometres (55 miles) south of Tangier, by archaeologists from Morocco, Spain, France, and Germany."This group (of Homo sapiens) was crossing the beach towards the sea, probably in search of food and shellfish," Anass Sedrati, curator at the…

Images of some of the hominin tracks in Larache. (a) Two tracks side by side at the bottom of the photo, which also depicts a ground control point (checkered cardboard) for differential GPS surveying. (b) Two cross trackways and photography for 3D footprint modeling. (c) to (g) Detailed view of some footprints. White Scale bars = 20 cm. Credit: Scientific Reports (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-52344-5 An international team of…

Laser technology is continuing to prove its worth in the Amazon: A team of archaeologists in Ecuador just used the tech to discover thousands of earthen mounds hidden under the forest’s canopy.Would Peter Capaldi Return to Doctor Who?The 2,000-year-old site contains some 6,000 earthen platforms connected by ancient roads, also visible to the laser technology, called lidar. Though some of the structures were noticed as early as 20 years ago, the Associated Press reports, the recent findings show the true scale of the…

A study has revealed that over 210 million years ago, ancient animals possibly possessed bird-like feet. This discovery comes from an analysis of Trisauropodiscus footprints found in southern Africa, dating back to the Late Triassic and Early Jurassic Periods. These footprints, which differ from any known fossil animals of that era, suggest that either early dinosaurs or other reptiles may have evolved bird-like feet, predating the earliest bird fossils by 60 million years. (Artistic concept artwork.) Credit:…

Researchers have been taking a closer look at some bird-like footprint fossils in Africa, stretching back some 210 million years.These footprints are something of a mystery: fossils for even the earliest bird ancestors don't show up for another 60 million years.These footprints have been known about for many years, but here a team from the University of Cape Town in South Africa wanted to do a more comprehensive analysis on the fossils, which are actually taken from four separate sites in the region.Looking in particular…

Learn how Virtual reality or VR has environmental advantages in lowering carbon footprints Many businesses, such as Shell, Microsoft, and Ford, have committed to achieving net-zero emissions in the coming years. One of the strategies they can use to lower their environmental impact is virtual reality training, which can help them optimize their operations and practices. Many other VR environmental advantages in reducing carbon footprints are mentioned below. Learning and Working in Virtual Reality Already Reduce Carbon…

Scientists have identified the oldest known Homo sapiens footprints. Found in South Africa, the tracks have been dated to over 150,000 years ago.A wealth of fossil evidence has pinpointed humanity’s homeland as somewhere in Africa, where Homo sapiens first diverged from earlier species about 300,000 years ago. But it’s not just bones that tell this story – tools, art, food and other traces can help fill in gaps about how our ancestors lived and spread across the globe.Now, an international team of scientists has…

Researchers have discovered the earliest examples of human footprints in Germany. They're so old, it's unlikely they were made by any species live today.Stretching back some 300,000 years through time, it's thought they were made not by Homo sapiens, but by the ancient (and now extinct) 'Heidelberg people' (or Homo heidelbergensis).The impressions provide researchers with a fascinating glimpse into the way early humans lived, discovered alongside animal footprints in the Schöningen Paleolithic site in Lower Saxony,…

Researchers have now uncovered proof of an ancient giant amphibian that predates the time of the dinosaurs, existing over 250 million years ago. The new fossils were discovered at Dave Green palaeosurface, in the KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa. They were discovered in a rock surface and provide a ton of insight into an ancient creature that acted very similarly to crocodiles. The evidence comes in the form of fossilized footprints that show the giant creature responsible for the footprints used to swim…