Archaeologists Find Extremely Rare Statue of Ancient Ruler
The statue was carved in a stone slab weighing 12 tons and measuring about 18 feet wide and 10 feet high. Researchers say that the discovery is notable for its extreme size, not to mention what's depicted. "Among the many relief images of Assyrian palaces we know of, there are no depictions of major deities," explained lead scientist Aaron Schmitt.
Nineveh was considered to be one of the most crucial powers in North Mesopotamia and was named capital of the Assyrian empire in the late eighth century B.C. Schmitt and his team have been investigating a section of King Ashurbanipal's North Palace, known as Kuyunjik, since 2022.
Schmitt explained that the carving was located in a niche of the palace adjacent to the main entrance, where it would be seen by all coming and going, a place of great significance within the estate. Schmitt and his team place the construction of the niche around the Hellvanicx period, or possibly the second or third century, predating Jesus Christ, due to relief fragments found in a pit of soil located behind the niche.
"The fact that these fragments were buried is surely one reason why the British archaeologists never found them over a hundred years ago," Schmitt hypothesized.
Schmitt and his team will work in the coming months to analyze the carvings in more detail with the hope of discovering the context in which the statue was created. They plan to publish their findings in an academic journal at a later date.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
National Geographic
4 hours ago
- National Geographic
From caves to coral reefs, this is how you can discover the wild side of Turks & Caicos
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). Grace Bay sand is predominantly made of parrotfish poop,' states Alizée Zimmerman, executive director of the Turks & Caicos Reef Fund (TCRF), without so much as a smirk. I blink, momentarily taken aback. I'd always assumed sandy beaches were created by the erosion of coral and shells, but here in Turks & Caicos, much of that soft, sugar-white sand has apparently passed through the digestive tract of a fish before settling on the shore. It's an unexpected introduction to this British overseas territory — a scattering of 40 low-lying coral islands and cays south east of the Bahamas. Best known for its white-sand beaches, kaleidoscopic reefs and luxury resorts, Turks & Caicos offers the sort of barefoot glamour that draws honeymooners, divers and escapists alike. But beneath the surface lies a more complex reality — one of fragile ecosystems and quiet urgency — and at the TCRF's coral restoration facility on Providenciales, I begin to see just how intricate and imperilled this underwater world really is. One parrotfish can produce hundreds of pounds of sand a year by munching on coral and excreting it. Photograph by Damocean, Getty Images The parrotfish 'poop' is just one of many surprising truths that I uncover during my guided tour of the lab, where tanks of thriving coral colonies line the walls like a living archive. Here, nursery specimens of coral types including staghorn, star and brain grow and feed, each contributing to research and repopulation efforts across the islands' damaged reefs. I watch each of them closely: one has green polyps that stretch out like tiny tentacles, grasping for food; another, flat and round, lies still, waiting for chance morsels to drift its way. 'Can you tell me — is a coral an animal, plant or mineral?' Alizée asks. My group comes up with various answers, before she reveals that it's actually all three. The more I learn, the more I marvel. We're taught that corals are carnivorous, related to jellyfish and anemones, but they also host algae in their tissues, which photosynthesises to provide food. In just a single tank, the corals range in hue from terracotta to moss green, pale yellow to rich brown. Some plain, others vibrant, but all pulsing with life. Across from the tanks, however, sits a sobering contrast: a coral graveyard. Here, skeletal remains of once-living colonies, including the antlers of a staghorn and the concentric ridges of a great star, lie stripped of colour and life, the brittle white aftermath of something that once thrived. Initially, I assume they're victims of climate change, another casualty of rising sea temperatures. But Alizée introduces another culprit: stony coral tissue loss disease, an aggressive affliction that's affected more than 60% of Turks & Caicos's reefs in recent years. First identified in the Atlantic in 2014, the disease's origin remains uncertain, though it's widely suspected to have stemmed from dredging off the coast of Miami. 'We started seeing massive tissue loss, as if someone had poured acid over the reef,' Alizée tell us bleakly. 'No coral can come back from that.' In response, the TCRF has given large amounts of time, energy and resources into treating sections of reef with antibiotics in a race to curb the disease's spread. It's painstaking, urgent work, a frontline defence against a crisis that many visitors to these islands never see. Travellers can volunteer with the TCRF by joining the dive team to help clean the ladders used to grow endangered staghorn coral. Photograph by Illeana Ravasio, TCRF There are, however, ways in which visitors can get involved in helping to preserve this delicate ecosystem. 'As a small, non-governmental organisation, we currently don't have the capacity to offer regular, scheduled volunteer programmes,' Alizée explains. 'However, travellers can reach out via email or complete the form on our website to get involved. It can vary week to week, but travellers can assist us by preparing materials for moorings, or even by joining the dive team. A visit to our coral lab is a must, and on Wednesday afternoons, we feed all the corals.' Later that evening, back at Wymara Resort and Villas on Grace Bay, I find myself reflecting on the quiet determination of those working to protect the reefs. I order the chargrilled piri-piri cauliflower steak, which, I'm told, isn't just a house favourite, but a dish with purpose. 'As part of the hotel's commitment to conservation, a percentage of the restaurant's proceeds from this dish support the TCRF,' my waitress tells me, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. It feels good to know that simply by choosing to eat here, I'm also making a small contribution to the conservation of the reefs. Island escapes The following morning, I board a ferry that slips across the glassy waters of the Bellefield Channel towards North and Middle Caicos — quieter isles that promise the ultimate luxury: escapism. As we draw closer to land, the waves begin to rise in a whisper, reflecting diamonds of sunlight back to their source. I've signed up for a guided tour of the islands with the National Trust, an organisation that plays a crucial role in conservation here, as well as preserving and promoting the area's rich cultural heritage. Starting in North Caicos, our car winds through pockets of wild greenery before crossing the causeway that links to Middle Caicos, where we're greeted by the white-sand bay of Mudjin Harbour. Curving along the northern coast, this beach marks the beginning of our hike. We climb the headland, aching legs and sweaty brows rewarded with sweeping views of the Atlantic, where white-crested waves rise and break in bursts on the sands below. From there, we walk in single file to steps carved into the cliffside, following them through layers of sun-warmed rock until they open out onto a secluded cove. Sunlight streams in from one side, casting golden rays across the sand in angular streaks. It's a moment of stillness, an encounter with nature's quiet drama. I pause, breathing in air laced with salt, grateful for these hidden corners that you only find when you seek them out. Turning away from the ocean, we press inland. Our next stop is the Conch Bar Caves, the largest above-ground cave system in the Lucayan Archipelago (which comprises the Bahamas and Turks & Caicos), and a 15-mile labyrinth of twisting tunnels and echoing chambers. The air is thick with heat, but inside, the caves offer cool relief. Stalactites reach down like icicles, meeting their counterparts rising from the ground, and in one chamber — known as the 'nine brothers' — the formations are so symmetrical they look man-made, resembling the ruins of a forgotten city. Conch Bar Caves holds significant human history, spanning from the pre-Columbian era to more recent colonial times. Photograph by Matt Anderson, Getty Images 'This limestone cavern was once submerged under the sea. These holes in the ceiling are where the water eroded the rock over time,' explains our guide, Eddie Smith, his enthusiasm evident as he shares the story of the caves.'The Lucayans were the island's original inhabitants,' he continues, 'and if you follow these passages far enough, you can still see evidence of religious ceremonies they held here more than 500 years ago. More recently, families would shelter in here during hurricanes, but today the whole area is protected by the National Trust.' A scurry of cockroaches flees the beam of Eddie's torch as we head further into the gloom. Then, high above us, I notice a cluster of small black shapes hanging by their feet. 'That would be the bats,' he grins at me. 'Four species live here and there are more than 3,000 in this cave. You should see it when they all leave to feed. The sky turns black, like a living storm cloud. It's an incredible sight.' Bats are crucial not only to the cave's environment, but in maintaining nature's delicate balance across the entire island. They play a key role in pollination, while their dung feeds the multitude of insects that call this otherworldly place home. This particular poo, I discover, doesn't end up on the island's beaches, although what's now a bug banquet was an important source of income for locals in the 19th century, before tourism reached Turks & Caicos's shores. Islanders harvested and exported it as far as Europe to be used as fertiliser, a trade that collapsed when chemicals took its place. I'm still contemplating the intricate interlacing of all these ecosystems; how everything — and everyone — has a part to play, when we leave the subterranean chamber, blinking in the harsh afternoon sunlight. Our final stop is Bambarra Beach on the north coast of Middle Caicos and recently named one of the best beaches in the Caribbean. True to the accolade, it's a fine stretch of alabaster sand with no crowds and crystalline waters. I notice a collection of coastal treasures — coral fragments, sea fans and shells — arranged on a weathered bench, like an altar to the ocean. Each piece, I realise, is a small remnant of a once-living reef, a quiet reminder of both the beauty and fragility of life. They speak to what's at stake if these habitats aren't protected. I capture them in a photograph and leave them undisturbed, allowing them to return to the sea from which they came. Perhaps, over time, they'll erode into fine sand, contributing to the beaches we walk upon — along with that parrotfish poop, of course. Three more nature hotspots 1. Flamingo Pond Overlook, North Caicos Situated just off King's Road near Whitby on the north coast of North Caicos, this National Trust site allows travellers to witness a flamboyance of West Indian flamingos wading through glistening wetlands. Admission is free, binoculars cost $2 (£1.45) to rent and the spectacle unfolds daily from 11am to 3.30pm. 2. Little Water Cay, aka Iguana Island Home to the rare Turks & Caicos rock iguana, Little Water Cay is a conservation success story. Boardwalks wind through scrubland and mangroves, where guides explain how reintroduction efforts and feral-cat eradication have helped the iguanas rebound. Entry fees are $10 (£7.50) and support preservation work. 3. Bird Rock Point Trail, Providenciales On the eastern tip of Providenciales, this mile-long trail winds through one of the island's last remaining tracts of coastal coppice woodland. Along the way, it skirts rocky headlands, mangroves and secluded sandy coves — natural habitats that offer refuge for native birds and juvenile fish. Inspiring Travel offers seven nights in Turks & Caicos from £3,159 per person, based on two sharing a Garden Studio at Wymara Resort and Villas on Providenciales. This includes breakfast, flights and internal transfers. Alternatively, Beaches Turks & Caicos is set on Grace Bay, Providenciales, and offers an all-inclusive family-friendly trip with land and watersports and 21 dining options. Prices start at £7,430 for seven nights for two adults and two children, and return flights. For more on conservation, visit TCRF or Turks & Caicos National Trust. Published in the Caribbean Collection 2025 by National Geographic Traveller (UK). To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
New York Post
a day ago
- New York Post
Scientists spot new moon orbiting Uranus: ‘A significant discovery'
A cheeky discovery. Scientists have spotted a new moon orbiting Uranus that is so tiny it can be circumnavigated in just a few hours. NASA announced Tuesday that the still unnamed moon was captured by the Webb Telescope in February. The Uranus system has moons named for characters from British writers Shakespeare and Alexander Pope. University of Idaho At only six miles wide, the orbiter had eluded observation — even that of the Voyager 2 spacecraft during its flyby in 1977 — due to its miniscule size, according to NASA. The moon is so small — just over 90 football fields — that the average person could traverse it in just a few hours. 'It's a small moon but a significant discovery,' declared Maryame El Moutamid, a lead scientist at the Southwest Research Institute, which led the team that made the discovery. Uranus now has 28 known moons with about half of the rocks smaller and orbiting closer to their home planet than the new discovery. During a flyby in 1977, the Voyager 2 spacecraft failed to detect the newly announced moon orbiting Uranus. AP However, the new moon is inside the orbit of the planet' largest moons — Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania and Oberon. Those moons are named after literary characters from great British writers William Shakespeare and Alexander Pope, with others including Desdemona, Trinculo, and Puck. 'There's probably a lot more of them and we just need to keep looking,' Matthew Tiscareno, planetary scientist with the SETI Institute told the Associated Press. The discovery has not yet been peer-reviewed.
Scientific American
2 days ago
- Scientific American
How Scientists Finally Learned That Nerves Regrow
Billions of nerve cells send signals coursing through our bodies, serving as conduits through which the brain performs its essential functions. For millennia physicians thought damage to nerves was irreversible. In ancient Greece, founders of modern medicine such as Hippocrates and Galen refused to operate on damaged nerves for fear of causing pain, convulsions or even death. The dogma stood relatively still until the past two centuries, during which surgeons and scientists found evidence that neurons in the body and brain can repair themselves and regenerate after injury and that new nerve cells can grow throughout the lifespan. In recent decades this knowledge has inspired promising treatments for nerve injuries and has led researchers to investigate interventions for neurodegenerative disease. In humans and other vertebrates, the nervous system is split into two parts: the central nervous system, composed of the spinal cord and brain, and the peripheral nervous system, which connects the brain to the rest of the body. On supporting science journalism If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today. Attempts to suture together the ends of damaged neurons in the peripheral nervous system date back to the seventh century. It was only in the late 1800s, however, that scientists began to understand how, exactly, nerves regenerate. Through his experiments on frogs, British physiologist Augustus Waller described in detail what happens to a peripheral nerve after injury. Then, in the 1900s, the influential Spanish neuroanatomist Santiago Ramón y Cajal provided insight into how nerve regeneration occurs at the cellular level. Still, there remained fierce debate about whether stitching nerves together would harm more than help. It was against the backdrop of bloody world wars of the 20th century that physicians finally made significant advances in techniques to restore damaged neurons. To treat soldiers with devastating wounds that typically involved nerve damage, doctors developed methods such as nerve grafts, in which pieces of nerves are transplanted into the gap in a broken nerve. Over time physicians learned that some peripheral nerve injuries are more conducive to repair than others. Factors such as the timing, location and size of the injury, as well as the age of the patient, can significantly impact the success of any given intervention. Crushed nerves are likelier than cut ones to be repaired, and injuries that occur closer to a nerve's target tissue have a greater chance of regaining function than those that occur farther away. Take the ulnar nerve, which stretches the entire length of the arm and controls key muscles in the lower arm and hand. A person with nerve damage near the wrist is much more likely to regain function in the arm and hand after undergoing treatment than someone who injures the same nerve near the shoulder, in which case it must regrow from the shoulder all the way to the wrist. Even today many peripheral nerve injuries remain difficult to treat, and scientists are striving to better understand the mechanisms of regeneration to facilitate healing. One notable development in recent years, according to neurologist Ahmet Höke of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, is a 'nerve transfer,' in which a branch of a nearby nerve is rerouted to a damaged nerve. In cases where, for example, a nerve is damaged far from its target muscle, existing techniques may not be sufficient to enable regrowth across the long distances involved within a time frame allowing for recovery. This detour provides an alternative pathway to regain function. Susan Mackinnon, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon at Washington University in St. Louis, has largely driven the advances in nerve transfer, enabling patients to use their limbs after peripheral nerve injuries that previously would have led to a permanent loss of movement in them. For instance, Oskar Hanson, a high school baseball player, lost sensation and movement in most of his left arm after a surgery to mend a ligament injury ended up damaging the ulnar nerve in that arm. 'There was zero hope that he would be able to have use of his arm again,' says his mother, Patricia Hanson. But after Mackinnon performed a nerve transfer procedure, most of the function returned. 'She saved his life with that surgery,' Hanson says. Despite the leaps that were made in treating peripheral nerve injuries, the notion that neurons within the central nervous system—the brain and spinal cord—were incapable of regrowth persisted until the late 20th century. A pivotal moment came in the early 1980s, when Canadian neuroscientist Albert Aguayo and his colleagues demonstrated that in rats, neurons of the spinal cord and brain stem could regrow when segments of peripheral nerves were grafted into the site of injury. These findings revealed that neurons of the central nervous system can also regenerate, Höke says: 'They just needed the appropriate environment.' In succeeding years, neuroscientists worked to uncover what, exactly, that environment looked like. To do so, they searched for differences in the peripheral and central nervous systems that could explain why the former was better able to repair damaged neurons. Several key differences emerged. For example, only injuries within the central nervous system led to the formation of glial scars—masses of nonneuronal cells known as glial cells. The purpose of these scars is still debated, however. Today the search for the specific mechanisms that prevent or enable neuron regrowth—in both the body and the brain—remains an active area of investigation. In addition to uncovering the processes at play in humans, scientists have pinpointed molecules that enable nerve cell repair in other organisms, such as 'fusogens,' gluelike molecules found in nematodes. Researchers are attempting to harness fusogens to help with difficult-to-treat human nerve injuries. Modern neuroscientists have also challenged another long-standing doctrine in the field: the belief that the adult brain does not engage in neurogenesis, the creation of brand-new nerve cells. Early clues for neurogenesis in the brain emerged in the 1960s, when researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology observed signs of neurons dividing in the brains of adult rats. At the time, these findings were met with skepticism, says Rusty Gage, a professor of genetics at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, Calif. 'It was just too hard to believe.' Then, in the early 1980s, neuroscientist Fernando Nottebohm of the Rockefeller University discovered that in male songbirds, the size of the brain region associated with song-making changed with the seasons. Nottebohm and his colleagues went on to show that cells in the animals' brains died and regenerated with the seasons. Inspired by these findings, researchers looked for signs of adult neurogenesis in other animals. In 1998 Gage and his colleagues revealed evidence of this process occurring in the brains of adult humans—specifically within the hippocampus, a region linked with learning and memory. Although support for adult neurogenesis in humans has amassed over the years, some experts still debate its existence. In 2018 a team co-led by Arturo Alvarez-Buylla, a neuroscientist at the University of California, San Francisco, who had worked with Nottebohm on songbirds, published a study stating that the formation of new neurons was extremely rare, and likely nonexistent, in adult human brains. Still, there's a growing consensus that neurogenesis does happen later in life —and that this growth appears to be largely limited to certain parts of the brain, such as the hippocampus. This past July a team at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden reported that the molecular signatures of precursors of neurons, known as neural progenitor cells, were present in the human brain across the lifespan—from infancy into old age. Researchers are now trying to understand the purpose of these budding nerve cells and asking whether they might offer clues for treating neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. Some scientists are even exploring whether, by targeting neurogenesis, they can improve the symptoms of psychiatric conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder. Understanding that a neuron can regrow and be repaired and identifying details of that process has been a great achievement, says Massimo Hilliard, a cellular and molecular neurobiologist at the University of Queensland in Australia. The next step, he adds, will be figuring out how to control these processes: 'That's going to be key.'
