Blast from the Sun 14,000 years ago was so powerful trees still remember it
Miyake Events are identified by spikes in carbon-14 levels found in tree rings—carbon-14 being a radioactive isotope produced when solar particles collide with Earth's atmosphere. Since the first discovery by Fusa Miyake in 2012, at least six such events have been confirmed, including those in 774 AD and 993 AD.The 12,350 BC Miyake Event stands out due to its immense scale and the challenges it posed to scientists trying to interpret it. The spike in carbon-14 was detected in Scots Pine trees along France's Drouzet River, and corroborated by matching beryllium-10 levels in Greenland ice cores, confirming the storm's global reach.However, interpreting these signals was complicated by the fact that the event occurred during the Ice Age, a period with very different atmospheric and climatic conditions compared to the relatively stable Holocene epoch when most other Miyake Events occurred.advertisementTo tackle this, researchers Kseniia Golubenko and Ilya Usoskin from the University of Oulu, Finland, developed a specialised chemistry-climate model. This model accounts for Ice Age variables such as ice sheet boundaries, sea levels, and geomagnetic fields, enabling accurate analysis of the ancient data.Their findings reveal that the 12,350 BC storm unleashed a solar particle bombardment 500 times stronger than the largest solar particle storm recorded by satellites in 2005.To put this in perspective, during the 2005 event, a passenger flying over the poles might have received a year's worth of cosmic radiation in one hour; during the Ice Age event, the same dose would have been delivered in just eight seconds.This discovery not only redefines the worst-case scenario for space weather but also opens the door to studying even older solar storms, potentially uncovering more extreme events hidden in Earth's ancient records.Must Watch
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Hans India
6 days ago
- Hans India
Ponnam inaugurates BC cell at PJTAU
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Time of India
07-08-2025
- Time of India
Ancient DNA reveals 75,000-year-old animal remains in Norway: PNAS study
Source: A groundbreaking study published in PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences) in July 2025 has revealed the discovery of 75,000-year-old animal remains in Norway, preserved deep within peat bogs near Oslo. Using advanced genetic analysis and radiocarbon dating, researchers identified fragments of Ice Age megafauna , including large herbivores like reindeer and musk ox, offering rare insight into a glacial era once believed too harsh for such life. The study, titled 'Ancient vertebrate DNA reveals megafaunal persistence in Late Pleistocene Norway', provides crucial evidence that these species not only survived but adapted in northern Europe far earlier than previously assumed. It opens new doors for Ice Age research in Scandinavia and challenges long-held theories about extinction timelines and habitat resilience. What ancient DNA uncovered in Norway's peat bogs Researchers extracted ancient DNA and fossilised biological traces from peat-rich sediment layers near Oslo, Norway, a region where cold, waterlogged, and low-oxygen conditions have acted like a natural deep-freeze, preserving organic material for tens of thousands of years. These layers, hidden beneath the surface, held the genetic signatures and microscopic bone fragments of large Ice Age mammals, likely including reindeer, musk oxen, or early species of horse that once roamed the region. By combining advanced genome sequencing with precise radiocarbon dating, the team confirmed that the remains dated back approximately 75,000 years. This places them firmly within the Late Pleistocene epoch, a period when northern Scandinavia was long assumed to be too harsh, cold, and ice-covered to support such megafauna. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Learn More - How Donating Sperm May Boost Your Income SpellRock Undo This groundbreaking find challenges previous assumptions about habitat range, migration patterns, and climate resilience of Ice Age species, revealing that these animals not only passed through the region, but may have thrived in microenvironments that remained hospitable even during glacial extremes. How ancient DNA helped reveal a hidden Ice Age ecosystem The DNA analysis showed genetic continuity between these ancient creatures and their later Eurasian descendants. That means these populations weren't just surviving, they were thriving in cold glacial conditions, and some lineages may have lasted longer than once believed. This not only changes what we know about where animals lived during the Ice Age, it also redefines what kind of environments could support large mammals during extreme climate cycles. Why ancient DNA discoveries in Norway matters Fills a major fossil gap in Northern Europe's Ice Age timeline Reveals that megafauna survived in colder, more northern zones than expected Highlights peat bogs as untapped archives of ancient biodiversity Suggests some species had greater climate resilience than assumed Could eventually connect to early human migration and interaction studies What's next for ancient DNA research in Ice Age fossils With this success, scientists are now expanding their research to other peatlands, frozen bogs, and tundra zones across Scandinavia and the Arctic Circle. These untouched regions could hold even more secrets from the past, preserved in ancient sediments, waiting to be uncovered. Future goals include: Mapping prehistoric migration corridors used by Ice Age animals Identifying new extinct species through advanced ancient DNA techniques Understanding how megafauna and smaller creatures adapted to past climate shifts over thousands of years These insights don't just rewrite ancient history, they help us predict how modern species might respond to today's changing climate. In a warming world, knowing how animals once coped with extreme environmental shifts could be vital for conservation planning, habitat management, and preserving biodiversity. This isn't just a scientific discovery, it's a redefinition of survival. What we once assumed about extinction, movement, and endurance during the Ice Age is changing. Thanks to cutting-edge genetics and a little patience in the lab, we now know that life found a way in places previously thought too cold, too isolated, or too barren. And the next big clue? It might not be buried in some distant, icy tundra. It could be just a few feet beneath the forest floor, hidden in soil, waiting to tell the next chapter of a story that's been frozen for over 10,000 years. Also read| New study shows how lunar soil can be turned into water, oxygen and fuel
News18
06-08-2025
- News18
Ancient Egyptian Pregnancy Test: Women Used Grain Sacks Long Before Modern Kits
Last Updated: A viral Instagram post has revived an ancient Egyptian method from 1350 BC, where women urinated on barley and wheat sacks to test for pregnancy and predict the baby's gender In today's age, confirming a pregnancy is as simple as using a small test kit, a few drops of urine, and waiting just a few minutes. However, long before modern technology, women had their own ingenious ways of detecting pregnancy, including a method involving grain sacks. A recently viral post on Instagram has revived interest in a fascinating technique from ancient Egypt, dating back to around 1350 BC. Historians report that women of that era would urinate on sacks of barley and wheat to check for pregnancy. These sacks were then observed over several days. If either of them sprouted, the woman was believed to be pregnant. The method went further: if the barley sack germinated, it was thought she was carrying a boy, while germination in the wheat sack indicated a girl. If neither sprouted, the result was considered negative. Reliable Pregnancy Tests? This technique was regarded as one of the most reliable pregnancy tests of its time. The recent Instagram post claimed that not only could it detect pregnancy, but it could also predict the baby's sex, something many modern tests legally avoid disclosing early on. The viral post also mentioned that modern scientists have studied this method and found it surprisingly effective, at least for detecting pregnancy. This has amazed many people at the resourcefulness of ancient civilisations. Modern-day researchers have tested this method. In 1963, a study found that hormonal changes in a pregnant woman's urine could indeed influence seed germination. However, the accuracy of gender prediction remains questionable. There's no firm scientific evidence supporting the idea that barley responds differently to male fetuses than wheat does to female ones. It is still astonishing how a civilisation without today's medical tools could develop such a method, which continues to spark curiosity. References to this practice have been found in ancient Egyptian medical texts, particularly the Ebers Papyrus, one of the oldest known records of medicine. It contains detailed information on health, remedies, and even pregnancy diagnoses. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
