Genetic data reveals new details about Stone Age woman
Archaeologists have reconstructed the face of a Stone Age Belgian woman, revealing she had blue eyes and a dark complexion.
Her fossil remains were unearthed in 1988 in the Margaux cave near Dinant, Belgium, dating back approximately 10,500 years.
Genetic and archaeological data from Ghent University enabled the reconstruction, showing she belonged to the same hunter-gatherer population as Britain's Cheddar Man.
The Margaux woman's slightly lighter skin compared to other Stone Age Western Europeans suggests greater diversity in skin pigmentation than previously thought.
Scientists deduced her potential eye and skin colours from DNA analysis of her skull, though further research is needed for more precise details.
Facial reconstruction of Stone Age Belgian woman reveals she had dark complexion
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Daily Mail
6 hours ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Hate your Dad's jokes? Don't worry, humour doesn't run in the family, study finds
They're the groan-worthy one-liners and corny puns that usually make an appearance at any family gathering. But if you hate your Dad's jokes don't worry – as it's unlikely you'll follow in his comedy footsteps, according to a study. Experts have found that, unlike intelligence or eye colour, humour doesn't run in the family. In the first ever study to look at the influence of genes and the environment on comedic abilities, scientists compared over a thousand twins by asking them to create funny captions for cartoons. The new findings, published in the journal Twin Research and Human Genetics, revealed there was no evidence that they inherited their humorous talents. The study contained a mix of both identical twins, who share 100 per cent of their DNA, and non-identical twins, who are like any biological siblings and share about 50 per cent of their DNA. If comedic ability was inherited, then the researchers would have expected to see stronger humour similarities between the identical twins compared to the non-identical twins. However, they discovered that across all twin pairs, individuals shared the same level of comedic ability. This indicates that humour is shaped by the environment – such as growing up in the same household - rather than genetics, the team said. However, they said a small genetic effect could not be ruled out. The results suggest that the reasons why you are funny or your jokes are met with silence may be more complex and difficult to assess than other cognitive abilities. It could also help explain the rarity of comedy duos from the same family - such as the Chuckle Brothers or the Marx Brothers - compared to actors, musicians or writers. Dr Gil Greengross, from the Psychology Department at Aberystwyth University, led the study. He said: 'Despite humour's importance, relatively little is known about how we develop our sense of humour or why one sibling can be funny and another cannot. 'Our study's finding that these talents are not inherited is surprising, as it contradicts most research on the heritability of cognitive abilities such as creativity and mathematical skills. 'So, it is really fascinating. But since this is the first study of its kind, these results should be interpreted with caution.' He explained that while telling a joke may seem simple, having a good sense of humour is a complex and unique trait that is influenced by a range of psychological attributes and personality characteristics. 'It varies across different social contexts, like when going on a date or entertaining,' he said. 'This may explain why, Chuckle and Marx Brothers aside, there are few successful comedians from the same immediate family. 'What is exciting about this research is it begs the question: if our sense of humour is not handed down from our parents but comes from our environment, what is it precisely that makes us funny?' The findings also have implications for how scientists think about humour's role in evolution and even dating. Dr Greengross added: 'These early findings also challenge the widely accepted evolutionary basis of humour. 'A great sense of humour can help ease tension in dangerous situations, foster cooperation, break down interpersonal barriers, and attract mates—all of which enhance survival and reproduction. 'There are also intriguing dating and mating aspects to this. 'Previous research has shown that women prioritise comedic talents in a partner more than do men, whereas men value a women's ability to appreciate their humour. 'Men experience stronger selection pressure to be funny to impress women, leading to men having slightly higher humour ability, on average — a finding supported by our study. 'Furthermore, men rated themselves as funnier than women, likely reflecting an awareness of humour's importance in female mate choice.' Despite being cringeworthy, Dad jokes are important in helping children learn to be embarrassed by their parents, other experts have said. MailOnline has previously revealed 40 of the funniest Dad jokes, as used in a 2019 study by researchers from UCL. The hilarious quips include 'What do you call a man with a spade on his head?' - the answer of which, of course, is 'Dug!' 40 of the most groan-worthy Dad jokes What do you call a bear with no socks on? Bare foot. What button is impossible to unbutton? The belly button. What did Michael Jackson call his denim store? Billie Jeans. What is invisible and smells of worms? A bird's fart. What do you call a Minecraft celebration? 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The toe company. What does a dinosaur use to pay bills? Tyrannosaurus checks.
Daily Mail
10 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Archaeologists discover long-lost ancient Egyptian city
Archaeologists have unearthed a long-lost Egyptian city that dates back 2,500 years. Located around six miles (10 km) south of Tanis in Egypt 's Nile Delta, the city of Imet was once a bustling center of religious and economic activity in the fourth century BC. Excavations have now revealed the remains of granaries, animal pens, and a ceremonial building used in the worship of the cobra-headed goddess Wadjet. Archaeologists even found substantial multi-story 'tower houses' built to accommodate the city's fast-growing population. Dr Nicky Nielsen, an archaeologist from the University of Manchester who directed the excavation, says: 'These tower houses are mainly found in the Nile Delta between the Late Period and the Roman era, and are rare elsewhere in Egypt. 'Their presence here shows that Imet was a thriving and densely built city with a complex urban infrastructure.' In collaboration with the University of Sadat City, researchers first spotted the ruins through remote sensing technology. By studying high-definition satellite images, Dr Nielsen and his colleagues identified the clusters of ancient mudbrick structures which make up the lost city. Archaeologists believe that Imet was occupied from at least 1550 BC, during Egypt's 18th Dynasty, and was the capital of its administrative district, called a Nome. According to these latest excavations, Imet was at its peak during Egypt's late period around the fourth century BC. This was the last period of Egyptian rule and the height of the Ptolemaic dynasty before Alexander the Great conquered the region in 332 BC. By selecting where to excavate using satellite imagery, archaeologists have now been able to reveal just how developed this city was at the height of its expansion. Excavations uncovered dense architectural remains, including a large, paved area for processing grain and animal enclosures - pointing to an active local economy. Imet was also home to a number of large tower buildings, constructed with exceptionally thick foundation walls. The researchers say these were built to accommodate the city's rapidly urbanizing population. Elsewhere, Dr Nielsen and his colleagues uncovered the remains of religious activity dedicated to the city's patron goddess Wadjet. Dr Nielsen told MailOnline: 'Wadjet was the cobra goddess of Lower Egypt - the Nile Delta - and she was primarily worshipped during the Late Period, both through temple rituals but also by the donation of votive offerings. 'For example, we have some evidence suggesting that one could give little ceramic figurines to the temple in exchange for favors from the goddess who was in particular associated with fertility.' The excavations unearthed a large building with a limestone plaster floor and massive pillars, dating from Imet's peak in the mid-Ptolemaic Period. This building was constructed over the ceremonial road stretching from the entrance to the Temple of Wadjet to the gateway of the mudbrick wall which surrounded the temple. 'This route was used for religious processions when statues of the goddess or other deities worshipped in the temple were carried around by priests to be seen by the population,' says Dr Nielsen. However, by the end of the fourth century BC, the processional route seems to have fallen out of use. This suggests that Egypt's religious landscape may have been undergoing some major changes during this period. Alongside these large structures, the researchers also found several remarkable artefacts which hint at the lives of Imet's long-lost residents. Dr Nielsen says he was particularly surprised to find a copper rattle called a sistrum carved with the face of the god Hathor lying in the street outside one of the tower houses. Dr Nielsen says: 'It was probably kept in a wooden box on one of the upper floors and when the house collapsed following its abandonment, it fell into the street. 'It is a wonderful piece and something that tangibly links to the spiritual life of the inhabitants - these sorts of sistrums were used in temple rituals along with other instruments such as clappers, flutes and drums.' Additionally, the archaeologists found a green faience ushabti - a type of glazed funerary figure - dating from between 664 and 525 BC and a stone slab with engravings of the god Harpocrates and protective symbols. Dr Nielsen says these discoveries offer a valuable insight into the everyday lives of ancient Egyptians. He says: 'We have a very good understanding of ancient Egyptian afterlife beliefs and funerary architecture, but archaeology in Egypt has traditionally focused less on daily life and settlement archaeology, so this, in a sense, helps to address that imbalance.'
The Independent
12 hours ago
- The Independent
Genetic data reveals new details about Stone Age woman
Archaeologists have reconstructed the face of a Stone Age Belgian woman, revealing she had blue eyes and a dark complexion. Her fossil remains were unearthed in 1988 in the Margaux cave near Dinant, Belgium, dating back approximately 10,500 years. Genetic and archaeological data from Ghent University enabled the reconstruction, showing she belonged to the same hunter-gatherer population as Britain's Cheddar Man. The Margaux woman's slightly lighter skin compared to other Stone Age Western Europeans suggests greater diversity in skin pigmentation than previously thought. Scientists deduced her potential eye and skin colours from DNA analysis of her skull, though further research is needed for more precise details. Facial reconstruction of Stone Age Belgian woman reveals she had dark complexion
