Latest news with #GlennStuart
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
New Discovery Could Upend Our Theory of Early America
An 11,000-year-old Indigenous settlement found in Saskatchewan reshapes the understanding of North American civilizations. Evidence of a long-term settlement, rather than a temporary hunting camp, pushes against previous ideas that Indigenous peoples were solely nomadic. The find also bumps against previously held beliefs on how long people groups have lived in North America. The now-extinct but once-plentiful Bison antiquus—a bigger, taller cousin of the bison we know today, each weighing as much as 4,400 pounds—would make for quite a meal if you managed to bring one down. Their meat was apparently reason enough for a group of Indigenous peoples to make a home near what is now Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, according to a new discovery that flips our predisposition about early North Americans upside down. In the new find, researchers discovered evidence of a long-term settlement near Sturgeon Lake in the Canadian province, dating the settlement to 11,000 years ago. It could rewrite what is known about Indigenous history in North America, providing evidence of a more sedentary life style taking hold much earlier than the nomadic way of living that experts have long believed was how those early people groups lived. 'This discovery challenges the outdated idea that early Indigenous peoples were solely nomadic,' said Glenn Stuart, archaeologist at the University of Saskatchewan, in a statement released by Sturgeon Lake First Nation via the university. 'The evidence of long-term settlement and land stewardship suggest a deep-rooted presence. It also raises questions about the Bering Strait Theory, supporting oral histories that Indigenous communities have lived here for countless generations.' The researchers said this find establishes the location as one of the oldest known Indigenous sites on the continent, a pre-contact settlement showing that organized societies existed in the region far earlier than previously believed. Researcher and archaeologist Dave Rondeau initially discovered a host of artifacts revealed by erosion from the North Saskatchewan River. 'The moment I saw the layers of history peeking through the soil, I felt the weight of generations staring back at me,' Rondeau said. 'Now that the evidence has proven my first instincts, this site is shaking up everything we thought we knew and could change the narrative of early Indigenous civilizations in North America.' The team located stone tools, fire pits, and lithic materials used in toolmaking. The Charcoal layers show inhabitants practiced fire management, and the site was used long-term, rather than as a temporary hunting camp. Another key differentiator was the discovery of large bison remains. The landscape features a buffalo jump—a cliff that Indigenous people used to drive large groups of animals over for easier kills—and the team believes the site likely housed multiple bison pounds and other kill sites. The findings point to hunters strategically harvesting the now-extinct Bison antiquus. Finding evidence of bison also could provide insight into early hunting techniques and the evolution of the species. 'This discovery is a powerful reminder that our ancestors were here, building, thriving, and shaping the land long before history books acknowledged us,' Chief Christine Longjohn said in a statement. 'For too long our voices have been silenced, but this site speaks for us, proving that our roots run deep and unbroken.' You Might Also Like Can Apple Cider Vinegar Lead to Weight Loss? Bobbi Brown Shares Her Top Face-Transforming Makeup Tips for Women Over 50
CBC
14-02-2025
- Science
- CBC
Feb 15: How AI is transforming science, and more...
A recently discovered archaeological site in Saskatchewan, dated to just less than 11,000 years ago is the oldest settlement in the region by about 1,500 years. It also is evidence that Indigenous people settled there as soon as the environment could support them after the glaciers disappeared. Glenn Stuart, from the University of Saskatchewan, is one of the archaeologists working along with local Indigenous community members to preserve and study the site. Researchers investigating how sea turtles navigate the vast and trackless ocean have discovered just how sensitive the reptiles' magnetic sense is, as they can even use it to identify the location of food resources. While feeding the loggerhead turtles in the lab, Kayla Goforth, a postdoctoral researcher at Texas A&M University noticed that the turtles would perform a 'happy dance' when they recognized the right magnetic signature. She led this research that was published in the journal Nature. WATCH: Turtles Dancing Scientists were surprised to discover that the more intensely you exercise, the more certain immune cells belch out fragments of DNA that can form webs to trap pathogens, and lead to fewer pro-inflammatory immune cells circulating in our blood. Canadian researcher Stephen Montgomery, a professor of pathology at Stanford University, said their findings suggest that circulating cell-free DNA may play a role in how exercise lowers inflammation in the body. The study was published in the journal PNAS. Birds are the last surviving lineage of dinosaurs, but modern birds are surprisingly ancient – dating to before the extinction of the rest of their family. An extremely rare, nearly intact bird skull found in Antarctica and dated to about 69 million years ago confirms this. This waterfowl had similarities to ducks and loons. Chris Torres is an assistant professor at the University of the Pacific in Stockton California and was part of the team that analyzed this fossil. Their research was published in the journal Nature. The stunning advances in artificial intelligence that we see with internet AI apps are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to science. Researchers from almost every field are experimenting with this powerful new tool to diagnose disease, understand climate change, develop strategies for conservation and discover new kinds of materials. And AI is on the threshold of being able to make discoveries all by itself. Will it put scientists out of a job? Producer Amanda Buckiewicz spoke with: Jeff Clune, a professor of computer science at the University of British Columbia, a Canada CIFAR AI Chair at the Vector Institute, and a senior research advisor to DeepMind. He's also a co-author of The AI Scientist. Allison Noble, a Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Oxford and a Foreign Secretary at the Royal Society, and chair of the Science in the Age of AI working group. Elissa Strome, executive director of the Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy at CIFAR. Cong Lu, postdoctoral research and teaching fellow at the University of British Columbia and the Vector Institute, and a co-author of The AI Scientist. Fred Morstatter, a research assistant professor at the University of Southern California, and a principal scientist at USC's Information Sciences Institute.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
A Settlement Discovery Could Upend Our Theory of Early America
An 11,000-year-old Indigenous settlement found in Saskatchewan reshapes the understanding of North American civilizations. Evidence of a long-term settlement, rather than a temporary hunting camp, pushes against previous ideas that Indigenous peoples were solely nomadic. The find also bumps against previously held beliefs on how long people groups have lived in North America. The now-extinct but once-plentiful Bison antiquus—a bigger, taller cousin of the bison we know today, each weighing as much as 4,400 pounds—would make for quite a meal if you managed to bring one down. Their meat was apparently reason enough for a group of Indigenous peoples to make a home near what is now Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, according to a new discovery that flips our predisposition about early North Americans upside down. In the new find, researchers discovered evidence of a long-term settlement near Sturgeon Lake in the Canadian province, dating the settlement to 11,000 years ago. It could rewrite what is known about Indigenous history in North America, providing evidence of a more sedentary life style taking hold much earlier than the nomadic way of living that experts have long believed was how those early people groups lived. 'This discovery challenges the outdated idea that early Indigenous peoples were solely nomadic,' said Glenn Stuart, archaeologist at the University of Saskatchewan, in a statement released by Sturgeon Lake First Nation via the university. 'The evidence of long-term settlement and land stewardship suggest a deep-rooted presence. It also raises questions about the Bering Strait Theory, supporting oral histories that Indigenous communities have lived here for countless generations.' The researchers said this find establishes the location as one of the oldest known Indigenous sites on the continent, a pre-contact settlement showing that organized societies existed in the region far earlier than previously believed. Researcher and archaeologist Dave Rondeau initially discovered a host of artifacts revealed by erosion from the North Saskatchewan River. 'The moment I saw the layers of history peeking through the soil, I felt the weight of generations staring back at me,' Rondeau said. 'Now that the evidence has proven my first instincts, this site is shaking up everything we thought we knew and could change the narrative of early Indigenous civilizations in North America.' The team located stone tools, fire pits, and lithic materials used in toolmaking. The Charcoal layers show inhabitants practiced fire management, and the site was used long-term, rather than as a temporary hunting camp. Another key differentiator was the discovery of large bison remains. The landscape features a buffalo jump—a cliff that Indigenous people used to drive large groups of animals over for easier kills—and the team believes the site likely housed multiple bison pounds and other kill sites. The findings point to hunters strategically harvesting the now-extinct Bison antiquus. Finding evidence of bison also could provide insight into early hunting techniques and the evolution of the species. 'This discovery is a powerful reminder that our ancestors were here, building, thriving, and shaping the land long before history books acknowledged us,' Chief Christine Longjohn said in a statement. 'For too long our voices have been silenced, but this site speaks for us, proving that our roots run deep and unbroken.' You Might Also Like The Do's and Don'ts of Using Painter's Tape The Best Portable BBQ Grills for Cooking Anywhere Can a Smart Watch Prolong Your Life?
