Latest news with #UniversityofLeiden
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Evidence of Ancient Human Ancestors Found Underwater
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Here's what you'll learn when you read this story: Fragments of a Homo erectus skull were among deposits of vertebrate fossils found when the Indonesian seafloor was being dredged for a construction project This is the first time fossils of this species have been found on the seafloor between the islands of Indonesia, and further investigation found that land bridges once connected the islands. Evidence of Homo erectus hunting bovine ancestors and extracting bone marrow was also discovered. During the glacial period that chilled the Earth 140,000 years ago, sea levels in the Indonesian region of Sundaland were low enough for present-day islands to tower like mountain ranges with a lowland savannah stretching between them. It was an expanse of mostly dry grasslands with strips of forest edging the rivers, and animals like crocodiles, river sharks, elephants, hippos, rhinos, and carnivorous lizards flourished in the region. Sundaland was also a paradise for early humans. Long thought to have been isolated on the island of Java, two fossil fragments of a Homo erectus skull—which surfaced with recent ocean dredging in preparation for the construction of an artificial island—revealed that this hominin species migrated and spread throughout the islands when they could still walk over bridges of land. Homo erectus was first discovered in Java (and was known as 'Java Man' until the species was officially renamed), but sossilized remains had never before been found on the seafloor between what are now the islands of Java, Bali, Sumatra and Borneo. Now that examples have been dredged up, however, Harold Berghuis—an archaeologist from the University of Leiden in the Netherlands, who led the investigation —thinks Homo erectus took advantage of the now-drowned land, and likely settled near the riverbanks in the region. 'Under the relatively dry Middle Pleistocene climate of eastern Java, herds of herbivores and groups of hominins on the lowland plains were probably dependent on large perennial rivers, providing drinking water and terrestrial as well as aquatic food sources,' Berghuis said in a study recently published in Quaternary Environments and Humans. These human ancestors would have had plenty to take advantage of near these ancient rivers. Trees bore fruit all year, and the ancient hominins would have been able to gather edible plants in addition to catching fish and shellfish. They may have even used mussel shells as tools—the oldest known evidence of them being used for that purpose—and engraved some of them (the most ancient human engravings have been found on shells that previously turned up in Java). The new findings show that they also hunted river turtles and terrestrial animals. Bones of river turtles and bovine ancestors showed cut marks and breakages that suggested the consumption of both meat and bone marrow. More modern human species on the Asian mainland (such as Denisovans and Neanderthals) were already known to have hunted bovids, and while no evidence for this had been found on Java, the presence of these seafloor fossils could mean that hunting methods were transferred from one species to the other. There may have even been interbreeding. Land exposed by diminished sea levels also meant that animal species from the mainland—like the extinct Asian hippo and the endangered (but still-extant) Komodo dragon—could spread to the Indonesian islands. Homo erectus marked a significant shift in human evolution—they were the earliest hominids to bear more of a resemblance to modern humans, with larger bodies, longer legs, and shorter arms relative to their torso. More muscle mass meant that they could walk and run faster than earlier hominins, and were likely more adept hunters. An increase in body size is also associated with an increase in brain size, and skulls tell us that their brains were over 50% larger than those of early Australopithecus species (though the human brain would eventually evolve to be 40% larger than that by the time Homo sapiens appeared). 'The late Middle Pleistocene age of the site is of great interest in terms of hominin evolution, as this period is characterized by a great morphological diversity and mobility of hominin populations in the region,' Berghuis and his team said. When sea levels rose, the land bridges between the islands of Sundaland were submerged, but this dredging has given us an unprecedented window into the life of Homo erectus in Indonesia. 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
Metro
26-05-2025
- Science
- Metro
Mystery of ancient land could have been solved by 140,000-year-old human skull
A prehistoric human skull and fossils found in the sea could reveal the secrets of an ancient lost land teeming with venomous Komodo dragons. The fragments of Homo erectus 's skull were discovered buried in a since-disappeared land in Indonesia. The bone pieces were found by accident among thousands of animal fossils when tonnes of sand and stones were dredged up off the seafloor of the Madura Strait between Java and Madura island. Marks found on the fossils suggest that the Homo erectus might have used a hunting strategy copied from its more modern human relatives, signalling a further overlap and interaction between the two human species. The Homo erectus skull was buried 140,000 years ago, and it could be the first evidence of the prehistoric landmass known as Sundaland, Live Science reports. The bombshell discovery, published last week in the Quaternary Environments and Human journal, reveals how a previously unknown Homo erectus population may have interacted with more humans across the strip of land, which connected the islands. The fossil markings suggest that the Homo erectus in the area were targeting a prehistoric, cow-like animal in a way the species isn't usually known for, suggesting the strategy was copied from humans on the Asia mainland. The findings suggest that early humans lived side-by-side with the Komodo dragons, which have a poisonous bite and are capable of killing large mammals. Harold Berghuis, the lead author of the study at the University of Leiden, Netherlands, told Live Science: 'The Madura Strait hominins may have developed this hunting strategy independently. 'But the other possibility is that we are looking at a kind of cultural exchange.' After sifting through the debris, the researchers found more than 6,000 animal fossils – the first time fossils have been found from the submerged Sundaland. The area used to look very different when human ancestors walked and hunted in the area during the last Ice Age. Sundaland was the home to elephants, the elephant-like extinct Stegodon and water buffalo, while its rivers were teeming with fish, turtles, river sharks and hippos, the fossils show. The researchers identified 36 different species among the over 6,000 fossils, including Komodo dragons, which could have been 'the most important predators' in Sundaland, Berghuis said. But the pre-historic human remains could have been lost forever when a massive construction project started in the strait to create an artificial island. Diggers pulled up around 177 million cubic feet of sand and sandstones near Surabaya between 2014 and 2015, which was then used the create the island. Berghuis then spent weeks on his hands and knees searching for any human-linked fossils. He finally hit the jackpot on his last day at the site. He said: 'It was already getting dark and I sat down to enjoy [the] sunset. More Trending 'And then, right beside me, lay this fossil that reminded me so much of the only Dutch Neanderthal. This is a well-known fossil in my country, dredged from the North Sea.' The human predecessor was the first to develop a humanlike body and leave the African continent for Asia and Europe during its 2 million-year existence. As its name suggests, Homo erectus walked upright, although the teeth were larger and the brain smaller than in modern humans. Homo erectus is thought to be the first human species to have used fire around 1 million years ago. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page.
Extra.ie
25-05-2025
- Science
- Extra.ie
140,000 year old bones found under ocean hint at lost world
Bones that are thought to be more than 140,000 years old have been discovered buried in the sea off the Indonesian coast, hinting to a previously unknown population in South East Asia. The skull of Homo erectus was preserved under layers of silt and sand in the Madura Strait between the islands of Java and Madura. The skull bones were found among 6,000 animal fossils of 36 species including buffalos, deer, elephants and Komodo dragons. The skull of Homo erectus was preserved under layers of silt and sand in the Madura Strait between the islands of Java and Madura. Pic: Régis BOSSU/Sygma via Getty Images Experts say this is the first time evidence of life in the lost world has been seen. These lost lands were called Sundaland and were once connected to Southeast Asia in a vast tropical plain. Some of the bones and fossils discovered had deliberate marks on them, indicating that the early humans were practicing hunting strategies. The fossils were found by maritime sand miners in 2011, but experts have just managed to establish further details such as the age and species. Bones that are thought to be more than 140,000 years old have been discovered buried in the sea off the Indonesian coast, hinting to a previously unknown population in South East Asia. Pic: Getty Images Harold Berghuis, an archaeologist at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands led the investigation and says the period is characterized by 'great morphological diversity and mobility of hominin populations in the region.' Sundaland was submerged in water between 7,000 and 14,000 years ago after melting glaciers caused the sea levels to rise more than 120 meters. Following the discovery of 6,000 fossils and two human skull garments, scientists carried out detailed surveys where they collected and catalogued their findings to investigate. Homo erectus were the first early humans to resemble us more closely. They had taller, more muscular bodies with longer legs and shorter arms. Pic: Getty Images Researchers examined the layers where the fossils were discovered and came across a buried valley system from the ancient Solo River, which once flowed across the now-submerged Sunda Shelf. Homo erectus were the first early humans to resemble us more closely. They had taller, more muscular bodies with longer legs and shorter arms. The skulls discovered by researchers has been confirmed as Homo erectus following a comparison with known Homo erectus fossils from Java's Sumbungmacan site. Elsewhere, fossils of a large extinct mammal similar to modern elephants were found. The Stegoden is understood to reach up to 13 feet at the shoulder and weigh more than 10 tonnes. An array of different deer remains were also uncovered, including bones and teeth from different species.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Scientists Found Evidence of Our Ancient Human Ancestors Underwater, Suggesting a Sunken World
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Here's what you'll learn when you read this story: Fragments of a Homo erectus skull were among deposits of vertebrate fossils found when the Indonesian seafloor was being dredged for a construction project This is the first time fossils of this species have been found on the seafloor between the islands of Indonesia, and further investigation found that land bridges once connected the islands. Evidence of Homo erectus hunting bovine ancestors and extracting bone marrow was also discovered. During the glacial period that chilled the Earth 140,000 years ago, sea levels in the Indonesian region of Sundaland were low enough for present-day islands to tower like mountain ranges with a lowland savannah stretching between them. It was an expanse of mostly dry grasslands with strips of forest edging the rivers, and animals like crocodiles, river sharks, elephants, hippos, rhinos, and carnivorous lizards flourished in the region. Sundaland was also a paradise for early humans. Long thought to have been isolated on the island of Java, two fossil fragments of a Homo erectus skull—which surfaced with recent ocean dredging in preparation for the construction of an artificial island—revealed that this hominin species migrated and spread throughout the islands when they could still walk over bridges of land. Homo erectus was first discovered in Java (and was known as 'Java Man' until the species was officially renamed), but sossilized remains had never before been found on the seafloor between what are now the islands of Java, Bali, Sumatra and Borneo. Now that examples have been dredged up, however, Harold Berghuis—an archaeologist from the University of Leiden in the Netherlands, who led the investigation —thinks Homo erectus took advantage of the now-drowned land, and likely settled near the riverbanks in the region. 'Under the relatively dry Middle Pleistocene climate of eastern Java, herds of herbivores and groups of hominins on the lowland plains were probably dependent on large perennial rivers, providing drinking water and terrestrial as well as aquatic food sources,' Berghuis said in a study recently published in Quaternary Environments and Humans. These human ancestors would have had plenty to take advantage of near these ancient rivers. Trees bore fruit all year, and the ancient hominins would have been able to gather edible plants in addition to catching fish and shellfish. They may have even used mussel shells as tools—the oldest known evidence of them being used for that purpose—and engraved some of them (the most ancient human engravings have been found on shells that previously turned up in Java). The new findings show that they also hunted river turtles and terrestrial animals. Bones of river turtles and bovine ancestors showed cut marks and breakages that suggested the consumption of both meat and bone marrow. More modern human species on the Asian mainland (such as Denisovans and Neanderthals) were already known to have hunted bovids, and while no evidence for this had been found on Java, the presence of these seafloor fossils could mean that hunting methods were transferred from one species to the other. There may have even been interbreeding. Land exposed by diminished sea levels also meant that animal species from the mainland—like the extinct Asian hippo and the endangered (but still-extant) Komodo dragon—could spread to the Indonesian islands. Homo erectus marked a significant shift in human evolution—they were the earliest hominids to bear more of a resemblance to modern humans, with larger bodies, longer legs, and shorter arms relative to their torso. More muscle mass meant that they could walk and run faster than earlier hominins, and were likely more adept hunters. An increase in body size is also associated with an increase in brain size, and skulls tell us that their brains were over 50% larger than those of early Australopithecus species (though the human brain would eventually evolve to be 40% larger than that by the time Homo sapiens appeared). 'The late Middle Pleistocene age of the site is of great interest in terms of hominin evolution, as this period is characterized by a great morphological diversity and mobility of hominin populations in the region,' Berghuis and his team said. When sea levels rose, the land bridges between the islands of Sundaland were submerged, but this dredging has given us an unprecedented window into the life of Homo erectus in Indonesia. 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?
Calgary Herald
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Calgary Herald
'The boss has changed': Rookie Calgary Liberal MP says he's ready to fight for Alberta's place in Canada
OTTAWA — Rookie Liberal MP Corey Hogan says he's ready to speak up for the 'No' side, in the event of a referendum on Albertan independence next year. Article content Article content Hogan, who narrowly won the riding of Calgary Confederation in April's federal election, told the National Post that he won't sit on the sidelines in the coming debate over Alberta's future in Canada. Article content Article content 'One of the main reasons I ran is I wanted to be both a strong Alberta voice and a strong pro-Canadian voice.' Article content Article content Hogan believes that the pro-Canada message helped him edge out Conservative opponent, ex-provincial cabinet minister Jeremy Nixon. Article content 'One of the reasons I was elected… is because of this moment we're in,' said Hogan. Article content 'The main thing I heard on the doors was Donald Trump, Canada's existence, all of that… residents said over and over that they wanted someone who would fight for this country, and that's what I'm going to give them.' Article content He also said that Nixon's association with Premier Danielle Smith, whose cabinet he sat in from 2022 to 2023, may have cost him votes. Article content 'Alberta separatism is an issue that divides Conservatives in a way that doesn't divide Liberals,' said Hogan. Article content Article content Hogan said it will be vital in the coming months to confront separatist arguments head on, after Smith dramatically lowered the bar for triggering a referendum on the province's independence. Article content He wrote in a recent blog post that there is little reason to believe that Alberta would have a better go of building pipelines to tidewater as a sovereign state that can enter into international treaties, as Smith herself has claimed in the past. Article content '(Treaties) guarantee rights of access but they do not guarantee the right to build infrastructure across another country's territory,' wrote Hogan. Article content Yuan Yi Zhu, a Canadian-born professor of international law at the University of Leiden, says he agrees with Hogan, pointing to the plain language of the United Nations' law of the sea. Article content 'The relevant section says that landlocked and transit countries may, by agreement, define pipelines as a means of transport to the sea… it doesn't say that they have to,' said Zhu.
