Funny Friday

Primates originally from Asia?

Did Primates originate in Asia and not Africa?

A Team of researchers has published a new study on the discovery of four species of anthropoid primate found in the Sahara desert. It is believed they are around 39 million years old and that it they represent the members of a primate migration from Asia. 

Dr Christopher Beard, of Carnegie Museum of Natural History and author of the new paper states in the UK's Daily Mail, "If our ideas are correct, this early colonization of Africa by anthropoids was a truly pivotal event—one of the key points in our evolutionary history.  It led to a period of flourishing evolutionary divergence amongst anthropoids, and one of those lineages resulted in humans. If our early anthropoid ancestors had not succeeded in migrating from Asia to Africa, we simply wouldn’t exist." (Source)

The three clades that the primates belonged to have not been found in early deposits in the region, despite over 100 years of dedicated fossil collection in Africa.  Thus the team feels the evidence clearly points to the recent discoveries being recent arrivals, overseas travelers from Asia. (Source)

Dr. Bear reports, "This extraordinary new fossil site in Libya shows us that 39 million years ago there was a surprising diversity of anthropoids living in Africa, whereas few if any anthropoids are known from Africa before this time. This sudden appearance of such diversity suggests that these anthropoids probably colonized Africa from somewhere else. Without earlier fossil evidence in Africa, we’re currently looking to Asia as the place where these animals first evolved." (Source)

The new study is published in Nature.

 

More articles:

http://www.dailytech.com/Fossil+Discoveries+Indicate+Primates+Originally+Evolved+in+Asia/article20006.htm

http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2010/1027/Human-ancestors-may-have-originated-in-Asia-not-Africa

http://news.discovery.com/animals/primate-ancestors-evolution.html

http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2010/10/26/Fossils-double-age-of-humans-in-Asia/UPI-38351288130209/

Way back Wednesday

This week i will be looking at The stone tower Zendan e soleyman

The ruined monument which appears as a tall tower is severely damaged. It stands at a height of 14m.

Surroundings the building is a number of features and structures.

The ruins originally consisted of an almost square, 4-meter-high tower in which a single, raised room that was accessed by a projecting monumental stone staircase. 

The plaque at the site:

I hope my Way Back Wednesday was enjoyable!

Big Amber Find / Vampires / Ancient Roman Shipwreck

Prehistoric creatures discovered in huge Indian amber haul

Fossil hunters find 150kg of amber in Gujarat province containing over 700 arthropod specimens

 

Photographs: University of Bonn/David Grimaldi/AMNH

 

Hundreds of creatures have been found in amber (150kg) excavated in western India. These creatures include ancient bees, spiders, termites and ants etc. More than 700 arthropods have been identified.

"They are so well preserved. It's like having the complete dinosaur, not just the bones. You can see all the surface details on their bodies and wings. It's fantastic," Rust told the Guardian. The remains of two praying mantises were also found.

Michael Engel, curator of entomology at the University of Kansas, said: "What we found indicates that India was not completely isolated, even though the Cambray deposit dates from a time that precedes the slamming of India into Asia. There might have been some linkages."

Sources:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2010/oct/25/prehistoric-creatures-indian-amber-haul
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20101025/sc_afp/usindiapaleontolgyasia_20101025230555;_ylc=X3oDMTEwODNhcGlyBF9TAzIwMjM4Mjc1MjQEZW1haWxJZAMxMjg4MDUwNjc4
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11618809

Demystifying the history of vampires

The Penn Museum hosted a discussion on monsters in the Ancient World.
See article here: http://thedp.com/article/demystifying-history-vampires

Ancient Roman shipwreck

Just for illustration

 

A sunken warship has recently been found in the Mediterranean Sea. It might point to a major ancient battle in which Rome trounced Carthage.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39727737/ns/technology_and_science-science/

CT scanning a Fossil / Tombs Discovered in Egypt

CT scan to determine outback fossil find

An Ancient fossil embedded in a rock has been found near Winton, north-west of Longreach. It is estimated at about 98 million years old.

Spokesman David Elliot says it is still determining if it could be a pterosaur, which is a flying reptile, or another animal. Mr Elliot says the bones were put through a CAT scan at Mackay's Mater Hospital and will now be digitally pieced together.

"It entails a very specific ... computer software to convert the CT scan back into digital images and then transform those images then into what the bones [are] supposed to be," he said. (Source)

Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/10/25/3047543.htm

Discovery of 4 300 year old tombs in Egypt

A new double tomb has been discovered in Saqqara near Cairo, it is also said to have had vivid wall paintings. The tomb also has two false doors.

Egypt's antiquities chief, Zahi Hawass, said the new finds were "the most distinguished tombs ever found from the Old Kingdom," because of their "amazing colors." He said the area, if excavated, could unveil the largest cemetery of ancient Egypt. (Source)

The paintings on the false doors identified Shendwas and Khonsu as royal scribes and "supervisors of the mission," meaning they were in charge of delegations overseeing the supply of materials used for pyramids construction. (Source)

Source: http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2010/07/08/egypt_unveils_discovery_of_4300_year_old_tombs/

Funny Friday

Way back Wednesday

Today I will look at The wind catcher of "Dowlat-abad"

The city of Yazd dates back more than 3,000 years to the Median Empire. The city's name derived from Yazdegerd I, a Sassanid ruler. 

The wind tower was developed from early 'wind scoops' first built about 2,000 years ago in Iran (then Persia). The same technique can be found in examples of Persian ice houses to help control temperature.

The wind catcher of "Dowlat-abad" in Yazd, Iran, one of the tallest extant wind catchers; used in many parts of the Middle East.

The "canal" extends a long way!

Windcatchers are a common architectural feature in Yazd, owing to the extremely hot summers.

Hope you enjoyed my Way back Wednesday!

Ancient skeleton found in Golden shroud

 Source: http://www.imageabstraction.com/gallery/pic.php?id=216

An Ancient female skeleton has been found by Greek archaeologists in a 7th century grave in Crete. But what makes this skeleton so interesting is that it was found covered with more than 3000 pieces of gold foil. The foil is thought to have been sewn onto the robe.

The grave also contained a second skeleton, pottery, perfume and tons of beads. But the most significant find was a pendant in the form of a bee goddess.

Source:

http://news.scotsman.com/world/Golden-shroud-of-ancient-skeleton.6555616.jp

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/09/28/ancient-greek-grave-hides-golden-skeleton/

Fossil Spider

Jurassic Spider

Image: Paul Selden
Source:  http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/10/best-fossils/

This find was showcased in this year’s best finds of National Fossil Day. The Spider was found in China and dates to the middle Jurassic era and was preserved in fine volcanic ash. 

Personally it gives me the creeps :)

Read More http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/10/best-fossils/#ixzz12K7zf9ah

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/10/best-fossils/

Funny Friday