A supernova could be the "quick and dirty" explanation for what may have happened to an early North American culture, a nuclear scientist here said Thursday.
Richard Firestone said at the "Clovis in the Southeast" conference that he thinks "impact regions" on mammoth tusks found in Gainey, Mich., were caused by magnetic particles rich in elements like titanium and uranium. This composition, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory scientist said, resembles rocks that were discovered on the moon and have also been found in lunar meteorites that fell to Earth about 10,000 years ago.
Just plain a weird story. First of all, if there were a supernova -- apparently of our sun? -- we, um, you know, wouldn't even BE HERE. Second, " comets struck the solar system during the Clovis period" is just plain silly, since there are comets all over the solar system. Other than that, there's little to go on. There's also mention of some stuff Goodyear present on his Topper site, but not much.
More here. Though this outburst from Michael Collins: Michael Collins called the idea that the first inhabitants traveled by way of a land bridge from Asia "primal racism." Instead, Collins said, they arrived by water, because "the rich marine environments" along the northern Atlantic and Pacific coasts are "very attractive regions for human exploitation." we feel is a bit too trendy. Let's face it: When some actual sites are discovered that show this supposed water route, it'll gain some currency. Until then, it's mostly speculation.
World's earliest observatory discovered in China
Chinese archaeologists said they have found the world earliest observatory, dated back to some 4,100 years ago, in north China's Shanxi Province.
The ancient observatory in the Taosi relics site in Shanxi Province is at least 2,000 years older than the 1,000-year-old observatory built by the Maya in central America, said He Nu, a research follow with the Institute of Archaeology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
He told Xinhua on Sunday that the observatory, built at the endof the primitive society, "was not only used for observing astronomical phenomena but also for sacrificial rites."
Sex! Gluttony! Violence! Apart from vomitoriums and orgies, what did the Romans do for us?
The best way to judge a modern recreation of ancient Rome - in film or fiction - is to apply the simple "dormouse test". How long is it before the characters adopt an uncomfortably horizontal position in front of tables, usually festooned with grapes, and one says to another: "Can I pass you a dormouse?"
The basic rule of thumb is this: the longer you have to wait before this tasty little morsel appears on the recreated banquet, the more subtle the reconstruction is likely to be. On these terms Rome, the new joint HBO-BBC series, does not do badly. It is not until at least 30 minutes into the first episode that anyone pops the dormouse question.
Kind of an interesting article on the current (and long-time) fascination the West has with Rome. Obviously it played a big part in Christianity and formed part of the revered Classical world that the Renaissance sought to glorify. It's an interesting view from the British perspective, vis a vis Rome vs. Greece, in that Romans were actually in Britain, while the Greeks were not. But, let's face it, Rome is endlessly fascinating for the very reasons the article lays out: They were enough like "us" to be familiar, but different enough to set ourselves out in contrast (to our betterment, obviously).
We've heard, but cannot substantiate, that the movie Caligula portrays the Roman Empire the most accurately of almost any film. Probably requires some field research at some point.
Mummy update
Mysterious mummy lays in Geology Hall
Although now at home in the Rutgers Geology Hall, the female mummy that resides on the Old Queens campus building spent many years in a far more undignified place: one of the closets of the New Brunswick Theological Seminary.
That's right, mummy.
Few students here are aware of the opportunity to catch a rare glimpse into the burial ceremony of a foreign and strange culture.
Of course, other than its resting place, there is very little known about the mysterious mummy.
"We know it came from Northern Egypt, but that's about it," said William Selden, the collections manager of the Geology Hall.
Tsunami (yes) update Tsunami reveals ancient temple sites
Archaeologists say they have discovered the site of an ancient temple in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
It is the latest in a series of archaeological discoveries in the area struck by December's tsunami, which desilted large areas of the coastline.
The brick temple dates back more than 2,000 years to the late Tamil Sangam period and was discovered on the beachfront near Saluvankuppam, just north of a famous World Heritage site at Mahabalipuram.
Interesting bit: Apparently the place was destroyed by tsunamis twice before as evidenced by the stratigraphy and building methods. The chronology established here, along with further studies elsewhere along the coast, might help to identify how often these things strike.