Madeleine Muzdakis, Author at My Modern Met https://mymodernmet.com/author/madeleine/ The Big City That Celebrates Creative Ideas Thu, 27 Jun 2024 15:59:11 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-My-Modern-Met-Favicon-1-32x32.png Madeleine Muzdakis, Author at My Modern Met https://mymodernmet.com/author/madeleine/ 32 32 15th-Century Monk Crowdsourced Info to Create Shockingly Accurate World Map https://mymodernmet.com/mappa-mundi-fra-mauro/?adt_ei={{ subscriber.email_address }} Sun, 30 Jun 2024 12:55:38 +0000 https://mymodernmet.com/?p=666305 15th-Century Monk Crowdsourced Info to Create Shockingly Accurate World Map

Before satellites and air flight, one might think mapping the contours of continents and the shores of seas accurately was nearly impossible. However, careful research alone could sometimes produce useable, surprisingly accurate renditions of geography. In the 15th century, a medieval monk known as Fra Mauro bucked cartographic tradition and carefully crafted a massive eight-foot […]

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15th-Century Monk Crowdsourced Info to Create Shockingly Accurate World Map
Medieval “Mappa Mundi” Was Shockingly Accurate for the Time

The Mappa Mundi by Fra Mauro, created around 1450. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain)

Before satellites and air flight, one might think mapping the contours of continents and the shores of seas accurately was nearly impossible. However, careful research alone could sometimes produce useable, surprisingly accurate renditions of geography. In the 15th century, a medieval monk known as Fra Mauro bucked cartographic tradition and carefully crafted a massive eight-foot by eight-foot map of the then-known world. Created for King Afonso V of Portugal, this Mappa Mundi (World Map) features over 3,000 locations across Africa, Europe, and Asia. While some may have fantastical stories and illustrations, the contours of this world match quite well the real boundaries of the land.

Fra Mauro was born around 1400, and he spent part of his youth traveling on merchant and military ships. He eventually became a monk at the Monastery of St. Michael, an outpost of the Camaldolese order that was perched on the Venetian island of Murano. There, he received a commission to create a world map for the king of Portugal, and he set to work. The map, completed around 1450, was essentially “crowd-sourced” like a medieval Google Maps, says Atlas Obscura. Living in a center of robust Mediterranean trade, the monk actively solicited insight and myths about the far corners of the then-known world from sailors, merchants, soldiers, and pilgrims. He then compiled them, with some assistance, into a map.

At a glance, one may not recognize the continents, as the map was drawn “upside down.” Stretching to the edges of the globe are the southern coast of Africa, Scandinavia, and the outer edge of what is now Russia. Ships, some labeled in Chinese, dot the wavy waters as far away as India. Almost 3,000 cities and sites are labeled and illustrated. Some are accompanied by troglodytes, seven-headed serpents, or gold lakes.

Clearly, the monk did not believe every legend he was told, noting in some places his disbelief. Impressively, this is the first European map to correctly depict Japan as an island. It also eschews certain Biblical fictions by not placing the Garden of Eden and its inhabitants at the center of the physical world. While not the only world map produced with accuracy, compared to the Hereford Mappa Mundi created about 150 years prior, the precision of Fra Mauro's map is especially stunning.

Fra Mauro, a 15th-century Venetian monk, created a large map of the world then known to Europeans.

Medieval “Mappa Mundi” Was Shockingly Accurate for the Time

Comparing the map to the real planet. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain)

Despite fantastical contents, this Mappa Mundi surprisingly tracks the outlines of actual continents.

Medieval “Mappa Mundi” Was Shockingly Accurate for the Time

A close-up of Chinese ships in the Indian Ocean. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain)

Watch this video to learn more about Fra Mauro's stunning feat of cartography.

h/t: [Open Culture, Atlas Obscura]

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Fascinating 18th-Century Letters Detail Life as a Twenty-Something Living in London https://mymodernmet.com/ben-browne-letters-london/?adt_ei={{ subscriber.email_address }} Sat, 29 Jun 2024 12:55:14 +0000 https://mymodernmet.com/?p=667312 Fascinating 18th-Century Letters Detail Life as a Twenty-Something Living in London

London is a historic city full of relics of the past. But modern minds may find it difficult to feel transported to the bustling wharfs full of merchants and sailors, the Inns of Court with wigged lawyers boasting ink-stained fingers, or the enormous parks through which the noble and plebeian alike would parade in nice […]

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Fascinating 18th-Century Letters Detail Life as a Twenty-Something Living in London
Letters Expose the Daily Life of a 20-Something in 18th Century London

About the writer's marriage in 1724. (Photo: James Beck/National Trust)

London is a historic city full of relics of the past. But modern minds may find it difficult to feel transported to the bustling wharfs full of merchants and sailors, the Inns of Court with wigged lawyers boasting ink-stained fingers, or the enormous parks through which the noble and plebeian alike would parade in nice weather. In the early 18th century, London was already a rapidly growing city of about 680,000 people.

Young people arrived from the countryside to make their fortune and pursue their pleasure. Among these youthful arrivals was Ben Browne, who grew up in Westmorland and, like many modern 20-somethings, moved to the big city for work. Starting his training as a law clerk, Browne wrote a series of letters home to his father, which are a treasure trove of information on life in London and the enduring emotions of youth.

Of the letters, 65 survived and were bound in the 19th century by a descendant of the family. Book conservator Ann-Marie Miller recently rebound them to preserve the words for centuries to come. Through the process, “I feel as if I have also got to know young Ben, with his solicitous turn of phrase and the flourish of his handwriting,” she shares. Now, anyone can read these recollections online.

Browne was 27 years old when he arrived in London from his hometown of Troutbeck in 1719. He made the 300-mile journey on horseback, making his way to the city to start his career. The young Browne would stay in London for 16 years.

A prominent theme throughout the letters is his requests for additional funds from his parents to support a London lifestyle. Rent, wigs, hose, and more were necessary to be remotely stylish. Once, his father even sent a wig from home.

Ben defends his spending, writing he “humbly hope you will not take it amiss that the money you sent me is all gone nor think me Extravagant for I pay 8d of wood and sometimes more for washing which goes cost a deal of money tho’ I am sparing as I can in all things…” Despite this “sparing” approach, the young man certainly enjoyed eating and drinking with friends, as well as collecting books. The latter hobby was discovered by assessing the inscriptions and purchase dates of the family collection, and Ben's father may never have known.

Other times, the son asked about acquaintances in common, passing news back and forth. In one letter, he hit his parents with a big announcement: his marriage in 1724. Mary Branch worked for Browne's employer, a lawyer to whom he was apprenticed as a clerk. This work could entail long, even 12-hour days of document copying, but clearly, Browne found time for romance. He asked his father, to “compleat mine and my wife’s happiness these come to beg of you to write to me or [master] expressing the gratefull sense I have of all his kindness and tender regard he has allways had for me…”

These letters are as much a testament to a life lived in 18th-century London as they are to the enduring relationship between young people and their parents—rebellion, dependence, and love.

The letters, along with other items in the Browne family archive, are now on display at the family's former home, Townend, in England's Lake District. The home, which is now run by the National Trust, will exhibit this material until November 1, 2024.

This 18th-century letter collection gives insight into the highs and lows of life as a 20-something in bustling London.

Letters Expose the Daily Life of a 20-Something in 18th Century London

Long work days in 1719. (Photo: James Beck/National Trust)

h/t: [Smithsonian Magazine]

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Rare White Bison Calf Born at Yellowstone National Park Is a Sacred Symbol https://mymodernmet.com/white-bison-calf/?adt_ei={{ subscriber.email_address }} Thu, 27 Jun 2024 17:30:57 +0000 https://mymodernmet.com/?p=679578 Rare White Bison Calf Born at Yellowstone National Park Is a Sacred Symbol

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Erin Braaten (@dancing_aspens_photo) American bison once flourished across the United States, from the western tip of New York state to the eastern edges of Oregon. These magnificent creatures, which can weigh up to 2,000 pounds, were important as a food source for Indigenous peoples. […]

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Rare White Bison Calf Born at Yellowstone National Park Is a Sacred Symbol

 

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A post shared by Erin Braaten (@dancing_aspens_photo)

American bison once flourished across the United States, from the western tip of New York state to the eastern edges of Oregon. These magnificent creatures, which can weigh up to 2,000 pounds, were important as a food source for Indigenous peoples. They also figured heavily in Indigenous history, culture, and beliefs. While millions of bison once roamed the plains, colonial efforts to stamp them out doubled as an attack on Native culture and resistance to U.S. expansion. Today, while more stable, the wild bison number is only about 30,000. One more extra special individual creature was recently added to this number. A nature photographer visiting Yellowstone National Park with her family spotted a rare white bison calf, only recently born, whose significance is extremely meaningful to Indigenous religions.

Montana-based photographer Erin Braaten was perusing the park with her family when they spotted something white among a distant herd of brown bison. Zooming in with her camera, Braaten discovered the speck of white was actually a newborn calf. Cream-colored with a dark nose and eyes, the calf looked quite different from the standard reddish-brown bison babies. Braaten hung around to take pictures for some time of the remarkable arrival with his mother as they stood by the Lamar River. Since this sighting, no one has seen the elusive rare calf. It's possible it did not survive a river crossing, which can happen. Or perhaps it is just being shy.

The arrival of the white calf, which is likely leucistic. This condition is similar to albinism, but instead of light eyes the calf has dark eyes and nose. White calves are sacred to the Sioux, Cherokee, Navajo, Lakota, and Dakota. A Lakota prophecy told of a white calf's arrival, which would be a sign to the world to pay closer attention to Earth and animals. “The birth of this calf is both a blessing and warning. We must do more,” says Chief Arvol Looking Horse, the spiritual leader of the Lakota, Dakota, and the Nakota Oyate and the 19th keeper of the sacred White Buffalo Calf Woman Pipe and Bundle. He remarked to the BBC, “It makes my hairs stand up just to even talk about it, because I can't believe this is happening—the spirit of the white buffalo calf woman sending a message to us.”

According to Lakota oral histories, 2,000 years ago the Lakota were living in a time of hunger with few bison. The white buffalo woman brought a pipe and bundle, promising better times ahead. She then rolled several times, transforming into a white buffalo calf. Bison were soon no longer scarce. Hence the incredible significance to many Indigenous nations, who have greeted the photographs with amazement and emotion. While further sightings of the sacred creature may be recorded, its birth has already brought surprise and joy to many around the world.

A nature photographer visiting Yellowstone National Park with her family spotted a rare white bison calf, only recently born, whose significance is extremely meaningful to indigenous religions.

h/t: [Smithsonian Magazine, AP News]

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29 Bottles of Preserved Fruit From the 18th Century Discovered at George Washington’s Estate https://mymodernmet.com/fruit-george-washington-mount-vernon/?adt_ei={{ subscriber.email_address }} Thu, 27 Jun 2024 16:35:38 +0000 https://mymodernmet.com/?p=679330 29 Bottles of Preserved Fruit From the 18th Century Discovered at George Washington’s Estate

In May 2024, the archeological community recieved exciting news. Buried in an old cellar beneath George Washington's home of Mount Vernon lay two bottles crafted in the 18th century. Within the sealed bottles, archeologists discovered the remains of cherries picked before the founding of the United States. While this discovery was thrilling, the ongoing work […]

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29 Bottles of Preserved Fruit From the 18th Century Discovered at George Washington’s Estate

In May 2024, the archeological community recieved exciting news. Buried in an old cellar beneath George Washington's home of Mount Vernon lay two bottles crafted in the 18th century. Within the sealed bottles, archeologists discovered the remains of cherries picked before the founding of the United States. While this discovery was thrilling, the ongoing work to preserve the historic home has turned up another, even more incredible find. Buried in five storage pits of the cellars were 35 bottles, 29 of which contain preserved fruits from the founding father's lands. The find has the potential to affect everything from botany to how scholars interpret the history of Virginia.

The bottles were discovered during the Mansion Revitalization Project, a long-term effort to shore up the centuries-old home to withstand constant tourism. They were found in the cellar region, and they appear to contain cherries and other kinds of berries. Preservation was an important way to store food in pre-refrigerator days. Scientists are anxious to study the contents, so they have been extracted and placed into refrigeration. The United States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service plans to help analyze these biological remains. The limited analysis conducted so far has found cherry stems, pits, and pulps as well as evidence of cutting the stems with scissors.

Further study will reveal whether any pits might be able to propagate, as well as the DNA of the historic fruit. “These artifacts likely haven’t seen the light of day since before the American Revolution, perhaps forgotten when George Washington departed Mount Vernon to take command of the Continental Army,” Mount Vernon President & CEO Doug Bradburn said in a statement. Beyond demonstrating what plant varieties the first president dined on, the find can shed light on the lives of others who lived on the property. Mount Vernon Principal Archaeologist Jason Boroughs noted, “These extraordinary discoveries continue to astonish us. These perfectly preserved fruits picked and prepared more than 250 years ago provide an incredibly rare opportunity to contribute to our knowledge of the 18th-century environment, plantation foodways, and the origins of American cuisine.”

He continued, “The bottles and contents are a testament to the knowledge and skill of the enslaved people who managed the food preparations from tree to table, including Doll, the cook brought to Mount Vernon by Martha Washington in 1759 and charged with oversight of the estate’s kitchen.” As work continues on the mansion, perhaps more finds will continue to shed light on life there in the 18th century.

Underneath George Washington's Mount Vernon estate, 35 bottles were discovered.

Researchers are excited by this find, hoping to study the contents of the bottles and gain more insight into 18th-century agriculture, food history, tools used, and more.

“These artifacts likely haven’t seen the light of day since before the American Revolution, perhaps forgotten when George Washington departed Mount Vernon to take command of the Continental Army,” says Mount Vernon president & CEO Doug Bradburn.

29 of the 35 bottles contained shockingly well-preserved fruits from the 18th century, including cherries and other berries.

“These perfectly preserved fruits picked and prepared more than 250 years ago provide an incredibly rare opportunity to contribute to our knowledge of the 18th-century environment, plantation foodways, and the origins of American cuisine,” says Mount Vernon principal archaeologist Jason Boroughs.

h/t: [Smithsonian Magazine]

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READ: 29 Bottles of Preserved Fruit From the 18th Century Discovered at George Washington’s Estate

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130-Foot-Long Snake Carvings From 2,000 Years Ago Found in South America https://mymodernmet.com/monumental-snake-carvings/?adt_ei={{ subscriber.email_address }} Tue, 25 Jun 2024 20:15:21 +0000 https://mymodernmet.com/?p=676996 130-Foot-Long Snake Carvings From 2,000 Years Ago Found in South America

Humans have been representing the world around us in artistic creations for countless millennia. From cave paintings to ancient bone carvings, the meanings of ancient art are only sometimes truly intelligible to modern minds. Archeologists devote countless hours to uncovering, documenting, and interpreting ancient art. Among the more recent papers to interpret ancient South American […]

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130-Foot-Long Snake Carvings From 2,000 Years Ago Found in South America
Monumental Snake Carvings in Cliff Discovered

Snakes and other figures engraved at Cerro Dagua. (Photo: Riris et al., CC BY 4.0)

Humans have been representing the world around us in artistic creations for countless millennia. From cave paintings to ancient bone carvings, the meanings of ancient art are only sometimes truly intelligible to modern minds. Archeologists devote countless hours to uncovering, documenting, and interpreting ancient art. Among the more recent papers to interpret ancient South American artwork was published in Antiquity. A team of archeologists sought out the long-rumored rock art engravings of the Middle and Upper Orinoco River in Colombia and Venezuela. Their findings shed light on the the sheer amount of carvings and the impressive size of certain monumental snakes.

Along the winding, ancient river the archeologists searched in quest of carvings which had been known by locals and the subject of rumors for hundreds of years. Using drones, photography, and their own climbing ability, the archeologist authors of the recent paper documented 157 sites of rock art, noting there are likely thousands more out there.

Carved into the rock were insects, alligators, geometric motifs, stingrays, birds, and human or humanoid figures. Sixty of the engravings stretched an impressive 30 feet or more. The team has dubbed these engravings as monumental. “Anything that size is monumental in our view,” Philip Riris, an archeologist at Bournemouth University and the study’s lead author, told New Scientist. “That means they’re often visible from quite far away, maybe 500 meters [1,640 feet] to a kilometer [3,280 feet].” The large examples include—among a startling amount of snakes—a massive 130-foot-long serpent etched into the rock.

Who carved these pictographs, when and why? According to the dating of deposits of pottery with similar designs, the engravings are likely about 2,000 years old. They may have been carved by Indigenous Piaroa artists or others from nearby tribes. The Piaroa, like others in the region, have ancient beliefs about snakes. The anaconda Cuämoi figures prominently, and his daughter Cuähuais believed to have created rock art along the Orinoco River. In cosmology's throughout South America, snakes can be associated with rivers, creation myths, and spirtitual journeys.

Why the reliefs were carved is uncertain. However, the authors noted that many were at the ancient river level around the time of carving. Given the size of the monumental figures, they'd be quite visible from afar. This visibility, the authors postulate, is the purpose.

“Further characterization of the range of variation within monumental sites will help to clarify how they were used and perceived, including in sites located further away from the Orinoco River that lack snakes, such as Cerro Humeante,” they write. If areas with more homogeneous populations lack these monumental artworks, “this would serve to affirm their role as markers of group identity along contested and variously negotiated stretches of the Orinoco River,” they conclude.

The team hopes to engage with the local Indigenous people whose knowledge of the region is unparalleled to continue to deepen understanding of these artistic sign posts along the historic river.

Archeologists have documented ample cliff and rock engravings along the Orinoco River in South America, some of which are monumental in size.

Monumental Snake Carvings in Cliff Discovered

The monumental snake engravings at different sites. (Photo: Riris et al., CC BY 4.0)

Chief among these motifs is a winding snake, although humans, insects, and geometric designs appear.

Monumental Snake Carvings in Cliff Discovered

Non-monumental motifs that also appear at monumental sites: A) anthropomorphic mask motif (known as ‘the television’) at Raudal Mesetas, see also Cerro Pintado and Caño Grulla (Figure 2F & K); B) flat boulder alongside A (arrow) with stylised anthropomorphic and double scroll motifs; C) snake, bird and human motifs at Raudal Palomazón. Note size of the snake relative to other motifs (figure by authors). (Photo: Riris et al., CC BY 4.0)

h/t: [Smithsonian Magazine]

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READ: 130-Foot-Long Snake Carvings From 2,000 Years Ago Found in South America

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Missing Head of Ancient Greek Statue Unearthed After 2,100 Years https://mymodernmet.com/hygieia-greek-statue/?adt_ei={{ subscriber.email_address }} Sun, 23 Jun 2024 13:50:00 +0000 https://mymodernmet.com/?p=675697 Missing Head of Ancient Greek Statue Unearthed After 2,100 Years

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Celal Şimşek (@laodikeiakazisi) Ancient Greeks immortalized their gods in many ways, but most notably in elegant, magnificent stone statues. Many of these statues survive today, whole or in pieces, and offer insight into a lost world of worship and art. Archeologists continue to discover […]

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Missing Head of Ancient Greek Statue Unearthed After 2,100 Years

 

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A post shared by Celal Şimşek (@laodikeiakazisi)

Ancient Greeks immortalized their gods in many ways, but most notably in elegant, magnificent stone statues. Many of these statues survive today, whole or in pieces, and offer insight into a lost world of worship and art. Archeologists continue to discover new examples of statues in new places. Recently, archeological work in ancient Laodicea on the Lycus, now modern-day Turkey, unearthed two exciting finds. First, a statue of Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine, was discovered close to an ancient theater. Next, archeologists unearthed the head of a statue depicting his daughter, Hygieia, goddess of health and hygiene.

Laodicea on the Lycus was an ancient city within Asia Minor, situated in a spot of busy trade alongside rivers. It was founded in the third century BCE by the Seleucid Empire, a Hellenistic empire that succeeded the partition of Alexander the Great‘s empire. The city's Greek culture is reflected in its architecture, including an agora and temples.

In the second century BCE, the city became Roman territory. It was affected by wars and earthquakes and was eventually destroyed and abandoned during the medieval Byzantine period. However, today, the abandoned city ruins are a delight to archeologists, who have been particularly concerned with excavating and restoring its magnificent stepped western theater.

The statue of the god Asclepius was discovered in 2024 in proximity to the theater. In May, the head of his daughter Hygieia was also uncovered, buried beneath the dirt. Professor Celal Şimşek, who directs the excavations, identified the head as being 2,1000 years ago and dating to the second century BCE, during the city's Hellenistic period.

“Both statues were made in the late Hellenistic-early Augustus Period in the classical style,” he tells the Hurriyet Daily News. “The statues of the god and goddess of health reveal the presence of the Herophileion medical school in the ancient city of Laodicea and the ancient writer Strabo, one of the important doctors trained there. All statues have very fine workmanship and are of high artistic quality.”

While the goddess's body has yet to be discovered, excavations continue, and one can hope she will be complete and in her glory once more.

A 2,100-year-old statue head of the Greek goddess Hygieia was discovered in ancient Laodicea, now modern-day Turkey.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Celal Şimşek (@laodikeiakazisi)

h/t: [Popular Mechanics, Hurriyet Daily News]

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READ: Missing Head of Ancient Greek Statue Unearthed After 2,100 Years

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Newly Discovered Exoplanet the Size of Earth May Be Habitable https://mymodernmet.com/gliese-12-b-habitable-exoplanet/?adt_ei={{ subscriber.email_address }} Fri, 21 Jun 2024 14:45:27 +0000 https://mymodernmet.com/?p=679027 Newly Discovered Exoplanet the Size of Earth May Be Habitable

The search for extraterrestrial life has long motivated astronomers. The universe is vast and many realms still remain unknown. Thankfully, the evolving technology of astronomers at NASA and other research centers has shed light on increasingly far reaches of the skies. Observations from NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) have recently revealed yet another exoplanet—a […]

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Newly Discovered Exoplanet the Size of Earth May Be Habitable
Newly Discovered Exoplanet the Size of Earth May Be Habitable

An artist's concept of Gliese 12 b with a thin atmosphere and it's red dwarf in the distance. (Photo: NASA/JPL-Caltech/R. Hurt (Caltech-IPAC))

The search for extraterrestrial life has long motivated astronomers. The universe is vast and many realms still remain unknown. Thankfully, the evolving technology of astronomers at NASA and other research centers has shed light on increasingly far reaches of the skies. Observations from NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) have recently revealed yet another exoplanet—a planet beyond our Solar System.

This exoplanet, known as Gliese 12 b, is fascinating because it is the most promising exoplanet discovered in terms of potential habitability. More information is needed, but the exciting find announced in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society is already turning astronomical heads.

Gliese 12 b is about 40 light-years from Earth. It orbits a star named Gliese 12, a red dwarf much cooler than our own Sun. The exoplanet makes a complete orbit in a swift 12.8 days unlike our Earth's year-long journey. However, Gliese 12 b is quite close in size to Earth, about the size of Venus which is slightly smaller than our own planet.

Gliese 12 b being much closer to its own duller sun means it gets 1.6 times the radiation than Earth does. Estimates place the surface temperature at about 107 degrees Fahrenheit at the exoplanet's surface. While significantly hotter than Earth, this estimate could be affected by the exoplanet's atmosphere—if it has one. Within the habitable zone of distance from its star, further investigation may reveal a planet that can sustain liquid water, and maybe life.

Scientists hope to use the James Webb Space Telescope to peer closer at the exoplanet and search for signs of an atmosphere. According to a statement, “Getting an answer is vital because it would reveal if Gliese 12 b can maintain temperatures suitable for liquid water—and possibly life—to exist on its surface, while also unlocking answers about how and why Earth and Venus evolved so differently.” Venus' atmosphere amps up its heat to unbearable temperatures, while our atmosphere maintains the conditions for water and life.

Larissa Palethorpe, an author of the study, commented, “It is thought that Earth's and Venus' first atmospheres were stripped away and then replenished by volcanic outgassing and bombardments from residual material in the solar system. The Earth is habitable, but Venus is not due to its complete loss of water. Because Gliese 12 b is between Earth and Venus in temperature, its atmosphere could teach us a lot about the habitability pathways planets take as they develop.”

The newly discovered exoplanet, Gliese 12 b, offers the best chance at discovering a habitable planet like Earth.

Newly Discovered Exoplanet the Size of Earth May Be Habitable

Earth with different possible Gliese 12b atmospheres which change the size. (Photo: NASA/JPL-Caltech/R. Hurt (Caltech-IPAC))

h/t: [Science Alert]

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READ: Newly Discovered Exoplanet the Size of Earth May Be Habitable

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3.6-Million-Year-Old Preserved Hominid Footprints at Risk of Obliteration by Climate Change https://mymodernmet.com/laetoli-hominid-footprints/?adt_ei={{ subscriber.email_address }} Tue, 18 Jun 2024 14:45:01 +0000 https://mymodernmet.com/?p=677937 3.6-Million-Year-Old Preserved Hominid Footprints at Risk of Obliteration by Climate Change

Human history stretches back millions of years to Africa, where early species of hominids roamed and eventually evolved into modern-day Homo sapiens. Our family tree includes many species now long extinct which formed steps or branches of the evolutionary tree descending into modernity. One very early ancestor of mankind was Australopithecus afarensis, who roamed eastern […]

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3.6-Million-Year-Old Preserved Hominid Footprints at Risk of Obliteration by Climate Change
3.6-Million-Year-Old Hominid Footprints Endangered by Climate Change

A replica of the Laetoli footprints. (Photo: Momotarou2012 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

Human history stretches back millions of years to Africa, where early species of hominids roamed and eventually evolved into modern-day Homo sapiens. Our family tree includes many species now long extinct which formed steps or branches of the evolutionary tree descending into modernity. One very early ancestor of mankind was Australopithecus afarensis, who roamed eastern Africa about 2.95 to 3.85 million years ago. This species has several unique distinctions, including an impressive presence of about 900,000 years before going extinct. Another fascinating distinction is the prints this species left behind in modern-day Tanzania, the oldest prints ever discovered from a bipedal individual. Sadly, due to climate change, these historic prints are now in danger of being lost to future generations.

The prints are located at the Laetoli archeological site in what is now Tanzania. They were imprinted 3.6 million years ago in wet volcanic ash, then preserved by another layer of ash emitted by a nearby volcano. The prints number about 70 stretching over 88 feet. The toes of the prints are more similar to humans than apes in their arrangements, and the prints indicate the heel hit first. It is therefore clear this individual(s) was bipedal, meaning they walked on two feet like modern humans. However, the stride was clearly created by much shorter legs.

Scientists have hypothesized that the prints were created by Australopithecus afarensis, whose skeletons have been found nearby. There is still much to be learned about this species and its connection to our own evolution. However, knowledge like this is endangered by climate change. Erosion after heavy rains and storms is rising, threatening the exposed footprints.

In an effort to preserve the site for future generations to learn from, the British Council Cultural Protection Fund has sponsored a project to protect the site in partnership with St Andrew's University in Scotland and the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. The funding also covers buildings at Winde which are part of the bloody history of the slave trade. Funding from the grant will go to documentation of the sites for future use, as well as the capturing of oral histories to create an exhibit.

While climate change will require broader solutions, preserving sites for future learning is a critical protective measure.

The famous Laetoli footprints in modern Tanzania are at risk from climate change, which is eroding the land where the earliest known prints of our human ancestors lie.

3.6-Million-Year-Old Hominid Footprints Endangered by Climate Change

Laetoli Site S in 2016. (Photo: Fidelis T Masao and colleagues via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0)

h/t: [CNN]

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READ: 3.6-Million-Year-Old Preserved Hominid Footprints at Risk of Obliteration by Climate Change

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Vogelherd Horse: The World’s Oldest Known Horse Carving From 32,000 Years Ago https://mymodernmet.com/vogelherd-horse/?adt_ei={{ subscriber.email_address }} Mon, 17 Jun 2024 20:15:56 +0000 https://mymodernmet.com/?p=676187 Vogelherd Horse: The World’s Oldest Known Horse Carving From 32,000 Years Ago

Horses have been central to human life for millennia, even before they were domesticated and utilized. Ancient wild horses roamed Europe and Asia, where they were hunted by the earliest humans. As a valuable and notable food source, the horses were immortalized in cave drawings, most notably in the prehistoric Lascaux caves. But even older […]

READ: Vogelherd Horse: The World’s Oldest Known Horse Carving From 32,000 Years Ago

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Vogelherd Horse: The World’s Oldest Known Horse Carving From 32,000 Years Ago
Meet the Vogelherd Horse, the Oldest Known Horse Carving

A mammoth tusk carved into a wild horse, discovered in Vogelherd Cave. (Photo: Wuselig via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0)

Horses have been central to human life for millennia, even before they were domesticated and utilized. Ancient wild horses roamed Europe and Asia, where they were hunted by the earliest humans. As a valuable and notable food source, the horses were immortalized in cave drawings, most notably in the prehistoric Lascaux caves. But even older artists depicted horses. The oldest known sculpture of a horse created by modern humans dates back about 32,000 years.

The exquisite statue is carved from the tusk of an ancient mammoth. It stands only about 1 inch tall and just under 2 inches wide. The horse's head is intact, but its four legs have been lost to time and earth. The indent of its nostrils is still visible, subtly carved. The mouth, the ears, and the top of the tail are all visible and very lifelike. The horse was discovered in the Vogelherd Cave in the mountains of southwest Germany. These caves are now a UNESCO World Heritage site known as Caves and Ice Age Art in the Swabian Jura. They were some of the first habitations of modern humans, who arrive on the European continent 43,000 years ago.

These prehistoric inhabitants left behind cave drawings and figurines. Carved mammoths, lions, and bison have been discovered. The details of the figurines include cross markings and other delicate details. The carvers of these figurines belonged to the Aurignacian culture, during the Upper Paleolithic period. The hunter-gatherers likely used the cave to process their hunts, especially reindeer and horse. Bones of hunted animals were discovered, giving clues to what the ancient humans ate. The horse figurine itself is a tribute to this precious food source, crafted many thousands of years before horses were domesticated. Although only partial, the statue is the oldest known depiction of a horse by humans, and an example of some of the world's first artists.

The oldest known horse sculpture (seen above) is only about 1 inch in height and was carved by early human beings about 32,000 years ago. It was discovered in a cave in Vogelherd, Germany.

Meet the Vogelherd Horse, the Oldest Known Horse Carving

The Vogelherd cave, in Germany. (Photo: Thilo Parg via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

h/t: [Live Science]

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READ: Vogelherd Horse: The World’s Oldest Known Horse Carving From 32,000 Years Ago

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Meet the Rüppell’s Vulture, the Extraordinary Bird That Can Fly as High as an Airplane https://mymodernmet.com/highest-flight-ruppells-vulture/?adt_ei={{ subscriber.email_address }} Sun, 16 Jun 2024 12:55:20 +0000 https://mymodernmet.com/?p=671125 Meet the Rüppell’s Vulture, the Extraordinary Bird That Can Fly as High as an Airplane

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Superman! No. Actually, that winged creature high in the sky is a Rüppell’s vulture. Native to the Sahel region of Africa, this magnificent species of griffon vulture stretches eight feet in wingspan and 33 to 38 inches in height. Its beady eyes, long neck, and brown and white […]

READ: Meet the Rüppell’s Vulture, the Extraordinary Bird That Can Fly as High as an Airplane

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Meet the Rüppell’s Vulture, the Extraordinary Bird That Can Fly as High as an Airplane
Rüppell’s Vulture

Photo: Charles J. Sharp via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Superman! No. Actually, that winged creature high in the sky is a Rüppell’s vulture. Native to the Sahel region of Africa, this magnificent species of griffon vulture stretches eight feet in wingspan and 33 to 38 inches in height. Its beady eyes, long neck, and brown and white feathers are perfectly crafted for the desert scavenger. But its size is far from its most impressive trait. The species holds the record for the highest-recorded flight by a bird. One was actually cruising at an impressive 37,000 feet when it (tragically) collided with a plane.

The unfortunate bird was flapping away over the Côte d'Ivoire in 1973 when it met its unfortunate end. The plane registered 36,100 feet when the bird impacted, causing issues with one motor on the aircraft. While thankfully, all humans on the plane landed safely, all that remained of the vulture were its distinctive feathers. These identified the species.

Flying at that height is uncommon among birds for several reasons, including the lower oxygen levels. But the Gyps rueppellii has, according to the Smithsonian, a special “alteration of one of its proteins, which allows the bird to fly efficiently despite lower pressure and available oxygen.”

Aside from their high-flying capabilities, these special vultures are remarkable in other ways. For instance, an individual can live up to 50 years. They fly for up to seven hours a day in search of carrion to feast upon. They are also quite hearty. Rancid remains do not bother them, including anthrax, botulism, and cholera lurking in their meat. They nest with their mates and lay single eggs, breeding small vulture families.

Unfortunately, the IUCN has now declared them endangered. Poisoning that ends up in their food supply and poaching have limited their numbers. These remarkable creatures may be scavengers, but they are a critical part of the ecosystem from the Earth to the high reaches of the sky.

The Rüppell’s vulture holds the record for highest known flight, having collided with an airplane at 37,000 feet.

Rüppell’s Vulture

Photo: Snowmanradio via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED

h/t: [IFL Science]

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READ: Meet the Rüppell’s Vulture, the Extraordinary Bird That Can Fly as High as an Airplane

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