The first piece of visual art in history is from 40,000 years ago. The need to create is a part of being human. It’s as old as our species and as innate as any other desire. Exploring each of these western art movements makes such a vast topic digestible.
In this video, you'll see the evolution of art through the ages. A linear timeline filled with talented individuals over the years that always moves forward; towards something more, something new, something that excites a generation.
Following record-breaking rainfall, beachgoers in Australia are noticing dozens of unusual and vibrant creatures showing up on the beaches.
These unusual creatures also known as weedy seadragons have been spotted in Cronulla, Malabar and the Central Coast and they are thought to be 10 times the amount of normal wash-ups to hit the beaches.
Professor of marine ecology at the University of Technology Sydney, Dr David Booth told the Sydney Morning Herald: “Clearly it’s a result of some combination of the shocking weather, pollutants being washed into the ocean and big surf."
Weedy seadragons are also known as common seadragons. They are only found in Australia along the east and south coasts. The small, leaf-shaped relatives of the seahorse don't tend to move much in their lifetime, only straying up to 50m from their homes.
So, it is a massive surprise that they have strayed so far.
“This can make them susceptible to loss of habitat and changing environmental factors," added lead investigator Dr Selma Klanten.
They are quite popular with divers due to their vibrant features, colours and unusual shapes.
Dr Booth is concerned northern populations are declining and the dragons will relocate down the coast to cooler waters due to climate change. "At Kurnell, Botany Bay, there might've been seven to eight you'd see in a dive; now there's two to three," he said.
He identifies and tracks weedy seadragons through the help of hobby divers and artificial intelligence. He uses advanced software so that he is able to identify individual weedy dragons based on their unique pattern and colours.
Even though it is illegal to handle the body of a weedy seadragon, Dr Booth has asked anyone who discovers one to send a photo to help with his research.
These weedy sea dragons are described as 'tough little devils' for their ability to hold onto kelp during strong currents, but their homebody tendencies put them at risk during storms.
The species were once listed as 'threatened species' on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species before they were ranked down in 2019 to 'least concern.'
Several unusual sea creatures were being washed up on the beaches of Australia on 2022. Recently, a sea creature with a human mouth like structure was spotted by a beachgoer.
A scuba diver has found a 900-year-old Crusader sword with a three-foot blade off the coast of Israel.
The amateur diver spotted the sword and other ancient artifacts on the seabed off northern Israel, according to a statement from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) published Monday.
He was diving on October 9 2021, when he spotted the sword, which boasts a foot-long hilt, along with stone anchors, metal anchors and pottery fragments.
The artifacts were "apparently uncovered by waves and undercurrents that had shifted the sand," the IAA said.
The diver took the sword up to the surface so it wouldn't be stolen or covered up again, before handing it in to the IAA.
The sword was found 200 meters (656 feet) from the shore, at a depth of four meters (13 feet), Koby Sharvit, director of the IAA's Marine Archaeology Unit, told CNN on Tuesday.
Its size and shape suggest it belonged to a Crusader, as does the fact that it was found just a few kilometers from Atlit castle, a Crusader fortress, Sharvit added.
Dating from 1096 to the late 13th century, the Crusades were a set of military expeditions by Western European Christians that aimed to retake the Holy Land in the Middle East after centuries of Muslim wars of expansion.
Nir Distelfeld, Inspector for the IAA's Robbery Prevention Unit, said the sword is a rare find that has been preserved in perfect condition.
"It was found encrusted with marine organisms, but is apparently made of iron," Distelfeld said in the statement.
"It is exciting to encounter such a personal object, taking you 900 years back in time to a different era, with knights, armor and swords."
Sharvit told CNN the sword is well preserved because it was buried in a deep layer of sand, without oxygen.
It currently weighs around 5-6 kilograms (11-13 pounds) due to the incrustation of stones and shells, but the sword itself probably weighs 1-2 kilograms (2.2-4.4 pounds), he said.
The coastline in the area has many natural coves that provided shelter for ancient ships, and settlements such as Dor and Atlit developed around the larger coves, according to the IAA.
This means the area was popular with merchant ships -- and that means a wealth of potential archaeological finds.
The site has been monitored since June, when some artifacts were first discovered by members of the public. But the movement of the sands means artifacts are "very elusive," according to the statement.
"Our work actually is like a puzzle," Sharvit told CNN, explaining that even small storms can move the sand around and expose new objects.
Other artifacts recovered from the site show it was used in the Late Bronze Age, some 4,000 years ago, by ships seeking shelter, Sharvit added.
He told CNN that the team will closely monitor the site in the coming months.
"It's very strange to find just one artifact" from the Crusader period, he said, explaining that the sword could have been left following a shipwreck, or a Crusader landing party.
Winter storms could expose more artifacts, he added, and archaeologists will carry out further surveys in the area.
In the meantime, the sword will be sent to the IAA labs to be cleaned, said Sharvit, who hopes to learn more about its history when the metal itself is revealed.
IAA Director-General Eli Escosido said: "Once the sword has been cleaned and researched in the Israel Antiquities Authority's laboratories, we will ensure it is displayed to the public."
In the following less than 5 minutes video we will explore all Korean kingdoms and cover over 2,000 years of Korean history. Watch for more and enjoy!
The idea of dating the pyramids using the C14 radiocarbon test goes always the way back to the invention of this science. Two broad studies of Old Kingdom pyramids using carbon testing have taken place, but they are incomplete.
There is enormous opportunity to date the pyramids more precisely by combining C14 testing and dendrochronology, the science of analyzing tree rings. But Egyptology doesn't show much interest in this science, and it only ever conducted carbon testing on pyramids due to outside pressure.
This video explores the knowns and unknowns of dating Egypt's pyramids, and the controversies and conflicts of interest for putting the physical science into the public messaging.
Looking back, Cleopatra is known for one thing above all: her stunning beauty. But no matter how attractive she might have been, to reduce history's last female pharaoh and Julius Caesar's lover to her looks alone would not do her justice. Today we would like to turn the wheel of time back more than 2,000 years together with you and deal with one of the greatest mysteries of antiquity!
In the following video we will be analyzing thefamily tree of the kings of Rome. Watch the video to find out more and enjoy!
In the video below we will discuss about the Dryads, the enchanting nymphs of the forests of Greek Mythology. Enjoy!
Scientists are minutely examining a Dinosaur fossil discovered nearly 160 years ago. This object, perhaps one of the best known of its kind ever found, lay in a bed of limestone in Germany for somewhere in the region of 150 million years. And after all this time, researchers have made a startling new discovery that completely upsets the consensus about what this ancient remnant represents.
Demonology is the study of demons: a demon’s name and rank, their powers and weaknesses, how they can be summoned, enslaved, exorcised, and even worshipped. In this video, our focus is Christian Demonology, one of the few living occult sciences with nearly 2000 years of continuous study and development. And yes, you’re going to learn some weird things.
There's an ancient mystery of connected tunnels across the world... could these paths lead to the legendary Hollow Earth kingdom Agartha deep under the Himalayas? Who (or what) lives in Agartha? What kind of lost knowledge might they hide from mankind?
This video shows every count, king and president of Savoy and Italy and the map shows the territory controlled by the ruler at the end of his reign. Enjoy!
The ancestors of modern, squishy cephalopods like the octopus and the squid all had shells. In ancient times, their shell was their greatest asset but it eventually proved to be their biggest weakness.
Back in 1885, workers busy renovating the Church of St. Mary and St. Eanswythe in England chance upon an unexpected remnant of the past. And the find is grisly, to say the least. Concealed inside a box are human remains – ones that some believe could solve a centuries-Ancient Mystery surrounding a medieval saint. As it happens, though, another 100 years will pass before the truth finally comes out.
The archaeologists in England looked down at the ground and were shocked by what they saw. They've been working on a huge project for years, and now it looks like their hard work has paid off. In the dirt beneath their feet, a set of haunting figures look up at them. This is a sight that will stay with them forever.
Archaeologists found Roman statues with some strange details. These archaeologists were called in after a new rail line was approved. The HS2 route will connect London to cities in the north of England. Problems and controversies have plagued the project, but plans have been made. Rewritten spending has been higher than expected and strong opposition to the project has grown. It would be a stretch to say that the HS2 project has gone smoothly, but one group may have benefited because the rail line will go through large areas of English land. Archaeologists were asked to dig up areas that might hold important artifacts before they were lost forever.
In the end, the scale of these archaeological works was unlike anything that had ever been done before. Since 2018, more than 1,000 archaeologists have been working on this huge project, the largest single archaeological project ever to take place in the United Kingdom.
We'd hate to live in a world where everything could be explained, and nothing contained any mystery. Mysteries appeal to the imaginations of all of us. Without mysteries, we'd be bored! We all love to have problems to solve, but the problem-solving process can be a frustrating one if the answer never comes. That feeling of frustration is what scientists encountered when they examined these archaeological discoveries!
The 2,000-year-old tomb discovered at the Xinjiang archaeological site (China) has stunned archaeologists because there are countless treasures belonging to the "national treasure" category, including a golden lion weighing up to 1 ton. , according to KK News.
The Xinjiang South Railway plays a very important role in the transportation system in the Xinjiang region of China. It starts from Turfan, passes through Yuergou, Korla (Kurla) and Kashgar.
It is worth mentioning that, 45 years ago, when railway workers built Yuergou station, they discovered a series of ancient tombs of different sizes. Among these tombs, there is a more special one. It contained countless gold national treasures, including a golden lion weighing up to 1 ton, which shocked the whole country and even the world.
During the construction of the railway station in Yuergou, Xinjiang, archaeologists made a priceless discovery.
Priceless treasures in the "Golden Tomb"
Archaeologists have discovered a tomb filled with gold and priceless treasures.
Specifically, in 1976, during the construction of Yuergou station, railway workers dug many ancient tombs. In the first phase, they have unearthed a total of more than 20 large and small tombs, including many bronze and pottery items, but none of them have significant archaeological value.
According to the Xinjiang Institute of Cultural and Archaeological Relics, these ancient tombs belong to the period from the Spring and Autumn Warring States to the Qin and Han dynasties, the owners of the tombs are all ethnic minorities. item.
In the following period, ancient tombs were excavated in the area more and more, amounting to more than 80 tombs. In particular, among these is a very large mausoleum, but the amount of gold and silver and treasures found in this tomb is also countless, it can be said that many have never been seen. And this mausoleum is therefore called the "Golden Tomb".
Gold treasures were discovered in the tomb.
The 'Golden Tomb' is 7.1 meters deep, about 6.56 meters long, and 4.22 meters wide. This is a vertical mausoleum, paved with cobblestone, with a rough and simple shape, reflecting the ancient nomadic way of life. There are 8 gold talismans engraved with tiger images, 4 golden tiger belts, a lion talisman and more than 200 other gold ornaments such as gold beads and gold flowers discovered in the mausoleum.
A lot of gold in this ancient tomb more than 2,000 years old.
There are also gold particles.
The most startling is the 1-ton golden lion card, which is carved lifelike.
The gold plate is extremely delicate.
In addition, archaeologists also discovered unique lacquer "treasures" in the ancient tomb. This is a very important finding because it helps to put an end to the controversy about whether China was capable of making perfect lacquerware during the Warring States, Qin, and Han dynasties.
Unfortunately, the results of the excavation of the "Golden Tomb" have not been made public for various special reasons. However, this makes the public more curious and interested in it.
The mystery of the beauty of the owner of the ancient tomb
The massive amount of treasures in the "Golden Tomb" makes both archaeologists and the public curious about who its owner is and has a special background.
According to the research results of archaeologists, the owner of the tomb may have lived 2,135 years ago, was a female - a beauty who was only about 30 years old when she died.
In particular, there is a hole drilled in the skull of the owner of the tomb. According to archaeologists, this may have been the cause of her death.
A nomadic people in ancient North Asia once used the technique of drilling holes in the skull to cure headaches. Drilling holes in the skull is thought to reduce intracranial pressure to make the headache sufferers more comfortable, but the technique is very difficult, just a little carelessness will cause the patient to die.
Archaeologists speculate that the owners of the ancient tombs may have been the Cheshi or Huns, which are indigenous peoples with a long history in Turpan, with a special preference for hunting dogs, worshiping gold and fond of hunting. gold collection.
However, the materials and patterns in the tomb are also compatible with the Xiongnu nobles, who lived in the area in the later period and also liked gold.
Confuciusornis shifan lived in what is now China during the Early Cretaceous epoch, some 119 million years ago.
The new species belonged to Confuciusornis, a genus of extinct crow-sized beaked birds in the family Confuciusornithidae.
Confuciusornis shifan weighed less than 200 grams and was smaller than most other confuciusornithid species.
“Confuciusornithidae is a clade of Early Cretaceous pygostylian birds known from the Jehol Biota of East Asia, and represents the earliest known toothless, beaked birds,” said Shenyang Normal University paleontologists Dongyu Hu and Xing Xu and their colleagues from China and Canada.
“Five genera and eleven species, recovered from the Dabeigou, Yixian and Jiufotang formations, have been described and assigned to this family, though the validity of some species is questionable.”
“They are represented by thousands of exceptionally preserved specimens that collectively provide rich information on confuciusornithid morphology, taxonomy, flight ability, growth, diet, and ecology.”
The nearly complete and mostly articulated skeleton, preserved on a single slab, of Confuciusornis shifan was recovered from the Jiufotang Formation near Xiaotaizi village in the Chinese province of Liaoning.
“Compared to other confuciusornithids, this new species and the recently reported Yangavis confucii both show evidence of stronger flight capability, although the wings of the two species differ from one another in many respects,” the researchers said.
“Our aerodynamic analyses under phylogeny indicate that varying modes of flight adaptation emerged across the diversity of confuciusornithids, and to a lesser degree over the course of their ontogeny, and specifically suggest that both a trend towards improved flight capability and a change in flight strategy occurred in confuciusornithid evolution.”
“Confuciusornis shifan differs most saliently from other Mesozoic birds in having an extra cushion-like bone in the first digit of the wing, a highly unusual feature that may have helped to meet the functional demands of flight at a stage when skeletal growth was still incomplete,” they concluded.
“The new find strikingly exemplifies the morphological, developmental and functional diversity of the first beaked birds.”
A large mythical creature cast in bronze, among other relics, was found Wednesday at Sanxingdui, an archaelogical site in southwest China. The artifact, weighing 330 pounds with a length and height of 3 feet, is the largest and most complete animal-shaped bronze unearthed at the site.
The massive animal has a sacred tree engraved on its chest and a horn on its head with a bronze statue of a man standing on it. The figure’s thin frame is clothed in a long robe. Archaeologists believe the man might be trying to control the mythical creature.
Sanxingdui is a Bronze Age site in the Sichuan region of China. It was first uncovered in 1986, though locals had found evidence of ancient cultures there as early as 1927. The site has been linked with the ancient kingdom of Shu, which existed up until 316 B.C.E. The most important finds at the site center around a series of sacrificial pits filled with thousands of gold, bronze, jade, and other artifacts.
“Since the first excavation at Sanxingdui in 1986, the unearthed mythical beasts have been smaller in size, only about 20 to 30 centimeters long,” Zhao Hao, a team member from No. 8 pit’s excavation, told China Global Television Network. “The tree is engraved directly on it and can be seen as Sanxingdui people’s worship of the sacred tree, or has taken the sacred tree as a kind of divine presence.”
Of the roughly 14,000 artifacts uncovered at the 3,000-year-old sacrificial pits at Sanxingdui, this artifact is the first of its kind.
The work of archaeologists excavating sacrificial pit No. 8 is expected to be completed between late September and early October. The team plans to focus subsequent efforts on research and restoration.
Excavations at Sanxingdui have yielded a number of rare finds, including a bronze box and altar, and two millennia-old gold masks within the last year alone.
‘Male siblings born 44,000 years ago’ found ten metres apart in Yakutia but the truth is rather different – amid hopes to bring species back to life. The pair of cubs were believed to be siblings both born 44,000 years ago.
In fact, one of the famous extinct cave lions named Spartak has been found to be female, not male, and will need to be rechristened as Sparta. And she was born 18,000 years after the cub found next to her named Boris, it now emerges.
Complete restoration works on the baby cave lions, preserved superbly in the Siberian permafrost, reveals a sensational level of pelt and hair preservation. Some 26,000 years ago Sparta’s mother either left her in the cave and went hunting, or was killed herself, leaving the tiny cub without food.
‘She starved to death. We wondered why she looked so skinny when she was found, and then tomography of her internal organs showed there was no fat,’ said scientist Dr Albert Protopopov, an expert in frozen remains from the woolly mammoth era.
‘It was the most extreme stage of starvation.’
Sparta was found in the Yakutia region in 2018 by the same mammoth bone hunter who discovered a bigger cave lion cub called Boris a year earlier.
They were just ten metres apart.
The first theory was that the cubs must have been from the same family – but now scientists know that the cubs are separated by 26,000 years. Boris lived some 44,000 years ago and was aged between two to three weeks when he died. Most likely his death came when his mother left him inside a cave, went hunting and the cave rock collapsed, burying the cub.
‘We found visible traces of internal injuries which we believe could have been caused by a rock falling on him’, Protopopov said. The most important task of this complex research on the cave lion cubs is to restore their appearance.
‘It is still an enigma, in that on hundreds of published drawings of cave lions they are depicted without manes. Yet we notice spots and stripes of pigmentation in that area… which are not seen in modern-day lions. So we are moving towards re-creating the way the cave lions looked.
‘Their living conditions were very different to modern lions in that cave lions lives in a much colder climate and we believe therefore had to look different.
‘There was less prey in cold climate.
‘If we understand this question about mane we might get an idea of their social hierarchy – for example, we don’t know if they created prides with alpha males and several females alike to modern lions.’
Tests are underway on the lions to extract as much information as possible. The cave lions were the largest predators after bears in ancient, and in the area where we find skulls of cave lions, there is only a handful of bear skulls. Lions reigned in ancient Siberia because at the time it was savanna, bears needed more woods.
‘Cave lion cubs are superbly preserved, you can even see their whiskers, and we are hoping to fetch a lot more information from them.’
The scientist predicted: ‘There is a very realistic chance to recreate cave lions and it would be a lot easier than to clone a woolly mammoth.
‘Cave and modern lions separated only 300,000 years ago, in other words, they are different species of the same genus.
‘It means that we can take the DNA of the modern African lion and use it to recreate cave lions.
’It would be a lot easier than the mammoths.
‘But if we find methods to bring back woolly mammoths it would be a revolution and a payback by humans who helped extinguishing of so many species.’
Boris, the older cub, has a severed tail.
This led to speculation he was an ancient lynx, not a cave lion.
‘We were all worried by the lack of a tail on Boris,’ said Dr Protopopov.
‘But the man who found him explained that it got cut off when the cub was taken out of the permafrost.
‘I know it raised suspicion that the lion cub was in fact a lynx, but we know from the very first tests that this was clearly a cave lion cub.’
