Fisherman in Omaha finds a 90 million-year-old fossil

Andy Moore was hurrying to make the perfect throw while aiming right into a weedy region near a rocky bluff on the Missouri River. He had just attached a swim jig to his line.

Andy Moore found a 90 million-year-old fossil of a Xiphactinus vertebrae. The Xiphactinus was a bony fish that swam in the shallow ocean waters that once covered Nebraska.

His line snagged on a big boulder upstream after missing the bushes.

The Omaha guy pulled, turned, and twisted to free his lure. Even after making several attempts to cut his line, he was unable to resume his search for the tournament's winning bass. He was instead compelled to paddle his kayak to what he initially believed to be nothing more than a fragment of the cliff that had fallen.

When Moore arrived, he discovered that he had caught more than just a rock; he had caught something even better than the largemouth bass he had been looking for all morning.

Andy Moore

Moore, 52, who has been fishing since he was 2 years old, has just landed the largest catch of his life: a fossilized Xiphactinus vertebra from 90 million years ago. Xiphactinus was a bony fish that lived at the time of the dinosaurs and swam in the shallow ocean waters that covered Nebraska.

"This is better than any of my accomplishments, or truly anything in life. It's strange," stated Moore. It is simply insane. the discovery that a fish caught today by a fisherman 90 million years ago is prehistoric in origin.

Moore took a brief photo of the fossil for a Facebook post and left it there since he initially believed it to be a catfish skeleton or another recent fossil. Soon after, friends started leaving comments on his post to let him know that he had discovered something far larger than he had first imagined.

Moore began investigating the region around Lewis and Clark Lake, where he found the fossil, and learned that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is in charge of the river. A retired science teacher with authorization to excavate in the area was recommended to him by Corps personnel.

Andy Moore found a 90 million-year-old fossil of a Xiphactinus vertebrae. The Xiphactinus was a bony fish that swam in the shallow ocean waters that once covered Nebraska.

The two returned to the location with the aid of a GPS pin on the picture.

The fossil will be on display and available for future research at the Lewis and Clark Lake Visitor Center.

According to Shane Tucker, the condition of Nebraska's highway paleontologist, timing had a significant role in both the fossil's recovery and condition of preservation.

The river may have fluctuated and buried the fossil under water if it had been discovered any later or earlier in the day, but it stuck out exactly as it was. Furthermore, if Moore hadn't discovered it that day, the old vertebrae might have been completely washed away by the river.

Tucker claimed that everything depended solely on luck and chance.

"It's a good thing he found it when he did, reported it, and it's going somewhere where it's going to be taken care of and used for an exhibit," he added. "Ice would have been freezing on the river's edge if it had been winter. The individual vertebrae would have most certainly sustained some damage as a result. Or if there was a flood, it would be hidden by sand and no one would know about it.

According to Tucker, Nebraska has produced other such fossil discoveries of ancient aquatic creatures, including a gigantic extinct lizard called a Mosasaurus. In terms of species type, the Xiphactinus fossil wasn't particularly uncommon, but it was nevertheless a once-in-a-lifetime find.

Shane Tucker, highway paleontologist for the State of Nebraska, said that if the fossil had been found any later or earlier in the day, the Missouri River may have fluctuated and hidden the fossil under its rough waters, but it stuck out perfectly.

The majority of important discoveries are typically made by accident, according to Tucker. "For him to catch his hook on a rock and it just so happened to have a fish in it, that's really unique and probably the only time that'll probably ever happen."

Moore said he won't start fossil hunting, but he would always keep a look out for another significant discovery.

Although it is different, I don't believe it will prevent me from continuing to do what I love, which is fishing.

Source: https://journalstar.com/news/state-and-reg...

Babylon: A History of the City

We've all heard the name "Babylon," but few of us really know what it means or what it is (perhaps "was" is a better word). This video goes into the history of the ancient city and why even thousands of years later, we still remember and are fascinated with it.

Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire A Tale of Power and Glory

The rise and fall of the Roman Empire is a captivating tale of power, ambition, and ultimately, the fragility of even the mightiest civilizations. Spanning over a millennium, the Roman Empire emerged as one of the most influential and dominant forces in human history, only to eventually crumble under its own weight.

Where did Humans Neanderthals go?

In this mini-documentary, we explore the fascinating world of the Neanderthals, our closest human relatives who lived on earth tens of thousands of years ago. Who were they, and what do we know about their way of life, culture, and eventual extinction? Join us as we dive into the latest scientific discoveries and uncover the secrets of this unique branch of human evolution. From their physical features to their tools and hunting techniques, we'll take a comprehensive look at the Neanderthal legacy and the impact they had on the human story.

This Biblical Discovery Reveals The Truth About What Happened To Jesus During His Last Moments

This Biblical discovery reveals the truth about what happened to Jesus during his last moments. Today, we take a look at these recent biblical discovery.

A recent study suggests that two corroded iron nails, believed by some to have been used to nail Jesus to the cross, were actually used in a historical crucifixion. This finding has sparked renewed discussion and debate about the origin and authenticity of the nails.

According to the recent study, the nails that were missing from the tomb of the Jewish high priest, Caiaphas, who purportedly betrayed Jesus to the Romans, were discovered. The fragments of wood and bone indicate that they might have been utilized during a crucifixion.

Flying Into The Icy Unknown: Admiral Richard E Byrd Untold Story

In this video, we will explore the incredible story of Richard E. Byrd, an American explorer and aviator who achieved legendary status for his expeditions to the North and South Poles. From his daring flights over the Arctic to his harrowing survival in Antarctica, we will uncover the thrilling moments that defined his career. Join us as we delve into the remarkable life of Richard E. Byrd and uncover the secrets behind his historic feats. With gripping tales of adventure, danger, and triumph, this video is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

The History of the Mycenaeans

The Mycenaeans were an ancient civilization that emerged in the Late Bronze Age, around 1600 BCE, on the Greek mainland. They were named after the archaeological site of Mycenae, where the famous Lion Gate and other grand structures provide a glimpse into their world. The Mycenaeans are often considered the first advanced civilization in mainland Greece, predating the well-known Classical period that would later give birth to iconic figures such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.

12 Most Amazing And Incredible Unexpected Finds Scientists Still Can't Explain

You never know when or where an amazing discovery might be made. Sure, most of the biggest discoveries about the past will be made by archaeologists, but everyday people often strike lucky when they’re digging up their gardens or clearing up old barns! Whether the discoveries you’re about to see were made by professional archaeologists or members of the public, they all have one thing in common - they’re incredible finds that turned up in remarkable circumstances.

In Norway, archaeologists discover a 1,700-year-old Roman sandal in melting ice

A prehistoric explorer was traversing the Horse Ice Patch in Western Norway, a treacherous alpine route more than 2,000 meters above sea level, in the fourth century AD. A worn leather sandal with a design similar to one seen in Rome, which is approximately 3,000 kilometers away, must have been lost or discarded along the route. What a shame too, because it's clear that this sandal was made to last.

A shoe was discovered at the location after nearly 1,700 years when an abnormally warm summer in 2019 melted the top layers of snow and ice that had been building there for generations. Fortunately, it was discovered by a local hiker who recognized its historical value.

He snapped a few photos and sent them, along with the location's coordinates, to researchers with the Secrets of the Ice glacial archaeology program, which has found thousands of artifacts in the melting glaciers and ice of Norway, including Viking-era tunics and Medieval wooden skis.

Secrets of the Ice authors Espen Finstad and his team were familiar with the locale. A 700-year-old medieval horseshoe and a horse leg bone were previously discovered nearby. They quickly began excavations after hastily arriving at the site on the Horse Ice Patch trail, recovering the shoe as well as other artifacts like arrow shafts, fabrics, and even frozen horse feces.

They also completed their work just in time because the trail was completely covered in deep snow the very next day. This fortunate sandal would have likely never been discovered if the storm had started sooner.

These sandals were made for walking

The rawhide shoe was identified after examinations by Vegard Vike, an archaeological conservator at the Kulturhistorisk Museum in Oslo, as a size nine sandal made in the popular Roman carbatina type that swept Europe at the beginning of the Western Roman Empire.

Rock cairns like the one pictured here mark ancient routes to and from the passes across the Norwegian mountains. Credit: Secrets of the Ice.

The likelihood that the traveler was a genuine Roman tourist cannot be completely ruled out, but it is extremely doubtful. However, the discovery of Roman footwear so far north and more than a thousand kilometers from the empire's boundary demonstrates the Romans' influence.

To withstand the bitter cold, the wearer must have had heavy woolen wrappings or socks made of animal hide in addition to the sandal. Lars Pil, an archaeologist with Secrets of the Ice, thinks it is more likely the traveler simply discarded the sandal as trash, finding it too worn out to be of any further use. However, the wearer may have misplaced his shoe while hiking through the arid region.

This gentleman probably had a fresh pair of shoes with him specifically for this occasion, like a seasoned traveler. Lucky for us, another person's trash can be someone else's treasure.

A network of pathways connects Norway's interior to its coast and is dispersed throughout the Horse Ice Patch. People using these pathways with their pack horses were probably busy hauling supplies, plunder, and trade goods like leather, antlers, and animal skins. Travelers would have exchanged their goods for salt, barley, and dried fish once they reached the fjord on the other side of the trail, then made the difficult trip back to their settlement.

The majority of these paths, which were heavily traveled in ancient and medieval times, are today quite difficult to find because they were abandoned and are now covered in snow and ice. However, occasionally archaeologists are fortunate to unearth a free old artifact, like this obstinate Roman sandal, which aids them in identifying the paths and organizing new missions.

Because of the construction of improved roads in the lowlands beginning in the middle of the 19th century, Pil told Ars Technica, "the high mountain passes were largely abandoned."

A reconstruction of the Roman sandal found in Norway’s frozen mountain paths. Credit: Vegard Vike at the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo.

Vike carefully examined the torn 1,700-year-old sandal's intricacies and created the reproduction you see below. The original shoe, however, probably had a more rough appearance and was better suited for climbing in the mountains than this utilitarian reproduction.

For more than 15 years, Finstad and his group have been investigating Norway's historic mountain pathways. They are constantly searching the barren, icy landscape during each mission for buried clues. You can bet that archaeologists from Secrets of the Ice will get their boots wet the moment the upcoming summer melt occurs.

It's a very large puzzle. Since we started hunting for hints, we've been on the verge of discovering where these mountain passes go. And then one of them is exposed by these discoveries. Simply put, it's quite thrilling, said Finstad to Science Norway.

Source: https://www.zmescience.com/science/archaeo...

The First Exodus of Humans from Africa Wasn't Quite What We Expected

There are many twisted branches in the human family tree. It is difficult to separate the foliage in order to see the stem of our own species.

Cave paintings in Cederberg, South Africa. (dr322/Getty Images)

According to the traditional "out-of-Africa" theory, Homo sapiens descended from a unique lineage of early humans that appeared around 150,000 years ago before leaving for Europe and other continents.

But there is a different tale. Our family history may not be a single straight line tracing back through a slowly changing population, but rather a network connecting a diversity of families reaching throughout the African continent, according to a genetic study headed by academics at McGill University and the University of California-Davis.

The results are consistent with a multiregional scenario, according to which there was ongoing gene flow between at least two distinct populations before our species migrated from Africa to Europe.

According to Brenna Henn, a population geneticist at the University of California, Davis, "people who embraced the classic model of a single origin for Homo sapiens suggested that humans first emerged in either East or Southern Africa at different times."

However, it has proven challenging to reconcile these theories with the scant fossil and archaeological evidence of human occupation from places like Morocco, Ethiopia, and South Africa, which demonstrates that Homo sapiens were present on the continent at least 300,000 years ago.

The models included newly sequenced whole genomes from 44 Nama individuals who have historically lived in the region of Kuboes shown here, on the border of South Africa and Namibia. (Brenna Henn/UC Davis)

Southern Africa, Ethiopia, and Morocco are the places where the earliest fossils of our species have been discovered in Africa. Which of these areas, however, is the actual birthplace of humanity is unknown.

According to some scholars, this is a result of the incorrect assumptions we've made about our ancestry. Perhaps a patchwork of coexisting groups that have migrated and mixed has generated the stem of our species, which is actually a braid of branches.

There could be two main lineages responsible for the genomes of humans living in Africa today, according to a scenario of ongoing migration. These lineages represent various early human groups that existed in various regions of Africa circa 400,000 years ago.

The two populations may have united after evolving separately on opposite sides of the continent for a while, eventually fragmenting into subpopulations that survived from 120,000 years ago, according to models.

Researchers speculate that changes in wet and dry circumstances on the African continent between 140 and 100 ka may have encouraged these merging events across different stems.

They believe that this interwoven ancestry may have traveled from Africa to Europe 50,000 years ago.

Conceptual models of early human history in Africa. a) Recent expansion, b) Recent expansion with regional persistence, c) Archaic admixture, d) African multiregional (Ragsdale et al., Nature, 2023)

Although the genetic evidence did not quite support that. Models estimate that the first humans in Africa arrived in Europe 10,000 years later than they should have, according to comparisons with the genomes of people of European heritage.

However, recent research indicates that there may have been more than one wave of migration from Africa to Europe.

Genomic sequencing has developed into an extraordinary tool for researchers retracing the steps of our ancestors due to the limited fossil record for this period.

Genetic experts' stories and ours become more complex as more genetic data is read.

Source: https://www.sciencealert.com/the-first-hum...

Something Terrifying Was Discovered Under the Bermuda Triangle

The Bermuda Triangle is one of the best known enigmas of our world, and reports of unusual activity in this area date all the way back to the time of Christopher Columbus. Through the years, a lot of people have reported that their navigational devices don’t seem to function properly here, strange sightings have been documented and an uncountable number of planes and ships have simply vanished into thin air. The mysteries of the Bermuda Triangle are some of the biggest questions of science today, so from strange UFO sightings to time travel anomalies, here are 15 Things You Need To Know About The Bermuda Triangle.

"Ancient Secrets Hidden In The Sky": 5 Mysterious And Impossible To Reach Ancient Places

From the forested Imereti region of Georgia protrudes an immense limestone monolith of deeply mysterious origins known as the Katskhi Pillar. Considered a symbol of the True Cross, the location is officially a Georgian Orthodox Church.

Although mentioned in 18th Century Georgian literature, the Pillar was not studied by Westerners until the 1940s, when mountaineer Alexander Japaridze and writer Levan Gotua made the first documented ascent.

Before reaching even the foot of the pillar, a substantial hike must be made, and, in its early years, only the bravest monks could climb the sheer face to the structure atop, enabling them to be closer to God.

The pillar, which is around 131 feet high and offers astounding perspectives over the surrounding landscapes, is home to a ruined church with an area of approximately 500 square feet.

Modern studies of these remains determined them to be of 9th or 10th Century origin and contain inscriptions from the 13th Century.

The church complex consists of a series of rooms. In addition to the church itself is a crypt, three cells for accommodation, and a wine cellar. Archaeological digs at the latter have produced several large drink vessels known as k’vevri.

Early mentions of the Pillar and the church state that, quote, “There is a rock within the ravine standing like a pillar, considerably high. There is a small church on the top of the rock, but nobody is able to ascend it; nor know they how to do that."

Although it sat abandoned for centuries, religious activity at the Katskhi Pillar was revived in the 1990s, and a state-funded restoration project has since made the structure safe and accessible.

A monk of the Georgian Orthodox Church named Maxime Qavtaradze lived on top of the pillar for more than 20 years, coming down just twice a week, and made substantial contributions to the restorations.

However, while male visitors were once welcomed and could access the structure via an iron ladder, it has since been closed to the public. It is now scaled only by monks who live in the monastery at the foot of the pillar and climb the rock to pray.

To this day, virtually nothing is known about the original builders of the church atop the Katskhi Pillar or how this incredible feat of construction was ever accomplished.

"Weapon Of Our Forefathers": The Nazi Quest For 5 Mysterious Ancient Artifacts That Could Win WW2

The Nazi Party has long been associated with the looting and hoarding of historical artifacts, pseudoscientific research, and the occult. This was especially true of Heinrich Himmler and his SS.

Himmler, who had a personal occultist, created a chapter of his elite SS known as the Ahnenerbe as a form of think tank and research unit.

One objective of the Ahnenerbe was to unearth or establish a strong historical identity of the Nazis’ predecessors through the study of archeology.

One of the most precious artifacts sought by the Nazis was the Spear of Destiny (also known as the Holy Lance or the Lance of Longinus), which is alleged to be the spear that pierced Christ's abdomen.

As a child, Hitler had seen the Spear in a museum, and he had become enamored with it, believing it to be a key to untold power. He is supposed to have later stated that the Spear of Destiny had given him a vision of the future, which had informed his own political and ideological beliefs.

One reason that high-ranking Nazis were willing to chase this artifact, besides its cultural significance, was that the Spear of Destiny is said to bestow upon its possessor magical powers, including immortality and the ability to conquer one’s enemies.

Legend has it that the first Roman Emperor, Charlemagne, had wielded the Spear of Destiny for 47 consecutive military victories and that - on the very day that he finally dropped it - he fell dead. Hitler and his officers believed that the Spear would aid them in the same way as they waged war in Europe. As part of the Imperial Regalia of the Holy Roman Emperor, Hitler also believed that possessing the spear would legitimize his right to rule in victory.

Damien Hirst: Treasures from the Wreck of the Unbelievable

Damien Hirst’s ‘Treasures from the Wreck of the Unbelievable’ reveals the fascinating story of the discovery and excavation of an ancient shipwreck, and the acclaimed exhibition that followed across the Punta della Dogana and Palazzo Grassi in Venice from 9 April – 3 December 2017. Watch the video to find out more!