All articles tagged with #luminescence dating
Luminescence dating of the sediment at Kalambo Falls (Zambia) places a paired timber fragment, once thought to be driftwood, at least 476,000 years old, showing that early humans deliberately shaped and joined wood—perhaps for a platform or walkway—though the full structure and responsible hominin species remain unknown.
Archaeologists at Kalambo Falls, Zambia report a 476,000-year-old wooden structure—including notched wood, a wedge, a digging stick, and a cut log—preserved by waterlogged conditions. Using luminescence dating, researchers assign the find to a time when early hominins, possibly Homo heidelbergensis, were capable of deliberate wooden construction, predating Homo sapiens by about 200,000 years and challenging the notion that the Stone Age dominated prehistory.
A research team at Kalambo Falls in Zambia dated well-preserved wood to at least 476,000 years ago, including interlocking logs and tool marks, using luminescence dating. The findings show early hominins engineered wooden structures long before Homo sapiens, suggesting sophisticated planning and wood-working skills that challenge the notion of a purely Stone Age narrative.
Scientists have unraveled the mystery of the absence of star-shaped dunes from Earth’s geological history by dating a 13,000-year-old star dune in Morocco and discovering its rapid formation in the last thousand years. The study, published in Scientific Reports, used ground penetrating radar and luminescence dating techniques to reveal the dune's growth and history, shedding light on Earth's past climate changes and geological formations.
Scientists from Aberystwyth University and University of London have uncovered the age and movement patterns of a giant star dune in Morocco's Erg Chebbi sand sea, revealing that its base is 13,000 years old while the upper part formed in the last 1,000 years. The dune moves at a rate of about 50cm a year due to winds blowing in opposing directions, and luminescence dating techniques were used to determine its age. This research sheds light on the formation and movement of these natural wonders, with implications for infrastructure planning and understanding of past climates.
Scientists have determined the age of the Lala Lallia star dune in Morocco, one of Earth's largest and most complex sand dunes, to be 13,000 years old using luminescence dating. These dunes, also found on Mars, are formed by opposing winds and provide insight into past climates. The discovery sheds light on the rapid formation and movement of these massive dunes, which were previously unrecognized in Earth's geological history.
Archaeologists have discovered a half a million-year-old wooden structure at the archaeological site of Kalambo Falls in Zambia, predating the evolution of Homo sapiens. Stone tool cut marks on the wood indicate that early humans shaped and joined two logs to create a structure, challenging the belief that Stone Age humans were nomadic. The finding provides evidence of early humans using wood for more than just fire, sticks, and spears, and suggests they had the intelligence and skills to create something new. The wood was dated using luminescence dating, and the researchers hope to uncover more discoveries in the area in the future.