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Archive for the ‘History’ Category
Ancient human remains found in Israel
Monday, January 3, 2011
By DANIEL ESTRIN, Associated Press
Source: Yahoo
JERUSALEM – Israeli archaeologists said Monday they may have found the earliest evidence yet for the existence of modern man, and if so, it could upset theories of the origin of humans.
A Tel Aviv University team excavating a cave in central Israel said teeth found in the cave are about 400,000 years old and resemble those of other remains of modern man, known scientifically as Homo sapiens, found in Israel. The earliest Homo sapiens remains found until now are half as old.
“It’s very exciting to come to this conclusion,” said archaeologist Avi Gopher, whose team examined the teeth with X-rays and CT scans and dated them according to the layers of earth where they were found.
He stressed that further research is needed to solidify the claim. If it does, he says, “this changes the whole picture of evolution.”
The accepted scientific theory is that Homo sapiens originated in Africa and migrated out of the continent. Gopher said if the remains are definitively linked to modern human’s ancestors, it could mean that modern man in fact originated in what is now Israel.
Sir Paul Mellars, a prehistory expert at Cambridge University, said the study is reputable, and the find is “important” because remains from that critical time period are scarce, but it is premature to say the remains are human.
“Based on the evidence they’ve cited, it’s a very tenuous and frankly rather remote possibility,” Mellars said. He said the remains are more likely related to modern man’s ancient relatives, the Neanderthals.
According to today’s accepted scientific theories, modern humans and Neanderthals stemmed from a common ancestor who lived in Africa about 700,000 years ago. One group of descendants migrated to Europe and developed into Neanderthals, later becoming extinct. Another group stayed in Africa and evolved into Homo sapiens — modern humans.
Teeth are often unreliable indicators of origin, and analyses of skull remains would more definitively identify the species found in the Israeli cave, Mellars said.
Gopher, the Israeli archaeologist, said he is confident his team will find skulls and bones as they continue their dig.
The prehistoric Qesem cave was discovered in 2000, and excavations began in 2004. Researchers Gopher, Ran Barkai and Israel Hershkowitz published their study in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology.
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The Legend of King Arthur: Not Just a Legend, Source: Fox News
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
British Historians Locate King Arthur’s Round Table
Published July 12, 2010
| FoxNews.com
King Arthur and his knights, depicted in a medieval painting sitting around the famous round table. Modern historians claim the round table may have been located in a Roman amphitheater.
King Arthur, Lancelot, and the other knights of the round table are more than mere stories. In fact, one British historian has found precisely where that famous table once sat –and what exactly it was.
According to the Camelot historian, the famous table was no table at all.
He claims the circular interior of a former Roman amphitheater in Chester, England, was where the knights convened, and will reveal all the details of his discoveries in “King Arthur’s Round Table Revealed,” which airs on The History Channel July 19.
Historian Chris Gidlow said Arthur would have reinforced the building’s 40-foot walls to create an imposing and well-fortified base. The king’s regional noblemen would have sat in the central arena’s front row, with lower-ranked subjects in the outer stone benches.
Arthur has been the subject of much historical debate, but many scholars believe him to have been a 5th or 6th century leader. The legend links him to 12 major battles fought over 40 years — and one of his principal victories was said to have been at Chester.
Researchers say the recent discovery at the amphitheater of an execution stone and a wooden memorial to Christian martyrs suggests the missing city is Chester.
“The first accounts of the Round Table show that it was nothing like a dining table but was a venue for upwards of 1,000 people at a time,” said Gidlow.
“In the 6th century, a monk named Gildas, who wrote the earliest account of Arthur’s life, referred both to the City of the Legions and to a martyr’s shrine within it,” he explained. ‘That’s the clincher. The discovery of the shrine within the amphitheater means that Chester was the site of Arthur’s court — and his legendary Round Table.”
Article and photograph courtesy of Fox News at http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/07/12/british-historians-locate-king-arthurs-round-table/
Happy 4th of July!
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Happy 4th of July! We are very blessed to be able to share the American tradition of Independence Day with all of our customers.
We wish everyone a happy and safe holiday. Please remember that fireworks may be potentially dangerous and to make sure all fires are completely out!
On another serious note, we’ve been aware of some work being done to bring Genetically Engineered fish to your table for some time now. While at first more hype than actual action, the idea has taken hold with a company located in Canada. Essentially, salmon is being farm-raised with the addition of growth hormone being injected into the eggs, causing the fish to grow 2-4 times faster than a typical farm-raised fish. This is scary, unhealthy, and in our opinion, very dangerous territory to be crossing into. It’s important to us to keep everyone informed and aware that healthy, wild and natural options are available, and always the best choice.
Currently, the FDA is considering an option to open the US markets to such genetically modified fish, so taking care to carefully read and understand the purchases you are making is vital to not only the success of the industry, but also the health risks of farmed fish.
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