Somewhere in early Pleistocene South Africa… An adult hominin searches along a stream; the distressed calls from an abandoned infant have awakened its parental instincts; even if the baby has been abandoned by a rival clan, it cannot remain indifferent. Unfortunately, there is no baby, and it has instead walked into an ambush… This piece …
Annie Dillard (April 30, 1945 – September 15, 2026)
I heard it on the radio yesterday. I read some of her work but memory fails on the specifics now. She was mentioned frequently in the past. We could use more talent like hers, especially now. When I saw the picture I was uncertain if I had ever seen an image of her before. I …
Human-like helpless infancy in Homo erectus and Homo floresiensis plus related claims
A long period of helpless infancy after birth is one of the most unique and mysterious characteristics in human life history. Because this trait is intimately linked to rapid postnatal brain growth, which is essential to produce the large human brain, researchers have long been interested in when it evolved. In a new study, researchers …
Mantle Waves
Antarctica froze earlier. Mantle waves lift land bridges as I remember.
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Monsters of God
He claims it is much better than the usual crap. Steve likely would be interested.
Scimitar Canyon, Sahara
Scimitar Canyon is a remote, narrow 20-kilometer-long gorge carved by the Ram River into the Ram Plateau within Nahanni National Park Reserve in Canada’s Northwest Territories. Flanked by vertical limestone walls rising nearly 400 meters, it features extreme whitewater features like “The Slot” and received its first documented kayak descent in 2019. I never heard …
Hot to Cold
The new view of the history of the crocodile lineage starts in the Triassic period, with them as active, land-dwelling, warm-blooded animals, in many cases even running on two legs. They diversified into hundreds of species over the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, living on land, in salt and fresh water, and in between. However, they apparently remained …
Origins and genetic legacy of prehistoric dogs
Dogs are humanity’s best friend—but how long has it been that way? A 2020 Science study investigated ancient dog genomes, revealing a complicated genetic legacy that reflects a long, shared history with humans. Old news but I may not have referenced it before.
Whale Breach
I didn’t know fins let alone blues would do this. Fins are big. I have seen them and that is a lot of bulk to get in the air. As he says, the energy needed advances quickly.