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Just like how certain songs evoke nostalgia, objects can help us preserve special moments in time. Following our recent wedding, my husband and I were already contemplating how we could revisit our cherished day in the years to come. Through photos and videos, various moments were captured, including our heartfelt vows that reflected our mutual admiration for the stars (kudos to the groom for incorporating “syzygy”). One keepsake that holds great sentimental value is a blue flower handcrafted by my nephew, featuring a charm engraved with our initials. This got me thinking: what tales will the objects we leave behind tell about humanity in the future? Two paleontologists are currently pondering how everyday items might transform into artifacts in the distant future.
Looking Ahead
Co-author Sarah Gabbott from the University of Leicester fashioned a synthetic technofossil using a notebook, paper, and plaster of Paris. However, predicting the exact fossilization process of discarded items remains a challenge. – Sarah Gabbott
Instead of unearthing bone fossils, future scientists may find themselves examining technofossils like wind turbines, cell phones, and other remnants of our present-day reality. Sarah Gabbott and Jan Zalasiewicz, paleontologists at the University of Leicester in the UK, delve into this subject in their latest book “Discarded: How Technofossils Will Be Our Ultimate Legacy.” Many contemporary plastic and manufactured goods are unlikely to decompose easily, with materials like epoxy resin potentially leaving behind numerous traces devoid of much context. “The smartphone reveals very little,” Gabbott noted. “They will encounter countless such items. They will understand its significance to the civilization, but its actual purpose will remain a mystery.”
Dino-discoveries
In a recent paleontological breakthrough, researchers stumbled upon the massive curved claws of a newly identified two-fingered species, sparking speculation whether they belonged to a giant sloth or the character from the 1990 film “Edward Scissorhands.” Surprisingly, the claws, nearly a foot (30 centimeters) in length, belonged to a creature discovered in present-day Mongolia. Duonychus tsogtbaatari, standing at 10 feet (3 meters) tall, was part of a peculiar-looking dinosaur group. It utilized its formidable claws to grip and feed on entire trees – and the depiction of this towering, feathered dino must be witnessed to be believed. Additionally, a novel parasitic wasp species was identified from specimens preserved in amber dating back 99 million years. This peculiar insect may
The moon appears to take a bite out of the sun as it moves between the Earth and the sun, although the celestial bodies are not perfectly aligned. If you missed witnessing this event, keep your certified viewers handy for another total lunar eclipse and partial solar eclipse pairing in September.
Curiosity rover’s analysis of pulverized rock samples on Mars revealed the largest organic molecules ever found on the planet. Scientists speculate these molecules could be fragments of fatty acids, crucial building blocks of life. While the samples do not definitively prove life existed, they hint that signs of ancient Martian life may still be present today. Additionally, new research suggests substances in Martian dust, such as perchlorates, could pose life-threatening risks to future astronauts on missions to the red planet.
The behavior of European bison, particularly their soil-bathing habits, plays a crucial role in seed dispersal and habitat creation for ground-dwelling insect and reptile species. Studies tracing the origins of the European bison through cave paintings suggest they are a hybrid species called a wisent, resulting from crossbreeding extinct steppe bison with aurochs. Despite historical hunting pressures leading to population collapses, conservation efforts, such as breeding programs, have successfully revived bison populations in Europe, benefiting ecosystem diversity.
