Information theory as a forensics tool for investigating climate mysteries

During Earth's last glacial period, temperatures on the planet periodically spiked dramatically and rapidly. A new article suggests that mathematics from information theory could offer a powerful tool for analyzing and understanding these mysterious events.

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Belongings of warrior found on unique Bronze Age battlefield site

Recent archaeological investigations in the Tollense Valley by a research team has unearthed a collection of 31 unusual objects. Researchers believe this is the equipment of a Bronze Age warrior who died on the battlefield 3,300 years ago. This unique find was discovered by a diving team. It may have been protected in the river from the looting after the fighting.

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Examining age, sustainability of fossil aquifers in Arabian Peninsula

What does the presence of 1,000 year old water mean for the future of water supplies under the desert regions of Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Jordan, Oman, Yemen and the United Arab Emirates? New research has sought to identify how much good water is available in the Arabian Peninsula, where water is stored in what are known as 'fossil aquifers.'

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Survival strategy found in living corals which was only seen in fossil records

Some corals can recover after massive mortality episodes caused by the water temperature rise. This survival mechanism in the marine environment — known as rejuvenation — had only been described in some fossil corals so far. A new study reveals the first scientific evidence of the rejuvenation phenomenon in vivo in Cladocora caespitosa coral colonies, in the marine reserve in Columbrets, in the coast of Castellón.

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Reading the past like an open book: Researchers use text to measure 200 years of happiness

Using innovative new methods researchers have built a new index that uses data from books and newspaper to track levels of national happiness from 1820. Their research could help governments to make better decisions about policy priorities.

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Solution to Ice Age ocean chemistry puzzle

New research into the chemistry of the oceans during ice ages is helping to solve a puzzle that has engaged scientists for more than two decades. At issue is how much of the CO2 that entered the ocean during ice ages can be attributed to the 'biological pump', where atmospheric carbon is absorbed by phytoplankton and sequestered to the seafloor as organisms die and sink.

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Dust in ice cores leads to new knowledge on the advancement of the ice before the ice age

Working with the ice core ReCap, drilled close to the coast in East Greenland, researchers wondered why the dust particles from the interglacial period — the warmer period of time between the ice ages — were several times bigger than the dust particles from the ice age. The research led to the invention of a method able to map the advancement of the glaciers in cold periods and the melting in warmer periods.

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Microscopic evidence sheds light on the disappearance of the world's largest mammals

Understanding the causes and consequences of Late Quaternary megafaunal extinctions is increasingly important in a world of growing human populations and climate change. A review highlights the role that cutting-edge scientific methods can play in broadening the discussions about megafaunal extinction and enabling insights into ecosystems and species-specific responses to climate change and human activities.

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