Hostage families face appalling dilemma as Gaza invasion looms
By Emily Rose and Crispian Balmer JERUSALEM As Israel prepares to invade the Gaza Strip, many families of
1970-01-01 08:00
Faster Melting of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet Is ‘Unavoidable’
The West Antarctic ice sheet is set to melt faster even if the world rapidly cuts emissions, according
1970-01-01 08:00
PJ Harvey announces huge open-air London concert for summer 2024
PJ Harvey is returning to London for a one-off concert this summer.
1970-01-01 08:00
Can You Fly a Real Helicopter After an Hour in a VR Simulator?
The challenge for the latest episode of Hello World was this: Could I go to Zurich, sit in
1970-01-01 08:00
MTG Lost Caverns of Ixalan: When do Previews Start?
Previews begin soon for the latest Magic: The Gathering set, Lost Caverns of Ixalan. Here's how they'll be released.
1970-01-01 08:00
Chiefs rumors: More trade interest, Bolton injury, Hardman usage
As the Kansas City Chiefs improve to 6-1, they may still scour the trade market for offensive weapons.
1970-01-01 08:00
Mysterious ancient engravings uncovered by drought in the Amazon
The discovery of beautiful, ancient rock engravings has been a bitter-sweet experience for experts in Brazil’s Amazon. On the one hand, the carvings offer an exciting insight into the first people who inhabited the region. On the other, it is a worrying signal that the Negro River, which runs through the region, may soon cease to exist. An extreme drought in parts of the rainforest has led to a dramatic drop in river water levels – with the Negro’s flow reaching its lowest level for 121 years last week. The drop exposed dozens of normally submerged rock formations featuring carvings of human forms that may date back some 2,000 years. Livia Ribeiro, a longtime resident of the Amazon's largest city, Manaus, said she heard about the rock engravings from friends and wanted to check them out. "I thought it was a lie,” she told the AFP news agency. “I had never seen this and I've lived in Manaus for 27 years.” She admitted that whilst scientists and members of the public were delighted at the discovery, they acknowledged that it also raised unsettling questions. "We come, we look at (the engravings) and we think they are beautiful. But at the same time, it is worrying,” she said. “I also think about whether this river will exist in 50 or 100 years.” Drought in Brazil's Amazon has drastically reduced river levels in recent weeks, affecting a region that depends on a labrynth of waterways for transportation and supplies. The Brazilian government has sent emergency aid to the area, where normally bustling riverbanks are dry and littered with stranded boats. According to experts, the dry season has worsened this year due to El Niño, an irregular climate pattern over the Pacific Ocean that disrupts normal weather, adding to the effect of climate change. Jaime Oliveira, of the Brazilian Institute of Historical Heritage (Iphan), said the engravings comprise an archaeological site of "great relevance”. They are located at a site known as Praia das Lajes and were first seen in 2010, during another period of drought (which was not as severe as the current one). Most of the engravings are of human faces, some of them rectangular and others oval, with smiles or grim expressions. "The site expresses emotions, feelings, it is an engraved rock record, but it has something in common with current works of art," Oliveira said. For Beatriz Carneiro, historian and member of Iphan, Praia das Lajes has an "inestimable" value in understanding the first people who inhabited the region, a field still little explored. "Unhappily it is now reappearing with the worsening of the drought," she said. "Having our rivers back (flooded) and keeping the engravings submerged will help preserve them, even more than our work." Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings
1970-01-01 08:00
Andy Reid Says Taylor Swift Can Stay, But He Doesn't Have a Choice
Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift have a tight schedule so pay attention.
1970-01-01 08:00
Jennifer Garner says Reese Witherspoon helped her during a 'very hard moment' in her life
Jennifer Garner and Reese Witherspoon are true friends.
1970-01-01 08:00
How Virtual Reality is Changing Filmmaking
Virtual reality is reinventing the grammar of storytelling.
1970-01-01 08:00
NASA Reveals How Living in Space for a Year Affected Scott Kelly’s Poop
Astronaut Scott Kelly used cotton swabs to take samples of his fecal matter. He then sealed it in tubes and sent it back to Earth via rocket.
1970-01-01 08:00
California!
The Strange States series will take you on a virtual tour of America to uncover the unusual people, places, things, and events that make this country such a unique place to call home.
1970-01-01 08:00
