Article
Anthropology
Roshan Paladugu, Kristine Korzow Richter, Maria Joao Valente, Sonia Gabriel, Cleia Detry, Christina Warinner, Cristina Barrocas Dias
Summary: A novel peptide marker has been discovered to reliably distinguish between horse and donkey skeletal remains. This method has the potential to enhance our understanding of the relative importance of these two species in past human societies and facilitate the collection of morphological data for studying equids in Iberia and throughout Eurasia and Africa.
JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Anthropology
Virginie Sinet-Mathiot, William Rendu, Teresa E. Steele, Rosen Spasov, Stephane Madelaine, Sylvain Renou, Marie-Cecile Soulier, Naomi L. Martisius, Vera Aldeias, Elena Endarova, Paul Goldberg, Shannon J. P. Mcpherron, Zeljko Rezek, Dennis Sandgathe, Nikolay Sirakov, Svoboda Sirakova, Marie Soressi, Tsenka Tsanova, Alain Turq, Jean-Jacques Hublin, Frido Welker, Geoff M. Smith
Summary: Understanding Palaeolithic hominin subsistence strategies requires accurate taxonomic identification of faunal remains. However, the high fragmentation of Late Pleistocene faunal assemblages often hinders proper identification based on bone morphology. This study uses collagen type I peptide mass fingerprinting to analyze faunal datasets from three sites, revealing significant differences between the fragmented and identifiable components of Palaeolithic bone assemblages.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND ANTHROPOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Anna Stachniuk, Agata Sumara, Magdalena Montowska, Emilia Fornal
Summary: Reliable methods are needed to detect the species origin of meat used in highly processed food products to prevent food fraud and allergenic issues. Liquid chromatography high resolution mass spectrometry was used to identify new heat-stable guinea-fowl-specific peptide markers that can differentiate guinea fowl meat from other commonly consumed animal species in highly processed food products.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Meng He, Xiao Han, Xi Qin, Junjuan Bao, Hongbin Li, Quanliang Xie, Yuchen Yang, Xiang Jin
Summary: This study reconstructed the phylogeny of Taraxacum species and found the primitive species and close relatives of rubber-producing dandelion. Comparative genomic analysis identified potential molecular markers to distinguish rubber-producing dandelions from their weedy relatives.
INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS
(2024)
Article
Plant Sciences
Michal Sochor, John C. Manning
Summary: This study on South African brambles revealed the evolutionary patterns and mechanisms, showing that ancient hybridization and limited gene flow are the main drivers of the current patterns. The proposed mechanism of "octoploid bridge" explains how tetraploids and hexaploids overcome the ploidy barrier. The study also highlights the importance of apomixis in the spread of blackberries.
Article
Public Administration
Solomon Nathaniel, Suborna Barua, Hamid Hussain, Ngozi Adeleye
Summary: This study reveals the close relationship between economic growth and energy use in Africa, showing that CO2 emissions have a significant negative impact on economic growth with a lag effect. The findings also highlight the dual role of trade in promoting economic growth and contributing to environmental deterioration on the continent. There is an urgent need for Africa to transition to clean energy sources to achieve sustainable economic growth without harming the environment.
JOURNAL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Samantha Brown, Diyendo Massilani, Maxim B. Kozlikin, Michael V. Shunkov, Anatoly P. Derevianko, Alexander Stoessel, Blair Jope-Street, Matthias Meyer, Janet Kelso, Svante Paeaebo, Thomas Higham, Katerina Douka
Summary: Through collagen peptide mass fingerprinting analysis of thousands of non-diagnostic bone fragments, five new hominin bones were discovered in Denisova Cave, Siberia, Russia, with three identified as Denisovan and one as Neanderthal based on mitochondrial DNA analysis. These bones, dating back to 200 ka, provide valuable insights into the material culture, behavior, and environmental adaptations of these early hominins, and have significantly expanded our understanding of Denisovan and Neanderthal interactions and archaeological signatures.
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Archaeology
Steven T. Goldstein, Jeremy Farr, Martha Kayuni, Maggie Katongo, Ricardo Fernandes, Anneke Janzen, Brooke Markham, Andrea Kay, Alison Crowther, Nicole Boivin
Summary: The period from C. AD 900 to AD 1300 in southern Africa witnessed transitions from small-scale Iron Age communities to intensive food production and complex polities. In Zambia, larger and more permanent agro-pastoralist villages emerged and participated in Indian Ocean trade networks. The predominance of wattle-and-daub construction methods in Zambia hindered the preservation of Iron Age activity areas, making it challenging to reconstruct the impact of economic and land-use changes on family and community relationships. However, Fibobe II, a rare Early-to-Mid Iron Age village site in Central Zambia, provides a unique opportunity to study this important and understudied period through the preservation of activity spaces and vitrified remains of wattle-and-daub structures.
JOURNAL OF AFRICAN ARCHAEOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Patrick Roberts, Katerina Douka, Monica Tromp, Stuart Bedford, Stuart Hawkins, Laurie Bouffandeau, Jana Ilgner, Mary Lucas, Sara Marzo, Rebecca Hamilton, Wallace Ambrose, David Bulbeck, Sindy Luu, Richard Shing, Chris Gosden, Glenn Summerhayes, Matthew Spriggs
Summary: This study explores the chronology and diets of the earliest human remains found in Near and Remote Oceania. The oldest human fossil outside of mainland New Guinea-Aru area dates back to approximately 11,800 years ago. It also shows that early sea-faring populations in Bismarck Archipelago and Vanuatu relied heavily on interior tropical forest resources. This finding suggests that local tropical habitats should be emphasized when discussing human diets and cultural practices in this region.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
L. Gatti, Federico Lugli, Giorgia Sciutto, M. Zangheri, S. Prati, M. Mirasoli, S. Silvestrini, S. Benazzi, T. Tuetken, K. Douka, C. Collina, F. Boschin, M. Romandini, P. Iacumin, M. Guardigli, A. Roda, R. Mazzeo
Summary: A study found that mutual protection between biomineral and organic fractions in bones and teeth helps promote the preservation of the organic fraction, and investigated the correlation between elemental variations and collagen distribution. By combining two methods, it was discovered that collagen had an uneven distribution in highly degraded samples, and there was a correlation between the presence of uranium and rare earth elements with collagen content.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ludovic Slimak, Clement Zanolli, Tom Higham, Marine Frouin, Jean-Luc Schwenninger, Lee J. Arnold, Martina Demuro, Katerina Douka, Norbert Mercier, Gilles Guerin, Helene Valladas, Pascale Yvorra, Yves Giraud, Andaine Seguin-Orlando, Ludovic Orlando, Jason E. Lewis, Xavier Muth, Hubert Camus, Segolene Vandevelde, Mike Buckley, Carolina Mallol, Chris Stringer, Laure Metz
Summary: The discovery of human fossils in Grotte Mandrin, France, suggests the presence of early modern humans in Europe between 56,800 and 51,700 years ago. This indicates alternating occupations between Neanderthals and modern humans, with the latter using unique technologies from Africa or the Levant.
Article
Ecology
Ben Shaw, Stuart Hawkins, Lorena Becerra-Valdivia, Chris S. M. Turney, Simon Coxe, Vincent Kewibu, Jemina Haro, Kenneth Miamba, Mathieu Leclerc, Matthew Spriggs, Karen Privat, Simon Haberle, Felicitas Hopf, Emily Hull, Alana Pengilley, Samantha Brown, Christopher E. Marjo, Geraldine Jacobsen
Summary: Excavation in Island New Guinea has provided evidence for the spread of Lapita culture in the Pacific and its origins. The study reveals the earliest evidence for Lapita-introduced animals, turtle bone technology, and obsidian import, which occurred alongside indigenous technologies, suggesting a multicultural influence on population diversity. It also suggests that initial Lapita expansion in New Guinea was more extensive than previously thought, with indigenous contact influencing migration pathways and island-hopping strategies.
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2022)
Editorial Material
Psychology, Biological
Barbara Huber, Thomas Larsen, Robert N. Spengler, Nicole Boivin
Summary: Olfaction has had a significant impact on human experience and behavior throughout history. Advances in biomolecular and omics sciences now allow for a more direct exploration of past scents, providing new insights into critical aspects of ancient society and ways of life, as well as the historical significance of smells.
NATURE HUMAN BEHAVIOUR
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Arturo Cueva-Temprana, Diego Lombao, Maria Soto, Makarius Itambu, Pastory Bushozi, Nicole Boivin, Michael Petraglia, Julio Mercader
Summary: The Oldowan is one of the earliest and longest-lasting forms of human technology, representing evidence of human material culture. Its appearance across Africa and subsequent dispersal throughout the Old World indicates the dependence of early humans on technology. However, it is unclear to what extent the Oldowan was an environmentally-driven behavioral adaptation, and it is important to understand how Oldowan technology changed over time in response to ecological demands.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Review
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Carli Peters, Kristine K. Richter, Jens-Christian Svenning, Nicole Boivin
Summary: Archaeological and paleontological records have untapped potential for studying long-term biodiversity trends, climate change, and human impact on ecosystems. Palaeoproteomics, the study of ancient proteins, can be a critical tool for creating informative datasets and developing effective conservation strategies.
Article
Archaeology
Anna M. Kotarba-Morley, Nikos Kourampas, Mike W. Morley, Conor MacAdams, Alison Crowther, Patrick Faulkner, Mark Horton, Nicole Boivin
Summary: Recent archaeological excavations and geoarchaeological analyses on Unguja Ukuu in Zanzibar Archipelago were conducted to understand the geomorphic context and anthropogenic sediment deposition of the ancient trading settlement. The study found that coastal progradation in Unguja Ukuu was driven by accumulation of human detritus and compaction of ancient surfaces. The findings suggest that the inherited Late Pleistocene geomorphology and sediment supply from the hinterland may have contributed to the emergence and decline of Unguja Ukuu as a trading locale.
JOURNAL OF ISLAND & COASTAL ARCHAEOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Geography, Physical
Anneke Janzen, Bethan Upex
Summary: Specialized pastoralists inhabited south-central Kenya before iron-using agriculturalists. Analyses of slaughter patterns, dental hypoplasias, and stable isotope data reveal subtle differences in herd management strategies at three pastoralist sites in Kenya. Environmental differences influence herd management strategies as herders in different regions adjust slaughter patterns to cope with suboptimal grazing conditions.
QUATERNARY INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Anthropology
Elizabeth A. A. Sawchuk, Elisabeth A. A. Hildebrand, Austin Chad Hill, Daniel A. A. Contreras, Justus Erus Edung, Anneke Janzen, Abdikadir Kurewa, James K. K. Munene, Emmanuel Ndiema, Katherine M. M. Grillo
Summary: This article introduces the megalithic pillar sites found around Lake Turkana in Kenya, which were monumental cemeteries built approximately 5000 years ago coinciding with the spread of pastoralism and profound climate change. Previous studies suggested that the Jarigole pillar site was a secondary burial ground, but subsequent excavations revealed planned mortuary cavities, challenging the idea of a single tradition. The new findings from the Jarigole site resolve long-standing questions about eastern Africa's earliest monuments and provide insight into the social lives and deaths of the region's first pastoralists.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Elena Essel, Elena I. Zavala, Ellen Schulz-Kornas, Maxim B. Kozlikin, Helen Fewlass, Benjamin Vernot, Michael V. Shunkov, Anatoly P. Derevianko, Katerina Douka, Ian Barnes, Marie-Cecile Soulier, Anna Schmidt, Merlin Szymanski, Tsenka Tsanova, Nikolay Sirakov, Elena Endarova, Shannon P. McPherron, Jean-Jacques Hublin, Janet Kelso, Svante Paeaebo, Mateja Hajdinjak, Marie Soressi, Matthias Meyer
Summary: Artefacts made from stones, bones and teeth are important for understanding human subsistence strategies and culture in the Pleistocene. However, it is difficult to associate these artefacts with specific individuals, unless they are found within burials. A non-destructive method has been developed to extract DNA from ancient bone and tooth artefacts, and analysis revealed that a female individual made the pendant.
Article
Archaeology
Anneke Janzen, Kristine Martirosyan-Olshansky, Adrian Balasescu
Summary: Research shows that in the earliest Neolithic site in the Southern Caucasus, Masis Blur, communities adopted different strategies for managing cattle and caprines. Isotope analysis of bone collagen and tooth enamel indicates that caprines exhibited seasonal mobility, moving to high elevation pastures in the summers and feeding on water-stressed C3 or wild C4 plants in the winters.
JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCIENCE-REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Archaeology
Steven Goldstein, Sean Hixon, Erin Scott, Jesse Wolfhagen, Victor Iminjili, Anneke Janzen, Kendra Chritz, Elizabeth Sawchuk, Emmanuel Ndiema, Judith C. Sealy, Abigail Stone, Gretchen Zoeller, Leanne N. Phelps, Ricardo Fernandes
Summary: AfriArch is a community that aims to integrate datasets related to human-environmental interactions in Holocene Africa. This dataset includes bioarchaeological stable isotope (C/N/O) and radiocarbon measurements from African archaeological sites, as well as modern measurements reported in original publications. The dataset can be used for various studies, such as paleodietary, paleodemography, paleoclimatic, and paleoenvironmental research, and can also help identify data gaps and shape future research agendas.
JOURNAL OF OPEN ARCHAEOLOGY DATA
(2022)