Revealing a prehistoric past: Evidence for the deliberate construction of a historic narrative in the British Neolithic

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 193-211
Author(s):  
Anne Teather
Keyword(s):  
Statistical Analyses ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Radiocarbon Dates ◽  
The Past ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
Social Currency ◽  
Event Based ◽  
Symbolic Practices

Over the past decade, event-based narratives have become a norm in discussions of the British Neolithic. Statistical analyses of radiocarbon dates, combined with a detailed approach to individual contexts, have produced chronological resolutions that have enabled a greater understanding of the construction and use of some monuments. While these have been informative, they sometimes manifest exclusionary nomenclature, with terms such as ‘outliers' and ‘residuality' applied to data that does not agree with other data. In addition, theoretical approaches have seen a similar turn to examine individual contexts and artefacts with which to describe Neolithic life. This paper argues that the current dominance of event-based narratives, extrapolated from small-scale action, is inadvertently ignoring evidence of wider cultural understandings. In particular, evidence of the deliberate inclusion of already old bone in Neolithic deposits has been identified. It is argued that this bone represents a particular past focus on already old material that may have had social currency in British Neolithic symbolic practices.

A review of the mid-Holocene elm decline in the British Isles

2002 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. G. Parker ◽  
A. S. Goudie ◽  
D. E. Anderson ◽  
M. A. Robinson ◽  
C. Bonsall
Keyword(s):  
Standard Deviation ◽  
Probability Distribution ◽  
Climatic Change ◽  
Human Activities ◽  
Statistical Analyses ◽  
British Isles ◽  
Radiocarbon Dates ◽  
The Past ◽  
Northwest Europe ◽  
Pollen Diagrams

Over the past 50 years the most enigmatic feature of pollen diagrams from northwest Europe has been the mid-Holocene ‘elm decline’, and there has been much speculation as to the origin(s) and cause(s) of this event. A total of 150 radiocarbon dates from 139 sites spanning the elm decline in Britain and Ireland have been collated and scrutinized. Statistical analyses on 138 dates show that the event has a mean date of 5036 14C yr BP with a standard deviation of ± 247. Calibration of the dates and combining the sum probabilities yielded a range spanning 6347-5281 cal yr BP (1s), covering 1066 years. The start of the elm decline event lies between 6343 and 6307 cal yr BP (1s), a period of 36 years, indicating that the onset was rapid. The end of the event lies between 5290 and 5420 cal yr BP (1s), a period of 130 years. The probability distribution indicates that the elm decline was a uniform phased event across the British Isles. It appears that the elm decline can be explained to a large extent by the outbreak of disease. However, recent research on palaeoclimatic change and the nature of the transition from the Mesolithic to Neolithic in the British Isles suggests that both climatic change and human activities were implicated. It was probably the interplay between these factors, rather than any in isolation, that catalyzed the widespread, catastrophic decline of elm populations during the mid-Holocene.

Forecasting of Tornadoes and Downbursts

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Djordje Romanic
Keyword(s):  
Chaos Theory ◽  
Prediction Models ◽  
Weather Prediction ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Weather Forecasts ◽  
Wind Speeds ◽  
The Past ◽  
Extreme Wind ◽  
Extreme Wind Speeds ◽  
Numerical Weather Prediction Models

Tornadoes and downbursts cause extreme wind speeds that often present a threat to human safety, structures, and the environment. While the accuracy of weather forecasts has increased manifold over the past several decades, the current numerical weather prediction models are still not capable of explicitly resolving tornadoes and small-scale downbursts in their operational applications. This chapter describes some of the physical (e.g., tornadogenesis and downburst formation), mathematical (e.g., chaos theory), and computational (e.g., grid resolution) challenges that meteorologists currently face in tornado and downburst forecasting.

scholarly journals Calibration of Radiocarbon Dates for the Late Pleistocene Using U/Th Dates on Stalagmites

Radiocarbon ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
John C. Vogel ◽  
Joel Kronfeld
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Magnetic Dipole ◽  
Satisfactory Agreement ◽  
Late Pleistocene ◽  
Calibration Curve ◽  
Dipole Field ◽  
Radiocarbon Dates ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Earth ◽  
Magnetic Dipole Field

Twenty paired 14C and U/Th dates covering most of the past 50,000 yr have been obtained on a stalagmite from the Cango Caves in South Africa as well as some additional age-pairs on two stalagmites from Tasmania that partially fill a gap between 7 ka and 17 ka ago. After allowance is made for the initial apparent 14C ages, the age-pairs between 7 ka and 20 ka show satisfactory agreement with the coral data of Bard et al. (1990, 1993). The results for the Cango stalagmite between 25 ka and 50 ka show the 14C dates to be substantially younger than the U/Th dates except at 49 ka and 29 ka, where near correspondence occurs. The discrepancies may be explained by variations in 14C production caused by changes in the magnetic dipole field of the Earth. A tentative calibration curve for this period is offered.

scholarly journals PyroMEMS as Future Technological Building Blocks for Advanced Microenergetic Systems

Micromachines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 118
Author(s):  
Jean-Laurent Pouchairet ◽  
Carole Rossi
Keyword(s):  
Building Block ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Technological Evolution ◽  
Research Groups ◽  
Function Block ◽  
The Past ◽  
New Methods ◽  
Safety And Reliability ◽  
Electronically Controllable

For the past two decades, many research groups have investigated new methods for reducing the size and cost of safe and arm-fire systems, while also improving their safety and reliability, through batch processing. Simultaneously, micro- and nanotechnology advancements regarding nanothermite materials have enabled the production of a key technological building block: pyrotechnical microsystems (pyroMEMS). This building block simply consists of microscale electric initiators with a thin thermite layer as the ignition charge. This microscale to millimeter-scale addressable pyroMEMS enables the integration of intelligence into centimeter-scale pyrotechnical systems. To illustrate this technological evolution, we hereby present the development of a smart infrared (IR) electronically controllable flare consisting of three distinct components: (1) a controllable pyrotechnical ejection block comprising three independently addressable small-scale propellers, all integrated into a one-piece molded and interconnected device, (2) a terminal function block comprising a structured IR pyrotechnical loaf coupled with a microinitiation stage integrating low-energy addressable pyroMEMS, and (3) a connected, autonomous, STANAG 4187 compliant, electronic sensor arming and firing block.

scholarly journals Hydroclimate variability in the low-elevation Atacama Desert over the last 2500 yr

2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 287-306 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. M. Gayo ◽  
C. Latorre ◽  
C. M. Santoro ◽  
A. Maldonado ◽  
R. De Pol-Holz
Keyword(s):  
Hydrological Cycle ◽  
Atacama Desert ◽  
Plant Macrofossils ◽  
Central Andes ◽  
Tropical Pacific ◽  
Riparian Ecosystems ◽  
Independent Evidence ◽  
Radiocarbon Dates ◽  
Climate Fluctuations ◽  
The Past

Abstract. Paleoclimate reconstructions reveal that Earth system has experienced sub-millennial scale climate changes over the past two millennia in response to internal/external forcing. Although sub-millennial hydroclimate fluctuations have been detected in the central Andes during this interval, the timing, magnitude, extent and direction of change of these events remain poorly defined. Here, we present a reconstruction of hydroclimate variations on the Pacific slope of the central Andes based on exceptionally well-preserved plant macrofossils and associated archaeological remains from a hyperarid drainage (Quebrada Maní, ∼21° S, 1000 m a.s.l.) in the Atacama Desert. During the late Holocene, riparian ecosystems and farming social groups flourished in the hyperarid Atacama core as surface water availability increased throughout this presently sterile landscape. Twenty-six radiocarbon dates indicate that these events occurred between 1050–680, 1615–1350 and 2500–2040 cal yr BP. Regional comparisons with rodent middens and other records suggest that these events were synchronous with pluvial stages detected at higher-elevations in the central Andes over the last 2500 yr. These hydroclimate changes also coincide with periods of pronounced SST gradients in the Tropical Pacific (La Niña-like mode), conditions that are conducive to significantly increased rainfall in the central Andean highlands and flood events in the low-elevation watersheds at inter-annual timescales. Our findings indicate that the positive anomalies in the hyperarid Atacama over the past 2500 yr represent a regional response of the central Andean climate system to changes in the global hydrological cycle at centennial timescales. Furthermore, our results provide support for the role of tropical Pacific sea surface temperature gradient changes as the primary mechanism responsible for climate fluctuations in the central Andes. Finally, our results constitute independent evidence for comprehending the major trends in cultural evolution of prehistoric peoples that inhabited the region.

A Tale of No Cities: Analysis of Premier Lacrosse League Fan Identity and Fanship

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-22
Author(s):  
Samuel D. Hakim
Keyword(s):  
Social Identity ◽  
Social Identity Theory ◽  
Identity Theory ◽  
Statistical Analyses ◽  
Media Consumption ◽  
Sports Fans ◽  
Team Identity ◽  
Socialization Theory ◽  
The Past ◽  
Fan Identity

The present study examined the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) and fans’ identity and fanship. The PLL boasts a uniqueness many sports fans are unfamiliar with—non-geographically affiliated teams. Using socialization theory, social identity theory, and fan identity, the author sought to better understand the fan qualities of the PLL, especially surrounding athlete importance. A Qualtrics survey was distributed through reddit.com/r/lacrosse and major lacrosse forums with the goal to assess fanship toward favorite players, favorite teams, and PLL media consumption. Statistical analyses revealed that those who have a previously constructed lacrosse fan identity, consume more lacrosse media, and have been following a professional or college lacrosse athlete in the past are more likely to embrace the PLL. In a league where geographical affiliation is currently absent, research suggests that encouraging fan adoption of a favorite player is key to creating fans who begin to feel investment, loyalty, and increased team identity.

Past and recent biodiversity profiling in ancient Lake Chalco Mexico by a metagenomics analysis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bárbara Moguel ◽  
Liseth Pérez ◽  
Luis David Alcaraz ◽  
Socorro Lozano-García ◽  
Luis Herrera-Estrella ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Volcanic Belt ◽  
Environmental Dna ◽  
Radiocarbon Dates ◽  
The Past ◽  
Mexican Volcanic Belt ◽  
History Of ◽  
High Throughput Dna Sequencing ◽  
High Altitude Lake ◽  
Taxonomic Groups ◽  
The Relationship

<p>For decades, paleoecological studies in lake sediments have focused on reconstructing the environments of the past and explaining phenomena linked to climatic variations. Recent advances in high-throughput DNA sequencing have allowed access to environmental DNA (eDNA) and ancient sedimentary DNA (sedaDNA) as a new and efficient proxy for past and present biodiversity. The basin of Mexico (BM) is located in the central part of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt at 2,200 m a.s.l.; with the southern portion harboring the Chalco sub-basin. Lake Chalco is one of the last remaining natural aquatic ecosystems within the ever-expanding urban area surrounding Mexico City. The paleoenvironmental history of this lake has been previously characterized using sedimentological and geochemical proxies, as well as preserved microfossils (diatoms, pollen) with a temporal framework based on multiple radiocarbon dates. However, information for the remaining taxonomic groups and metabolic pathways remained unexplored. Here, we present the first metagenomics-based study for the Holocene in a high-altitude lake in Central Mexico –Lake Chalco. We explored the relationship between the lake’s paleoenvironmental condition and estimations of taxonomic and metabolic profiles across the sedimentary sequence (2.5 meters long). Multiple biological and abiotic variables revealed three main environmental phases: 1) a cool freshwater lake (FW1: 11,500-11,000 cal years BP), 2) a warm hyposaline lake (HS2: 11,000-6,000 cal years BP), and 3) a temperate, subsaline lake (SS3, <6,000 cal years BP). We describe the structure of the microbiota community and taxonomy richness turnover in the three Holocene paleoenvironmental phases. During the past 12 000 years BP the most abundant domains in Lake Chalco sediments were Bacteria, followed by Archaea, and Eukarya (36,722 genera). The analysis of functional proteins showed high biodiversity with a total of 27,636,243 proteins identified, but it was only possible to annotate 3,227,398 of them. Also, we identified several genes associated with some relevant pathways, such as methanogenesis. Altogether, this study allowed us to reconstruct the natural history of lake Chalco and its surroundings.</p>

scholarly journals The transient swimming of a waving sheet

2009 ◽  
Vol 466 (2113) ◽  
pp. 107-126 ◽  
Author(s):  
On Shun Pak ◽  
Eric Lauga
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Flow ◽  
Reynolds Numbers ◽  
Geometrical Model ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Transient Effects ◽  
Initial Value ◽  
Low Reynolds Numbers ◽  
The Past ◽  
Low Reynolds Number Swimming ◽  
Low Reynolds

Small-scale locomotion plays an important role in biology. Different modelling approaches have been proposed in the past. The simplest model is an infinite inextensible two-dimensional waving sheet, originally introduced by Taylor, which serves as an idealized geometrical model for both spermatozoa locomotion and ciliary transport in Stokes flow. Here, we complement classic steady-state calculations by deriving the transient low-Reynolds number swimming speed of such a waving sheet when starting from rest (small-amplitude initial-value problem). We also determine the transient fluid flow in the ‘pumping’ setup where the sheet is not free to move but instead generates a net fluid flow around it. The time scales for these two problems, which in general govern transient effects in transport and locomotion at low Reynolds numbers, are also derived using physical arguments.

The Anthropology of Mining: The Social and Environmental Impacts of Resource Extraction in the Mineral Age

2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jerry K. Jacka
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Socioeconomic Development ◽  
Foreign Capital ◽  
Mineral Resources ◽  
Resource Extraction ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Social ◽  
Peasant Farmers

This article examines the social and environmental costs of living in the mineral age, wherein contemporary global livelihoods depend almost completely on the extraction of mineral resources. Owing to the logic of extractivism—the rapid and widespread removal of resources for exchange in global capitalist markets—both developed and developing countries are inextricably entangled in pursuing resource extraction as a means of sustaining current lifestyles as well as a key mechanism for promoting socioeconomic development. The past 15 years has seen a massive expansion of mineral resource extraction as many developing countries liberalized their mining sectors, allowing foreign capital and mining companies onto the lands of peasant farmers and indigenous people. This mining expansion has also facilitated the rise of artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM). Transformations in livelihoods and corporate practices as well as the environmental impacts and social conflicts wrought by mining are the central foci of this article.

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