The History of Spains Gran Dolina

The History of Spain's Gran Dolina Gran Dolina is a cave site in the Sierra de Atapuerca region of central Spain, approximately 15 kilometers from the town of Burgos. It is one of six important paleolithic sites located in the Atapuerca cave system; Gran Dolina represents the longest occupied, with occupations dated from the Lower and Middle Paleolithic periods of human history. Gran Dolina has 18-19 meters of archaeological deposits, including 19 levels of which eleven include human occupations. Most of the human deposits, which date between 300,000 and 780,000 years ago, are rich in animal bone and stone tools. The Aurora Stratum at Gran Dolina The oldest layer at Gran Dolina is called the Aurora stratum (or TD6). Recovered from TD6 were stone core-choppers, chipping debris, animal bone and hominin remains. TD6 was dated using electron spin resonance to approximately 780,000 years ago or a little earlier. Gran Dolina is one of the oldest human sites in Europe as only Dmanisi in Georgia is older. The Aurora stratum contained the remains of six individuals, of a hominid ancestor called Homo antecessor, or perhaps H. erectus: there is some debate of the specific hominid at Gran Dolina, in part because of some Neanderthal-like characteristics of the hominid skeletons (see Bermà ºdez Bermudez de Castro 2012 for a discussion). Elements of all six exhibited cut marks and other evidence of butchering, including dismembering, defleshing, and skinning of the hominids and thus Gran Dolina is the oldest evidence of human cannibalism found to date. Bone Tools From Gran Dolina Stratum TD-10 at Gran Dolina is described in the archaeological literature as transitional between Acheulean and Mousterian, within Marine Isotope Stage 9, or approximately 330,000 to 350,000 years ago. Within this level were recovered more than 20,000 stone artifacts, mostly of chert, quartzite, quartz, and sandstone, and denticulates and side-scrapers are the primary tools. Bone have been identified within TD-10, a handful of which are believed to represent tools, including a bone hammer. The hammer, similar to ones found in several other Middle Paleolithic sites, appears to have been used for soft-hammer percussion, that is, as a tool for making stone tools. See the description of the evidence in Rosell et al. listed below. Archaeology at Gran Dolina The complex of caves in Atapuerca was discovered when a railway trench was excavated through them in the mid-19th century; professional archaeological excavations were conducted in the 1960s and the Atapuerca Project began in 1978 and continues to this day. Source: Aguirre E, and Carbonell E. 2001. Early human expansions into Eurasia: The Atapuerca evidence. Quaternary International 75(1):11-18. Bermudez de Castro JM, Carbonell E, Caceres I, Diez JC, Fernandez-Jalvo Y, Mosquera M, Olle A, Rodriguez J, Rodriguez XP, Rosas A et al. 1999. The TD6 (Aurora stratum) hominid site, Final remarks and new questions. Journal of Human Evolution 37:695-700. Bermudez de Castro JM, Martinon-Torres M, Carbonell E, Sarmiento S, Rosas, Van der Made J, and Lozano M. 2004. The Atapuerca sites and their contribution to the knowledge of human evolution in Europe. Evolutionary Anthropology 13(1):25-41. Bermà ºdez de Castro JM, Carretero JM, Garcà ­a-Gonzlez R, Rodrà ­guez-Garcà ­a L, Martinà ³n-Torres M, Rosell J, Blasco R, Martà ­n-Francà ©s L, Modesto M, and Carbonell E. 2012. Early pleistocene human humeri from the Gran Dolina-TD6 site (Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain). American Journal of Physical Anthropology 147(4):604-617. Cuenca-Bescà ³s G, Melero-Rubio M, Rofes J, Martà ­nez I, Arsuaga JL, Blain HA, Là ³pez-Garcà ­a JM, Carbonell E, and Bermudez de Castro JM. 2011. The Early-Middle Pleistocene environmental and climatic change and the human expansion in Western Europe: A case study with small vertebrates (Gran Dolina, Atapuerca, Spain). Journal of Human Evolution 60(4):481-491. Fernndez-Jalvo Y, Dà ­ez JC, Cceres I, and Rosell J. 1999. Human cannibalism in the Early Pleistocene of Europe (Gran Dolina, Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain). Journal of Human Evolution 37(3-4):591-622. Là ³pez Antoà ±anzas R, and Cuenca Bescà ³s G. 2002. The Gran Dolina site (Lower to Middle Pleistocene, Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain): new palaeoenvironmental data based on the distribution of small mammals. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 186(3-4):311-334. Rosell J, Blasco R, Campeny G, Dà ­ez JC, Alcalde RA, Menà ©ndez L, Arsuaga JL, Bermà ºdez de Castro JM, and Carbonell E. 2011. Bone as a technological raw material at the Gran Dolina site (Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos, Spain). Journal of Human Evolution 61(1):125-131. Rightmire, GP. 2008 Homo in the Middle Pleistocene: Hypodigms, variation, and species recognition. Evolutionary Anthropology 17(1):8-21.

The Worlds Funniest Dinosaur Jokes

The Worlds Funniest Dinosaur Jokes Dinosaurs have been the subjects of many serious movies, from King Kong in 1933 and its remakes, through animations such as The Land Before Time series, and on to later special-effects-laden extravaganzas including the Jurassic Park/World features. They are the focus of serious-minded research conducted in natural history museums and universities throughout the world. But dinosaurs have long been the focus of humor, including a bevy of jokes at the expense of these long-gone beasts, which roamed the earth millions of years ago. Here, then, is a crop of  the funniest jokes involving the  terrible lizards, better known as dinosaurs: Why do museums have old dinosaur bones?Because they cant afford new ones! What does a triceratops sit on?Its tricera-bottom! Why did the  tyrannosaur  cross the road?Because chickens hadnt evolved yet.Because it was chasing a chicken.Because it was being chased by a chicken. What’s the best way to talk to a  velociraptor?Long distance! How do you ask a tyrannosaur out to lunch?Tea, Rex? What was 30 feet long, had a two-foot-long beak, and left crumbs all over the mattress?Pretzelcoatlus! Dad:  Why are you crying?Son:  Because I wanted to get a dinosaur for my baby sister.Dad:  Thats no reason to cry.Son:  Yes, it is. No one would trade me! How do you know theres a seismosaurus under your bed?Because your nose is two inches from the ceiling! What’s better than a talking vulcanodon?A spelling bee! Whats worse than a giraffe with a sore throat?A tyrannosaur  with a giraffe in its throat! What do you call a gigantoraptor that wont stop talking?A dino-bore! Why cant you hear a pterosaur using the bathroom?Because the p is silent! How can you tell theres an allosaurus in your bed?By the bright red A on its pajamas. Person 1:  I keep seeing  pteranodons  with orange polka dots.Person 2: Have you seen an eye doctor yet?Person 1:  No, just pteranodons with orange polka dots! How can you tell theres a stegosaurus in your refrigerator?The door wont close! What family does shantungosaurus belong to?I dont know. I dont think any family in our neighborhood owns one! What has a prominent head crest, a duck-like bill, and 16 wheels?A Maiasaura on roller skates! Why did carnivorous dinosaurs eat raw meat?Because they didnt know how to barbecue! What has sharp fangs and sticks to the roof of your mouth?A peanut butter and jeholopterus sandwich. Child 1:  Hey, who stepped on your foot?Child 2:  Well, did you see that  gorgosaurus  over there?Child 1:  Yes.Child 2:  Well, I didnt! What do you call a terrible, horrible, unpleasant dinosaur?A thesaurus. What is a dinosaurs least favorite reindeer?Comet! Why dont dinosaurs ever forget?Because they never knew anything in the first place! What happened when the brachiosaurus took the train home?He had to bring it back! Whats purple and green and wont stop singing?Barney taking a shower! What do you say to a 10-ton Albertosaurus wearing earphones?Whatever you want. He cant hear you! Child 1:  I lost my pet  iguanodon!Child 2:  Why dont you put an ad in the paper?Child 1:  What good would that do? He cant read! What did dinosaurs use to make their hot dogs?Jurassic pork! Can you name 10 dinosaurs in 10 seconds?Yes, one gorgosaurus and nine velociraptors! What dinosaur could jump higher than a house?All of them. Houses cant jump! What should you do if you find a blue dilophosaurus?Try to cheer him up!