This Mysterious Fire in Australia Has Been Burning For at Least 6,000 Years

In a national park a four-hour drive north of Sydney in Australia, a fire is smoldering out of control – and it’s been doing so for at least 6,000 years. Known as ‘Burning Mountain’, the mysterious underground blaze is the oldest known fire on the planet. And some scientists estimate it may be far more … Read more

Brazilian wildfires killed nearly 17 million animals in 2020

At least a fifth of Brazil’s Pantanal region was burned in 2020 during a historic drought, and the wildfires are estimated to have killed millions of birds, snakes, rodents and primates, among other animals Environment 16 December 2021 By Adam Vaughan Land burned by a fire in the Pantanal region of Brazil Rogerio Florentino/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Ferocious … Read more

Ancient humans: First evidence that Neanderthals cleared a forest

When Neanderthals lived at a site called Neumark-Nord in Germany, the region had far fewer trees than surrounding areas, suggesting they may have cleared the forest on purpose Humans 15 December 2021 A lakeside archaeological site at Neumark-Nord in Germany Wil Roebroeks, Leiden University Neanderthals may have reshaped part of the European landscape 125,000 years … Read more