Sulawesi Cave Confirmed: Oldest Art in Human History Thus Far

Staff Writer, DL Mullan

Archaeology / Art
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In humans, when did creativity begin? Was it solely Europeans as has the evidence has suggested these many years? Or, is creativity simply a human trait for which we have yet to discover the remnants in other ancient civilizations? 

Enter the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. Human history will never be the same again. 

“The minimum age for (the outline of the hand) is 39,900 years old, which makes it the oldest hand stencil in the world,” said Dr Aubert.

“Next to it is a pig that has a minimum age of 35,400 years old, and this is one of the oldest figurative depictions in the world, if not the oldest one,” he told BBC News.

This also indicates a relatively stable human civilization region as the cave paintings were drawn over an 13,000 year time period. 

Other cave paintings around the world are:

Compare the painting above from Bone with the one immediately below, which is from El Castillo cave in northern Spain, and dated to be 37,300 years old by researchers at Bristol University.

What does this mean for human history? That art did not begin in Europe. This dating of the Indonesian cave art shows that art traveled with humans across history. The realization that art and creativity may have followed along to Europe from Africa itself.

Human art could go back as far as 60,000 years.

The source link also contains an interactive video of the site. 

Source: BBC

If You Are Acting Like a Neanderthal, It Is Because You Are One

Staff Writer, DL Mullan

Anthropology / Evolution
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Society jokes about people acting like Neanderthals. The funny thing is the punchline are Homo Sapiens, who are non-Africians, appear to be directly related to Neanderthals. Upto 4% of a person's genetic code may be from a completely different species. 

Neanderthal PEOPLE are Genetically NON-AFRICAN

The first opportunity for interbreeding probably occurred about 60,000 years ago in Middle Eastern regions adjacent to Africa, where archaeological evidence shows the two species overlapped for a time, the team says.

So the next time you act like a Neanderthal and someone calls you out on it, you can now simply agree. 

Isn't genetics fascinating?

Source: National Geographic, 

Dik-diks: It's Cuter Than You Think

Staff Writer, DL Mullan

Zoology / Education
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This week has been heavy. The news has been dark and we here at the Gazette wanted some levity. So here you go, the cutest animal in the world: 

Dik-diks are small antelope who only grow to be 30-40 cm tall…

Their home is in eastern and southern Africa. These little antelopes have keen eyesight and can run as fast as 42 km per hour! Dik-diks have too they are hunted by many others like lizards, caracals, lions, hyenas, wild dogs, and more... including humans. They eat foliage, shoots, fruit and berries, but little or no grass.

If you want to see more pictures of this fascinating creature, then visit our source below. 

And now, back to our regularly scheduled glum!

Source: PetFlow,

Buzzsaw Episode 85

Staff Writer, DL Mullan
News / Government
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This week's Buzzsaw episode guide:

Congress has received a 6% approval rating from the public, innocent black students have been arrested while waiting for the bus, and the value of Bitcoins has soared to above that of gold. We look at these stories, plus Gov. Scott Walker asking parents to donate their Christmas gift money to his campaign, more civilian death fallout in Afghanistan, the Pentagon selling off weapons to various countries, and King Leopold II–the overlooked genocidal ruler of the Congo. We also reflect on the death of Nelson Mandela, all on the Buzzsaw news with Tyrel Ventura and Tabetha Wallace.

 Enter the Buzzsaw for real news:
Congress Failing Grades, Pentagon Weapons Sale + Bitcoins Worth More Than Gold