Showing posts with label Spain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spain. Show all posts

Cave Art in Spain Was Made by Neanderthals

It was believed that early humans painted the cave art in Europe. Scientists are leaning toward associating this art with Neanderthals. The old theory surmised that humans created cave art soon after they moved into Europe from Africa.

New tests show the paintings are older than first thought. They are now known to go back 41,000 years. This puts them clearly in the era of Neanderthals. Art was not a sudden achievement. It developed slowly over tens of thousands of years.

The age of cave paintings was established by U-series dating. Samples of calcite that directly covered the paintings were taken. Paintings in El Castilo Spain were dated specifically to 40,800 years ago. Art in other Spanish caves were pushed back in time from 17,000 to 35,000 years. At this time humans were new to Europe but Neanderthals had been for there much longer. Early jewelry and use of ochre were part of Neanderthal culture.
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Anthropology
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Europe Will Bring the World into Depression

The European economic situation is becoming a world problem. There seems to be no way the Euro can be saved. There will definitely be a flow-on effect to the world economy. Despite the new agreement, without the UK, nothing has really changed. The regulation and punishment for spending too much is too late for Greece, Spain, Portugal, Ireland and Italy. When these countries ultimately default, and they will, France and Germany will be drawn into Depression with them because their banks have continued to lend to these deficit countries.

There will be another problem in Europe that no one has highlighted. When unemployment gets too high in the struggling countries life will be unbearable. Labor is free to move across borders in the EC. Workers will move to where the work this. That is Germany and to a lesser extent France. Economic refugees will flood across the borders. The UK will not be exempt from this. For centuries England, Scotland and Wales have been destinations for workers from Ireland leaving due to lack and work and political problems. When Ireland defaults hundreds of thousands will move out.

Welfare systems in these "target" countries will be burdened to the extreme. Unemployment benefits will have to be reduced, per person, to cope. Lack of demand in Europe means lower production in the US and Asia. The future also looks bleak for Australia, the main provider of basic resources to China.

Going for a budget surplus in 2012 may be politically justified and the Australian Government may just make it in time for the next election with tough cutbacks. However, no matter which political party wins government it will have to go straight back to spending to keep the Australian economy moving with the sharp cutbacks forced on China by the failing world economy.
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Politics
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Australian Spotted Jellyfish Invades Spain

Though it is not unusual for alien species to invade Australia, it is unusual for animals native to Australia to become pests in other countries. The Australian spotted jellyfish, phyllorhiza punctata, is stinging bathers on Spanish beaches.

The jellyfish is not dangerous to humans, but it causes a painful sting. Though called the Australian spotted jellyfish it is also found in North Carolina and the Gulf of Mexico.

Seven beaches were closed in Spain to protect people: Cala Cerrada, La Zenia, Cala Capitan, Punta Prima, La Mosca and Playa Flamenca. There are fears that the jellyfish will arrive on British beaches this summer. Climate change, pollution and overfishing are being blamed.
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Climate
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