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Scientists baffled by game-changing discovery in Africa!

You won't believe what scientists found in Africa!

By Shari GaillaPublished 11 months ago 10 min read
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Africa is situated on an extraordinary slope of mind-boggling, staggering, suspicious revelations that have actually stunned researchers right up until now. These disclosures are amazing, and in the event that they were not referenced, they could never be accepted, so in this article I will impart to you things researchers found in Africa that stunned the world.

Homo Naledi skull

Humanoid skull found in Africa in 2010

In 2013, a group of cave explorers stumbled upon a discovery that would rewrite the story of human evolution. In the remote Chamber of the Rising Star cave system in South Africa. They found a treasure trove of bones belonging to a previously unknown species of human now known as Homo-Naledi. The excavation of the chamber proved to be a challenging task, as the narrow passageways and jagged rocks made it almost impossible for a fully grown adult to maneuver through. Due to this, a group of young women who were small enough to fit inside the cave had to be recruited. The bones of Homo-Naledi displayed a combination of primitive and advanced features, leading scientists to believe that this species existed alongside our own ancestors, Homo sapiens, and may have played a role in shaping human evolution. What makes Homo-Naledi unique is its small brain size, believed to be one-third the size of our own. Its hands and feet, however, suggest a greater ability to manipulate objects. This has led scientists to believe that Homo-Naledi was capable of complex behaviors and may have had a social structure similar to our own. Despite these exciting discoveries, the exact age of Homo-Naledi remains a mystery. Radiometric dating techniques have placed the bones between 236 000 and 335 000 years old; however, further research is needed to determine their exact place in the timeline of human evolution. To this day, scientists remain baffled as to how the multiple skeletons of Homo-Naledi found their final resting place in the cave where they were found. Some experts suggest that the chamber may have served as a burial ground; others, however, speculate that the cave may have been a deadly trap leading to the demise of an entire group of early humans.

Blue Diving Hole

Blue hole of death.

Nestled along the coast of the Red Sea in Egypt lies a natural wonder that has captivated the hearts of divers and adventurers for generations, known as the Blue Hole. The underwater sinkhole in Dahab has a depth of over 100 meters and is surrounded by sheer cliffs that drop off into the crystal-clear waters below. The Blue Hole is not for the faint of heart; divers must be certified and experienced in deep diving to explore its depths safely, but for those who dare to take the plunge, the rewards are immense schools of colorful fish and vibrant coral that can be spotted in the deep blue waters. But the blue hole's beauty is also laced with tragedy; it has claimed the lives of many inexperienced divers, earning it a reputation as one of the most dangerous diving spots in the world. While there is no official record, some estimate the number of diving casualties to be as high as 200 in recent years. Among them was Yuri Lipsky, a Russian-Israeli diving instructor whose tragic demise became the talk of the diving world in April 2000. Lipsky donned an air tank and a helmet camera, loaded his belt with weights, and plunged. In the Blue Hole, he never returned. At over 300 feet under water, divers are susceptible to nitrogen narcosis. This condition can cause hallucinations, overconfidence, confusion, and impaired judgment, which can lead to fatal mistakes. Despite the risks, the Blue Hole continues to draw thrill seekers from all over the world eager to test their limits and explore the unknown. It is like a siren's call that proves too irresistible to ignore.

Deadvlei

Creepy dead trees in Deadvlei.

In the Namib Desert lies a place that looks like something straight out of a surrealistic painting. In a barren white clay pan called Deadvlei, stands a haunting landscape of ancient dead trees that have been scorched black by the relentless African sun. It's hard to imagine now, but just 900 years ago, Deadvlei, which translates to dead Marsh," was a thriving Oasis teeming with life and vitality. However, as the climate dried up and the desert expanded, the valley became cut off from its water source by towering sand dunes. The once lush forest died, leaving behind only the skeletons of the trees that still stand today as stark silhouettes against the sky, their twisted branches reaching up like bony fingers. The dry climate is so harsh that the trees have not been able to decompose properly, leaving them preserved as eerie and haunting reminders of the past. It is a site that has drawn photographers, filmmakers, and adventurers from around the world to witness its eerie beauty. The contrast between the white clay pan and the blackened trees creates a dramatic otherworldly atmosphere, and the lack of any vegetation in the area gives you the feeling of being in an isolated, forgotten place.

Discovery of a new continent and ocean in the heart of East Africa

In the afar region of Ethiopia lies a geological phenomenon that has captivated the attention of scientists and adventurers alike: the splitting of Africa. For millions of years, the African continent has been slowly tearing apart, and the Afar region is Ground Zero for this incredible event. The Afar region is located at the junction of three tectonic plates: the Nubian plate, the Arabian plate, and the Somalian plate. These plates are in constant motion, pushing and pulling against each other. As a result, the crust in the region is extremely thin, and magma from the mantle is able to rise to the surface, creating a landscape of volcanoes, hot springs, and geysers. It is in this volatile environment that the splitting of Africa is occurring. The only sign of this slow but steady process is a 35-mile-long split that formed in 2005. The split is located in a region known as the East African Rift Valley and measures more than 50 feet in depth and 65 feet across. Scientists predict that millions of years from now, the rift will expand and break Africa into two continents. The smaller continent will include present-day Somalia and parts of Kenya. Ethiopia and Tanzania, while the bigger one will include everything else. As a result, a new ocean will eventually form between East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. This creates the possibility that countries such as Kenya and Uganda could develop coastlines due to the formation of the new ocean.

Dinosaur fossils in Zimbabwe

Dinosaur unearthed in Zimbabwe.

In the remote wilderness of Zimbabwe, a team of scientists embarked on two expeditions in 2017 and 2019 and uncovered the remains of Africa's oldest dinosaur, Mbiresaurus raathi. This fascinating discovery was a significant breakthrough in the field of paleontology. The name Mbiresaurus comes from the local Shona language where the fossils were found. The species named raathi honors the paleontologist Michael Wrath, who first reported fossils in the region. Mbiresaurus raathi is believed to have roamed the Earth over 230 million years ago during the Jurassic period. It was a small herbivorous dinosaur, measuring about six feet in length and weighing around 60 pounds. Its slender body and long neck allowed it to reach for vegetation in hard-to-reach places. While the discovery of Mbiresaurus raathi is undoubtedly exciting, researchers are thrilled at the possibilities it presents for uncovering more information about Africa's prehistoric past. The finding suggests that Zimbabwe was once home to a diverse range of dinosaurs, and further exploration could yield even more fascinating discoveries.

Eye of the Sahara

Eye of the Sahara and the lost city of Atlantis.

The Richat Structure, or "Blue Eye of the Sahara," is a geological marvel found in the vast expanse of the Sahara Desert in Mauritania. This stunning landmark is a natural wonder that has puzzled scientists and intrigued adventurers for decades. The circular formation measures approximately 50 kilometers in diameter, making it one of the largest and most striking structures visible from space. The center of the reshot structure is a raised plateau that stands more than 600 feet above the desert floor. Surrounding the plateau are concentric rings of rock that form a series of ridges and valleys, giving the structure the appearance of a giant bullseye. The rock layers themselves are made up of ancient sedimentary rocks, including sandstone and limestone. Scientists believe that the structure was formed by a combination of volcanic activity and erosion, which gradually exposed the different layers of rock and created the unique circular pattern. However, some people have different theories about the origin of this enigmatic structure. Some speculate that it could be the remains of the lost city of Atlantis, mentioned in ancient texts by the Greek philosopher Plato. While there is no concrete evidence to support this theory, the possibility remains intriguing to many. The concentric rings and circular shape of the Richat Structure have also led some to believe that it is a man-made construction. Whether it is a natural formation or the remains of a lost civilization, the Richat Structure continues to capture the imagination of people around the world.

Sky Stone

Alien sky blue stones

Imagine holding in your hand a stone that is said to have come from the heavens. This is the story of the strange blue stones that Italian geologists and archaeologist Angelo Pittoni obtained from a Fula chief in Sierra Leone, West Africa, in 1990. According to the tribe, the stones were given to them by extraterrestrial visitors from the sky. The mysterious stones were like nothing Patoni had seen before, and when he got to Europe, he sent them to research laboratories for testing. It was discovered that they were unique and did not match any known minerals. Despite extensive testing, researchers could not explain the blue color of the stones. When a piece of them was reduced into fine particles and viewed under a microscope, the blue color was invisible. Even extreme heat or acid could not alter or break apart the stones. Pittoni believed that the blue stone looked more like a pure turquoise found on the chests of Egyptian priests; he even called it the stone of heaven. A phrase to mean that it is different from any other gemstone known to man, so where did they come from? Were they truly a gift from extraterrestrial visitors, or did they hold secrets from ancient civilizations that have long since been forgotten?

Lydenburg heads.

Unidentified heads in Lydenburg, South Africa

A young boy stumbled upon a groundbreaking discovery that would rock the archaeological world. Carl Ludwig von Bezing was innocently playing on his father's farm in 1957 when he noticed peculiar pieces of pottery in the soil. Little did he know he had just uncovered the Lydenburg heads, a series of fascinating artifacts that would go down in history as some of the earliest examples of Iron Age art in the southern hemisphere. The heads were initially fragmented and scattered, but through careful excavation, they were pieced back together at the University of Cape Town. In total, seven heads were reconstructed: two large and five small. Six of these heads depict human characteristics, while the seventh has striking animalistic features. Interestingly, four of the smaller heads share similarities in both scale and design, leading many to believe they were created as a group. After extensive carbon dating, the heads have been dated to approximately 490 A.D. Experts have suggested that they were used for ceremonial purposes by early Iron Age inhabitants due to the small holes found in the sides of the smaller heads. These holes were likely used to connect the heads to poles or costumes during performances. These remarkable heads can be seen on display at the South African Museum in Cape Town.

Child of Taung skull

Child of Taung

In 1924, quarrymen in Taung, South Africa, made an astonishing discovery that would change the course of human history. While working on limestone deposits at the Buxton Lime Works, they uncovered the small skull of a child. The skull was brought to the attention of Raymond Dart, an anatomist and anthropologist, who immediately recognized its significance. Dart theorized that the fossilized remains belonged to a hominid species or early human ancestor that lived approximately 2.8 million years ago. He named the new species Australopithecus Africanus, or the Southern Ape of Africa. At the time the Taung child was discovered, most believed that early human ancestors originated in Europe, but the Taung child challenged this theory since it was the first early human fossil found in Africa. This provided clear evidence that Africa was the birthplace of humankind and supported the Out of Africa Theory. This theory states that modern humans evolved in Africa before migrating to other parts of the world. Not only did the Taung child confirm this theory, but it also presented significant anatomical features. It had a brain size and teeth similar to those of apes, yet its skull and dental arch were similar to those of humans, representing an intermediate form between the two. Between 1936 and 1947, several more Australopithecus fossils were unearthed in South Africa, this time belonging to adult specimens. These discoveries lent further support to Dart's initial claim that the Taung child was indeed an early human ancestor. Today, the Taung child is revered as a vital piece of human history, and its discovery revolutionized the field of paleoanthropology, changing our understanding of where we came from and how we got here.

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About the Creator

Shari Gailla

From nursing to history's embrace, I heal bodies and ignite minds. Writing whispers my tales, bridging past and present, introverted yet expressive. Words paint a vivid world, where healing and curiosity dance hand in hand. #NurseOfWords

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  • Lydia Kawira11 months ago

    Congrats!! Keep us posted.😜

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