Courageous Wharfedale pot-holer dies

One of Wharfedale’s most intrepid former residents has died at the age of 86.

To many neighbours and patients in Menston, Dorothy Shaw was the wife of a village GP and mother of four sons, but her exploits before she got married showed just how formidable a character she was.

Mossdale Caverns, between Grassington and Kettlewell have a reputation as sinister, extremely difficult and lethal.

Mossdale was the scene of Britain’s worst caving tragedy when six young explorers were drowned in 1967. Their bodies remain in one of the chambers.

So perilous is the system still considered today that cavers are officially advised not to enter.

Before the advent of neoprene wet suits and other modern equipment, caving pioneers had to be the most hardy souls and the name Robert Leakey stands out above many.

A legend in caving circles, Leakey explored Mossdale in the early 1940s and, as most of the men were away at war, recruited adventurous young women to help him.

The Nerja Caves celebrate 50 years since discovery

One of the spectacular views inside the Nerja caves

The spectacular caves were found by five youngsters out hunting for bats.

The Nerja Caves on Monday celebrated the 50th anniversary of their discovery by five local youngsters, Francisco Navas Montesinos, José Torres Cárdenas, Miguel Muñoz Zorrilla, José Luis Barbero de Miguel, and Manuel Muñoz Zorrilla.

The names of the five were taken to name the plaza outside the entrance to the cave in Maro, near Nerja, to mark the fact that they came upon an entrance to the grotto when playing and searching for bats 50 years ago.

A plaque in their honour was unveiled by the Mayor of Nerja, José Alberto Armijo. Four of the five remain alive today, José Luis Barbero de Miguel having recently died, and were formally thanked by the Nerja Town Hall for discovering the cave which is now visited by thousands of people.

Several special events are programmed in the caves to celebrate the 50th anniversary including the regular annual festival which attracts artists or world renown, although there have also been calls for the Nerja Caves Foundation and the Nerja Town Hall to work more closely together.

Source: Typically Spain

Voracious Sponges In Underwater Caves Save Reefs

Caves in coral reefs are the largest
and least well known part of the reef.

Tropical oceans are known as the deserts of the sea. And yet this unlikely environment is the very place where the rich and fertile coral reef grows. Dutch researcher Jasper de Goeij investigated how caves in the coral reef ensure the reef’s continued existence. Although sponges in these coral caves take up a lot of dissolved organic material, they scarcely grow. However, they do discard a lot of cells that in turn provide food for the organisms on the reef.

Caves in coral reefs are the largest and least well known part of the reef. De Goeij investigated coral caves near Curacao and Indonesia. Up until now it had been assumed that cave sponges could only eat by filtering the non-dissolved particles from the seawater. This research demonstrated, however, that the caves contain far more dissolved material than non-dissolved material.

Archaeologist and leading cave painting expert explores the origin of human creativity and belief

New book discusses the connections between shamanism, artistic creativity, myth and religion

The magnificent prehistoric art discovered in caves throughout France and Spain raises many questions about early human culture. What do these superbly rendered paintings of horses, bison, and enigmatic human figures and symbols mean? How can we explain the sudden flourishing of artistic creativity at such a high level? And in what ways does this artwork reflect the underlying belief system, worldview, and life of the people who created it?

In Cave Paintings and the Human Spirit: The Origin of Creativity and Belief (Prometheus Books, $25.98) Dr. David S. Whitley—one of the world's leading experts on cave paintings—guides the reader in an exploration of these intriguing questions, while sharing his firsthand experiences in visiting these exquisite, breath-taking sites.

Jean M. Auel, bestselling author of The Clan of the Cave Bear and The Shelters of Stone , says, "The cave paintings of France and Spain, which date from 35,000 to 10,000 years ago, have posed an intriguing enigma since they were first recognized. Experts have debated, and ordinary people have wondered, why they were painted and what they might mean. David Whitley's take is one of the more original interpretations, and certainly an interesting one. And the man can write. His descriptions of the sites and the art in the caves are captivating and poetic."