Neanderthal trowel at Abric Romaní (Catalonia)

Print and reconstruction of the trowel

The almost hollow print of what once was a trowel (or similar) has been found at the Paleolithic cave of Abric Romaní (Capellanes, Catalonia).

The print came with some residues which indicate that the instrument was left at the fire when it was already off, so it did only burn superficially, later being deprived of oxygen by water and moss.

The artifact's length is of 32 cm, with a maximum width of 8 cm and may have been used to manage the fire. It is dated to 56,000 years ago.

Source: El Mundo

Iceland's River Islet and Cave Declared Nature Reserves

Minnanúpshólmi, also known as Videy in Thjórsá, a small island in the lower part of Iceland’s longest river in south Iceland, was declared a nature reserve by Minister for the Environment Svandís Svavarsdóttir on Wednesday.

Thjórsá. Photo by Páll Stefánsson.

Last week the cave Kalmanshellir in the Hallmundarhraun lava field in Borgarfjördur, west Iceland, was also declared a nature reserve.

The goal is to protect the cave, its unique mineral formations, including stalactites, and the entire cave system to which it belongs to prevent damages to the formations.

Ebook: Tech Diving Magazine n°4

The fourth issue of Tech Diving Mag is available for download at http://www.techdivingmag.com/

Content:

• An anatomy of a diving lawsuit 
• Accelerating no-fly time: the final chapter 
• Making the case for support divers 
• The wreck of Audace 
• Diving Pionneers & Innovators: A Series of In Depth Interviews (Bob Hollis) 

For more technical diving publications see this blogpost.

World's biggest bat show opened to public

So many Mexican free-tail bats fly out of the Bracken Bat Cave on a summer evening that their spiral path creates a vortex of rising air that helps lift the bats, drawing out even more.

In a few hours, 20 million emerge from the home of the largest concentration of mammals in the world, according to Bat Conservation International, which owns the cave and the surrounding 697 acres next to Natural Bridge Caverns.

Out of the cave, they form an aerial river that veers back and forth a few feet above the treetops in search of thermals to lift them higher.

Ultimately, they fly as far as 60 to 100 miles from the cave in search of insects.

For the first time Saturday, BCI opened the cave to the public to mark International Bat Night. In partnership with Natural Bridge Caverns, 10 more public viewings are scheduled for later this summer and early fall.

“I've never seen anything like this before,” said Wyatt Prappas, 10, who came with his family from Houston. “This is spectacular.”

Until now, only members of the nonprofit or those invited on VIP tours could watch the bats leaving the cave in the evening or returning in the morning, said James Eggers, director of education for BCI.

But because next year has been declared by the United Nations as the year of the bat, the group wanted to do more public outreach.

Lava cave under Auckland school rediscovered

Children at an Auckland school can take their geology class outside from now on.

There's been a rediscovery of a lava cave running under Hebron Christian College's playing field.

Some staff were aware the cave exists but it was closed when the school took over the site in 1980.

The cave is about 40m long and 2m high in places.
It starts in the lower corner of the grounds and runs across the lower field.

Lava Cave enthusiast Peter Crossley entered the cave around 30 years ago before it was covered over.
He revisited the site as part of a project to map Auckland's 200 lava caves.
They were shocked at what they found inside.

"The only thing that's changed is all the rubbish that's in there.
"I was shocked at how much is in there - it was pretty disgusting," he told the New Zealand Herald.

Mr Crossley and his colleagues removed the debris, which is believed to have been dumped before the site was closed.

The rubbish included paint tins, soft-drink bottles, wheels of a pram and spouting.

The school's staff and students are excited to explore the cave.

Source: NZ news

Rare freshwater jellyfish found in Chinese cave

A rare type of freshwater jellyfish has been found to be thriving in a river in south China.

Schools of the endangered freshwater jellyfish were discovered by police officers conducting a dive-training session in a river in Du'an Yao county of Guangxi Zhuang region, Xinhua reported.

Wei Qinghua, a police diving coach who first noticed the jellyfish, found thousands of the creatures in an underwater cave and took pictures and sent them to biologists at the Chinese Academy of Science.

The biologists concluded that the creatures Wei saw were freshwater jellyfish, also known as 'peach blossom jellyfish' for their resemblance to the flower, said Lan Qifu, chief of the regional tourism bureau.

Tong Xiaoli, an environmental professor at the South China Agricultural University in Guangzhou, said: 'They look very unique and beautiful, but it is hard to tell what specific species they belong to. We will need to work with foreign experts in order to determine their species.'

Freshwater jellyfish are occasionally found in Guangdong, Fujian and Shandong provinces, Tong said, adding that the jellyfish found in Guangxi look different from those found in other provinces.

'If they are confirmed to be a new species, they will have tremendous research value,' he said.

Sex with cavemen gave humans an immune boost

A Denisovan Legacy in the Immune System?

A study published online in Science this week suggests that mating between human ancestors and other now-extinct groups boosted the immune systems of early Europeans and Asians.

Everybody knows about the dangers of inbreeding. In fact the reproductive strategies of many animals are based on avoiding it, as when female chimpanzees move out of their birth groups to mate. Last year, researchers showed that human ancestors took that strategy to its limits by breeding with the now-extinct Neandertals and Denisovans (Science, 28 January, p. 392).

Now a study published online inScience this week (http://scim.ag/Abi-Rached) suggests that such mating was beneficial, boosting the immune systems of early Europeans and Asians and leaving a valuable legacy in the genes of many people alive today. “This is the first suggestion that something that came from archaic hominins into modern humans conferred an advantage,” says paleogeneticist Svante Pääbo of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany.

Thylacine footprints found in Augusta's Jewel Cave

Scientists have discovered the footprints of an extinct tiger in soft mud in Augusta's Jewel Cave.

Cave workers accidentally made the "extremely rare" find while taking water samples in a remote area of the cave.

For the first time, images of the new Tasmanian tiger or thylacine footprints plus never-before-seen photographs of prints discovered nearly 20 years ago will be on display at the caves in Augusta from this Saturday.

Striped like a tiger and with powerful jaws that opened up to an unusual 120 degrees, Tasmanian tigers were the size of a kelpie dog and one of only two marsupials the other a water opossum with pouches in both sexes.

Extensive cave system discovered on the Giza plateau (Egypt)

Beneath the pyramids of Egypt lies a lost underworld of catacombs, hewn chambers and cave tunnels that have remained unexplored for hundreds of years. They are alluded to in ancient texts and Arab legends, but have been left unexplored until today. They have now been rediscovered and investigated for the first time. What exactly does this subterranean realm tell us about the pyramids, their relationship to the stars and the mythical origins of Egyptian civilization? Discover for yourself as we explore the "Lost Caves of Giza."

More info on this subject can be found here.

Underwater Digital Interface

The Underwater Digital Interface, or UDI, is a revolutionary device that combines world-first two-way digital messaging technology, SOS and homing capabilities, a state-of-the-art dive computer and 3D compass – for a complete underwater system that let’s you share, connect and stay safe.

More info can be found on the developers website: http://www.utc-digital.com/

English caver rescued from Diau system (France)

Entrance of the Diau cave system.

On thursday an English caver made a nasty fall (11 meters) during a throughtrip of the Diau system in the Haute-Savoie department of France.

He hurt his shoulder and hip. His teammates stabilized him and called the Spéléo Secours.

Together with a nurse and doctor the rescuers reached him at about midnight.

As the caver appeared to be healthy enough to be transported, more rescuers came and re-equipped the last 1.5 km to the exit.

In the morning they started moving the victim on a stretcher towards the exit. At about 11.30 they safely exited the cave and the victim was transported to a nearby hospital.

 

A map of the cave system can be downloaded here.

Source: Spéléo Secours Français

First International Planetary Cave Research Workshop

The First International Planetary Cave Research Workshop is a follow-up to the 2008 Lava Tube Workshop held in Grant, New Mexico, which brought together researchers with interests in lava tubes from diverse backgrounds, ranging from image analysis to modeling to robotics.

This workshop is the first in a continuing series of meetings that are intended to promote the exchange of knowledge and ideas between planetary and terrestrial scientists interested in cave exploration and research across the solar system. In recognition of the broad scope, interdisciplinary nature, and strong international interest in this topic, the participation of any interested scientist with relevant theoretical, experimental, or field experience is strongly encouraged.

The workshop will incorporate oral and poster presentations as well as extended discussion dispersed around a one-day field trip to local caves. The workshop will bring together researchers with interests in planetary caves from diverse backgrounds in image analysis, modeling, and terrestrial analog studies. A small group setting will facilitate intensive discussion of problems and issues in an attempt to identify the most promising approaches to understanding these cave systems and to develop a collaborative interdisciplinary research agenda.

New Laser Rangefinder: TruPulse 360R

The New TruPulse 360 R Laser Rangefinder

Laser Technology Inc have just released their TruPulse 360R rated IP56 for dust/water ingress with a range of 1000m.

You can instantly measure slope distance, inclination and azimuth* and calculate horizontal and vertical distance - all with a single push of a button.

Accuracy reportedly 30cm to 100cm(long range), +/-0.25deg inclination and +/-1 degree azimuth.

Huge Underground River Flowing Under Amazon?

Brazilian scientists from the National Observatory have found signs for the movement of water 4000 m underneath the Amazon River. They estimate the underground river to be about 6000 km long.

It seems that studies are still in the preliminary stage, but current information was shared last week in Rio de Janeiro at a meeting of the Brazilian Geophysical Society, where Elizabeth Tavares Pimentel presented her team’s research.

The team discovered the underground river by studying temperature variations at 241 inactive oil wells drilled in the 1970s and 1980s by Brazil's state-run oil company, Petrobras.

They decided to name the underground River the “Hamza”, in tribute to the scientist of Indian origin Valiya Mannathal Hamza, who has been studying the region for more than four decades and is supervising the research.

According to Elizabeth the water flow is allmost vertical the first 2000 meters, and then quickly turns into an allmost horizontal flow.

Even though the two rivers cover a similar path they have differences. The underground river flows at a far slower pace and empties into the ocean deep underground.

Valiya Mannathal Hamza

The underground river has a flow rate calculated at about 2,700 cubic meters per second (about 2-3 percent of that of the Amazon River itself).

"It is likely that this river is responsible for the low level of salinity in the waters around the mouth of the Amazon," Hanza explains. 

Geologist Olivar Lima, from the University of Bahia, who was present at the conference, noted that the preliminary results look good but that more research is necessary before the flowing aquifer can be classified as a river.

If found to be an official river, the Amazon rain forest would have not one, but two drainage systems.

Two years ago Italian scientists also discovered an underground river under Rome (longer then the Tiber, 392 km) (See here) using the same techniques.

Inside the 'Rumble Room': Incredible images show vastness of Tennessee's extraordinary caverns

Plunging ever deeper beneath the Earth's surface into spectacular wide-open underground chambers, these daredevil cavers embark on a particularly memorable expedition.

The climbers are pictured lowering themselves downward into the 350ft 'Rumble Room' - a limestone cavern in Tennessee thought to be one of the biggest caves in the U.S.

The intrepid cavers reached the cave by plunging down large waterfalls, shimmying through tight underground spaces and swimming in the world's most remote underground rivers.

Spectacular: Lit up by the glow from their torches these cavers look like tiny toy soldiers as they admire the spectacular rings of rock at the bottom of the Rumble Room caves in southern Tennessee

Daring: With water shooting past as they go, the explorers carefully descend a stunning rock face as they explore the 2,000ft of passageways

It is thought those who wish to see the Rumble Room have to negotiate a 68ft shaft, two 14ft waterfalls, and 2,000ft of passageways underneath southern Tennessee's Dry Fork Creek.

Their reward for the daring downward climb is exploring the gaping Rumble Room chamber, a mammoth cave surrounded by around 15 miles of river passages and waterfalls.

Cavers and ecologists look to have preserved the future of the spectacular cave, after plans had been revealed to allow up to 250,000 gallons of sewage through it.


But opposition from the Conservation Action Network defeated the sewage treatment plans for the nearby town of Spencer, Tennessee, and the enormous cavern has remained uncontaminated.

Plunge: The descent seems to go on for ever as the cavers make their way towards the entrance to the Rumble Room

Source: DailyMail

UIS Website Manager Wanted

The International Union of Speleology (UIS) needs help to manage and update its website. We need a website manager! Below is a description of the job; it is also posted on the UIS website.

If you are interested, please contact Christian Dodelin, UIS Vice President of Operations. If you have technical questions about the job, please contact Acting Manager Peter Matthews. The website suggests contacting UIS General Secretary Fadi Nader, but Fadi is currently busy with work so contact Christian and he will coordinate with Fadi.

Please send this message to anyone you think may be interested. Thank you.

George Veni,  UIS Vice President of Administration
Jean-Pierre Bartholeyns, UIS Adjunct secretary

Weather study takes UA scientists to South Pacific caves

After spending a month exploring and collecting samples from caves on the tiny South Pacific island of Niue, Paul Aharon, Hillary Sletten and Joe Lambert watched for two mornings as their work was sawed in half.

A Polish man named Henry operated the wet saw, whose diamond-tipped blade is typically used for splitting tile, carving up two stalagmites, rock formations formed by thousands of years of mineral-rich water dripping onto cave floors.

Led by Aharon, a University of Alabama geology professor, and funded by the National Science Foundation, the group, including Lambert, a geological research scientist at UA, and Sletten, a UA geology doctoral student, flew to Niue, 1,500 miles northeast of New Zealand.

The team was on a search for a “prize stalagmite” they hope will provide a rainfall record dating to up to 10,000 years into the past and illustrate the alternation between the El Nino and La Nina weather patterns, known in the scientific community as El Nino/La Nina-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), during that time period.

Aharon said without the ENSO pattern, without El Nino warming the surface temperature of the western Pacific Ocean and then La Nina cooling it, the movement of air in the atmosphere and the distribution of thermal energy across the planet, would not be possible.

Huge bat colony discovered in house in Zoersel (Belgium)

In a home in Zoersel, Belgium a colony of 414 bats has been discovered.

A colony this large is very rare in Flanders.

The house is located near 400 Ha of nature and forest reserve, which is the ideal hunting area for these bats. The bats are identified as Common Pipistrelle (Pipistrellus pipistrellus).


On average one of these bats eats about 300 insects a night, resulting in 22 million insects a year for the colony (about 500 kg).

The common Pipistrelle is one of the smallest bats in Europe. It is 3.5-4.5 cm long with a wingspan of 19-25 cm. Its brown fur is variable in tone. It is common in woodland and farmland but is also found in towns, where it roosts in lofts and buildings.

In 1999 the Common Pipistrelle was split into two species on the basis of different-frequency echo-location calls. The Common Pipistrelle uses a call of 45 kHz, while the Soprano Pipistrelle echo-locates at 55 kHz. Since the two species were distinguished, a number of other differences, in appearance, habitat and food, have also been discovered.

Giant Rat Fossil Discovered

Archaeological research in East Timor has unearthed the bones of the biggest rat that ever lived, with a body weight around 6 kg.

Timor has few native mammals, with bats and rodents making up the majority of species. Most of Timor today is arid, with less than 15 per cent of the original forest cover remaining.

Recent cave excavations in East Timor by a team of scientists from CSIRO and the Australian National University unearthed 13 species of rodents, 11 of which are new to science. Only one of the smaller species is known to survive on Timor today.

In this podcast (6.5MB) Dr Ken Aplin from CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems explains why Timorese rodent extinctions have occurred only within the last 1000 to 2000 years, even though people have lived on the island of Timor for over 40 000 years.

Rebreather incident

This video made by SKY news shows real footage of an incident where a rebreather diver suffers from Carbon Dioxide poisoning. The video takes the viewer through the incident, explaining how it came about and the lessons that can be learnt. Whilst the video is primarily aimed at rebreather divers, there are issues such as bail-out gas consumption, team size and rescue that may be useful to all divers.

JA18/JA19 connected to Trave System (Picos, Spain)

This summer the "Interclub Espeleo Valenciano" (IEV) continued the exploration of the JA-18/JA-19 cave system in the Picos de Europa in Northern-Spain. 

They were able to push it a lot deeper and finally connect it to the Trave System (-1441 m) near "Sala Z".

The system now has four entrances: JA-18/JA-19, Torca la Laureola (T-10), Torca l'Alba (T-13) and the original entrance: Torca'l Trabe (T-2).

Source: Espeleoastur

Petzl Micro Traxion

The Micro Traxion is a redesign of Petzl’s Mini Traxion, it’s about 20% more efficient than the Mini and weights in at 85 g — nearly half the weight.

It can be used with ropes ranging from 8 to 11 mm.

The Micro Traxion can be used in three different systems: first is the progress-capture pulley system that uses sealed ball bearings — making it 91% efficient. For those who aren’t familiar with pulley efficiency, there are two factors that determine a pulley’s efficiency: The larger the wheel — also known as the sheave — that your rope runs over, the more efficient it is and finally, you’ve got bushings vs. bearings; bushings need to be maintained regularly while sealed ball bearings require little maintenance and are very efficient. The main difference between both is that sealed bearings can be used in giddy environments, ie. canyoneering, rock climbing, caving, ice climbing etc., while bushing are a little less expensive and slightly stronger mechanically, they can jam with ice and get dirty in messy environments.

The Mini Traxion can also be used as a pulley and glide freely when it’s locked into the open position, and lastly, it can be used as an ascender.

Bottom Line: This thing is light, efficient, and will likely win awards for its all-around uses.

You’ll likely see it hitting shelves in the U.S. in March 2012 and retail for $95.

Update: check out the dedicated page on Petzl website for more info

Five-Year Study of Major Cuban Cave System Concluded

A scientific expedition on the Mexico cave system located in the Sierra de Cubitas mountain range, in the province of Camaguey, concluded after five years of continued work.

The Eduardo Alfredo Martel Speleologist Group, the first one created after the triumph of the Revolution, led the research sponsored by the Group for Geographic, Speleologist and Environmental Studies, according to the local newspaper’s website Adelante.

Adelante says the Mexico cave system is one of the largest ones of central Cuba; it spans along more than four kilometers and falls about 40 meters deep.

According to a report by the Institute of Scientific and Technological Information (IDICT), the specialists who camped in the caves focused on analyzing tectonic activities in the area and the saline intrusion which has damaged wells and several crops.

The study also included research on the cartography, geology, fauna and climate of the area and the connection of the cave system with the sea, says an online version of IDICT’s report.

Camagüey is one of the Cuban provinces with the largest of caves, most of them located in the westernmost tip of the Sierra de Cubitas mountain range. Aboriginal drawings, which constitute valuable samples of the cultural heritage of the province and the country, have been found in some of these geological depressions. (ACN)

Sierra de Cubitas 

North the wide Camaguey plain, Sierra de Cubitas is located with a lot of natural curiosities like the impressive Los Paredones and Hoyo de Bonet vertical passways, both within a protected area. Their intricate narrow passage, caverns and bush served as a fence and refuge for Indians and slaves.

In 1899, dozens of US farmers and artisans arrive in Cubitas through Punta Viaro. They were cheated by a false company, devoted to the sale of parcels in Cuba, to which they gave their last savings. They were the founders of the Gloria City and other villages where still the oral tradition conveys the story of these US immigrants from one generation to another.

It is currently one of the biggest municipalities in Camagüey province, with one of the biggest citric plantation in the Island and the presence of several cultures. Besides the US presence, Sierra de Cubita has one of the largest Haitian settlement of the country.

A 170,000 years old forehead found in Lazaret cave (Nice, France)

Saturday August 13th a group of students (Ludovic Dolez and Sébastien Lepvraud) working on the excavation of sector S11 in the Lazaret cave, near Nice (southern France) discovered a 170,000 years old forehead of a Homo Erectus.

Prehistoric dog domestication derailed by Ice Age

The 33,000-year-old remains of an animal discouvered in the Razboinichya Cave in the Altai Mountains of southern Siberia suggest it was partly domesticated, and that it resembled a modern-day Samoyed dog.

However, scientists say the conditions for that early domestication effort apparently could not be sustained, perhaps because of the Ice Age.

European Bat Night

The event, organised by EUROBATS, takes place every year in more than 30 countries.
Nature conservation agencies and NGOs from across Europe pass on information to the public about the way bats live and their needs with presentations, exhibitions and bat walks, often offering the opportunity to listen to bat sounds with the support of ultrasound technology. The general date is set for the last weekend in August; however, local organisers sometimes choose other dates if more convenient.

The 15th European Bat Night will take place on 27-28 August 2011.

Find an event near you via the EUROBATS website

Auriga 2 now features on screen sketching!

Auriga is a cave survey freeware for PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants) running under Palm OS. Auriga is designed for in-cave use as a smart survey notebook: as the survey goes, Auriga displays the line plot in graphical form, reports statistics, helps spot and fix survey errors and assists in sketching to scale. Bidirectional data exchange with Compass and Visual Topo is automated.

Caving for Climate

Hillary Sletten sampling dripwater at Avaiki Cave, Niue for chemical analysis. (Photo by Joe Lambert)

Scientists are descending into caves on a small island in the middle of the South Pacific to try and gain a better understanding of weather patterns occurring as far back as 10,000 years ago. The University of Alabama researchers are blogging about their experiences at http://research.ua.edu/2011/07/caving-for-climate/ Led by Dr. Paul Aharon and funded by the National Science Foundation, the UA scientists (including Dr. W. Joe Lambert and doctoral student Hillary Sletten) will remain on the island of Niue until Aug. 5 The stalagmites in the island’s caves contain about 10,000 years of rainfall records driven by El-Niño that can be revealed through laboratory analysis. The UA group is looking to verify the impact the El-Niño/La Niña patterns have had historically on climate change. This could provide the scientists with more insight as to how our global weather patterns may continue changing. Source: Caving for Climate

Funds set to protect Bengaongao caves (Philippines)

The Provincial Government through the local government of Tublay allotted P800,000 for the improvement of the Bengaongao Cave in Ambongdolan.

Governor Nestor Fongwan visited the cave and pointed out some concerns in it.

According to committee chair on tourism Councilor Marvin Mayos, the governor said some portions of the steps going down the cave are steep and slippery when it rains. Railings are also lacking.

Maiji Caves in Gansu, An Exhibit of Eastern Sculpture

China's Gansu Province is home to many of the nation's natural heritage treasures, including the Maiji Caves. Carved into the steep side of the Maiji Mountains, the caves are known for their rich history and top-notch artistic sculptures and paintings.

Located in Tianshui County, the Maiji Caves include 194 caves with more than 7,200 clay statues and stone carvings. The oldest cave dates back to 384AD. During the course of restoration and expansion, the clay statues and carvings have been compared to an exhibition of eastern sculpture.

The heritage site is well preserved in that the colors on its Buddhist statues and wall paintings are still clearly visible although weathered to different degrees. Another reason for the site's well-preserved condition is that most of the caves and statues are located high on the mountain cliffs which are connected only by narrow suspension bridges largely out of visitors' reach.

The Maiji Caves are one of the four most important caves in China along with the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang, Gansu Province, Yungang Caves in Datong, Shanxi Province, and Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang, Henan Province.

Tourists who visit the Maiji Caves can take a bus that departs on a regular basis from Tianshui County and get off at the Maijishan stop. Tickets for the Maiji Caves are priced at 70 yuan per person. 

New research to simulate geoscience field trips

College students with mobility impairments who are studying for a career in the geosciences will soon be able to explore a computer-generated simulation of a large cave system to meet the degree requirements of field-based learning experiences.

This screenshot shows a preliminary simulation of a portion of Mammoth Cave. The simulation was part of a planning study at OSC that resulted in additional NSF funding to further develop the virtual cave system to help college students with mobility impairments pursue a career in the geosciences. Credit: Ohio Supercomputer Center

The Devil's Den

The Floridan Aquifer viewed in Devil's Den offers
cave divers and eco-tourists an ancient geological
wonder in Williston, Fla.

According to folklore, an ancient sink hole formation in Williston, Fla. was given the name “Devil’s Den” when locals witnessed steam rising up from beneath the ground billowing overhead with the mysticism of a presence from another world and dimension.

According to Ken Schwiebert, part owner of the property, the geological wonder has been around as long as man has inhabited Florida. The underground cave has been dated to between 10,000 and 75,000 years old, characterized by fossils as well as limestone deposits that date to the Pliestocene Epoch.

What once served as a nuisance and trash dump to discourage locals from swimming and exploring the underground cavern, now offers eco-tourists a majestic underwater cave diving experience with year round temperatures approximately 72 degrees.

The spring, part of the Rainbow Springs Basin, exposes the Floridan Aquifer, usually around 50 feet deep within the cave, depending on annual rainfall.

Source: Orlando Sentinel

9th Conference on Limestone Hydrogeology

New 'Living Fossil' Eel Discovered In Undersea Cave

Scientists from the Smithsonian and partnering organizations have discovered a new eel that inhabits an undersea cave in the Pacific Ocean which they have dubbed a "living fossil".

The U.S.-Palauan-Japanese team had to create a new taxonomic family to describe its relationship to other eels.

The team say the eel's features suggest it has a long and independent evolutionary history stretching back 200 million years.

The animal is brown and has very few of the anatomical characteristics of modern eels. It features a disproportionately large head, a short compressed body, collar-like openings on the gills, rays on the caudal fin and a jawbone tip known as the premaxilla.

The animal used as the basis for the new study was a 7-inch long female, collected by one of the researchers during a dive at a 114-feet-deep cave in the Republic of Palau.

Researchers use GPS to study fruit bat navigation

 Results show that the bats carry around an internal, cognitive map of their home range, based on visual landmarks, such as lights or hills.

Egyptian fruit bats are picky eaters, flying dozens of kilometers a night to find their dinner on specific trees and then returning home long before sunrise. If they don’t find those trees, they die.

Now, for the first time, Israeli scientists have fitted the flying mammals with the world’s smallest GPS devices to track their homing flights after relocation far away. Published in the August 15 issue of Proceedings of the [US] National Academy of Sciences, it was the first comprehensive GPS-based field study of mammal navigation.

Group from Hoffman Institute attends national cave and karst convention

During their trip to the National Speleological Society
meeting, WKU's Lee Anne Bledsoe, Sean
Vanderhoff, Jason Polk and Leslie North took
a field trip in Colorado learning about local karst geology.

WKU Geography and Geology Department’s Hoffman Environmental Research Institute was a major presence at the National Speleological Society (NSS) Annual Convention last month in Glenwood Springs, Colo.

The convention gathers cavers, karst scientists, educators, National Park Service employees and land managers, among others, to share knowledge and research about significant topics affecting caves and karst environments, such as groundwater issues and white-nose syndrome’s impact on bats around the country. The NSS is the largest non-profit organization in the world that deals with caves and karst landscapes, having over 10,000 members.

New interpretative centre at Horne Lake lets everyone learn about caves

Caves are not just a hole underground. They are more than that.

There are over 1,400 caves on Vancouver Island. The ones closest to the Comox Valley are at the Horne Lake Caves Provincial Park

To learn more about these natural cavities, you can either read it in books, go search the Internet, or go out and enter one for real.

But a new interpretive centre that was recently opened at Horne Lake is providing those who are less adventurous, not physically able, or possess a fear of tight enclosures another means to learn about the underground world.

Richard Varela, the director of Island Pacific Adventures from Comox that manages operations at the park, officially opened the cave theatre last week. He considers it a significant tool in promoting cave conservation.

Neanderthals created material culture

The question of whether symbolically mediated behaviour is exclusive to modern humans or shared with earlier populations such as the Neanderthals has been hotly debated for decades. Now researchers at four European universities believe they have confirmed that personal ornaments and other objects uncovered in French caves were made by Neanderthal people.

The archaeologists report that in the Grotte du Renne, Arcy-sur-Cure in France, the cave contains Neanderthal remains and large numbers of personal ornaments, decorated bone tools and colorants. But a long-running dispute centres on whether the various objects were made by modern humans and became mixed with Neanderthal remains from a previous period.

Giant bird discovered under Nullabor Plains

Flinders University palaeontologist Dr Gavin Prideaux with the fossilised bird bones. Pic: Clay Bryce, WA Museum

The 780,000-year-old fossilised remains of a prehistoric bird have been found in a cave under the Nullarbor.

Flinders University palaeontologist Gavin Prideaux said the almost complete skeleton was unearthed amid dozens of bird bones in Leaena's Breath Cave in Western Australia, about 70km from the South Australian border.

"We've only ever found one partial eagle fossil before so given how complete this specimen is, it would be an exciting discovery," Dr Prideaux said.

The specimen will be taken to Flinders University to determine if it is an eagle and, if so, whether it is the same species as the modern wedge-tailed eagle or something new.

"It may be new given that it is at least 780,000 years old and probably much older," Dr Prideaux said.

"Surrounding these larger bones are literally hundreds of songbird bones, a situation mirrored through the rest of the deposit.

"This cave has been acting as a bird death trap for at least a million years, which is just one thing that makes this one of the most interesting and unique palaeontological sites in Australia."

The discovery was made during a field trip involving scientists from Flinders University and the Western Australian Museum that is still under way.

Source: Adelaide Now

For more information on this subject you can visit the Flinders Univeristy dedicated website:

http://www.flinders.edu.au/cave/

Generations sheltered by ancient Italian caves

ROME: Not many people would necessarily consider spending a holiday in caves. But for those who are tired of Italy’s chaotic, jam-packed cities or for those jaded tourists who have seen it all, a leap in time of several thousand years might be the answer.

Nestled on the edge of a deep river ravine in the highlands of Basilicata, the town of Matera, over 500 km south of Rome, is so remote it doesn’t even have a railway station.

With its tightly knit, honey-colored limestone dwellings blending into each other along the hillside, this UNESCO-listed town appears as the perfect location for a nativity scene – it was indeed the setting for Mel Gibson’s movie, “The Passion of the Christ.”

Layers of history can be peeled off starting from the top of the town where the XVII century aristocracy quarters lie. Classic maze piazzas and cobble stone vias run past Baroque palazzos, ornate convents and churches bearing carvings of skeletons, a reminder to believers of their mortality.

But as the narrow alleys unwind down the hill toward the Gramigna Canyon, houses give way to stone and plaster structures built to block the entrance of caves that are staggered on top of each other, dating back to the Paleolithic age.

Badalona: New junction in the massive Escuain (Spanish Pyrenees)

Since last Sunday, 31st of July, the cave C9 (-830m) is connected to the system of Badalona (B15-B1), resulting in a new throughtrip of -1060m.

The connection is made via a small affluent near the siphon terminal to - 610m at the Gallery of Velles.

Here you can see a short video with the celebration at the entrance of the cave, having spent three days underground:

New Bat Species Detected In Belgium

A new bat species has been detected in the region of Rochefort (Belgium). The Myotis Alcathoe resembles the Myotis brandtii and the Myotis mystacynus, two other bats often found in the area. The species was previously spotted in France and Germany. It's sighting could be confirmed by analysis of the recorded ultrasone signals. 

Source: Nieuwsblad

Cave group rescued from Ingleton flood cave

A rescue operation has freed a group of people, including a number of teenagers, who became trapped by rising water in a North Yorkshire cave.

Israeli singles look for new love in ancient cave

In an ancient stone quarry underneath Jerusalem's Old City, women tottered on stilettos down a dimly lit passage on their way to a very modern ritual: speed-dating.

Hoping the exotic setting would provide a conducive backdrop for romance, organizers brought about 60 Israeli singles to the subterranean quarry known as Zedekiah's Cave late Sunday for a unique speed-dating marathon to mark the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Av, the Jewish holiday of love.

Group Led To Safety After Underground Ordeal

The group became trapped underground at Inglewood near Skipton

A group of cavers, including eight teenagers, have been led to safety after they became trapped by rising water, police have said.

North Yorkshire Police were called just before 1pm following reports that 11 people had become stuck in Lower Long Churn cave, near Selside in the Ingleton area of North Yorkshire, due to rising water.

The group, made up of eight teenagers and three adults from the Oldham area, had to remain in the cave until about 6pm when the water levels dropped sufficiently for rescuers to enter and bring them to safety.

"Precautionary medical checks were carried out by paramedics and all those involved were declared fit and well," a police spokesman said.

A respite centre was set up at Settle College where concerned family members gathered as they waited for the water levels to drop before the rescue effort could be carried out, the spokesman added.

Source: Sky News

Rural Nevada cave harbors new shrimp species

A new species of freshwater shrimp has been named after the rural Nevada county it calls home, but this cave critter will never see the light of day.

After all, Stygobromus albapinus doesn't have any eyes.

The tiny, colorless crustacean was first discovered deep underground in November 2008 by two adventurous staff members at Great Basin National Park, 300 miles northeast of Las Vegas in White Pine County.

It officially became a new species earlier this year when a pair of researchers named the creature and described its features in the scientific journal Subterranean Biology.

The species name albapinus literally means white pine in Latin, but the shrimp's known range is decidedly more specific than that. It has been found only in one 200-yard stretch of a single cave at the eastern edge of White Pine County.

SWCC owns Ogof Ffynnon Ddu I

South Wales Caving Club is pleased to announce that it has recently completed the purchase of around seven acres of land including the entrance to Ogof Ffynnon Ddu I.

At the end of 2010 the club was approached by the Toye family, who have owned the cottage and land at Y Grithig for many years, and they explained that they had reluctantly decided to sell the property. They asked if we were interested in buying a parcel of land to include not just OFD 1 but also Powell’s Cave and other sites of speleological interest. A site meeting was held to discuss potential boundaries, and it was clear that this was a one-off opportunity to secure permanent access to, and conservation of, one of the UK’s most important caves. However, the sum of money involved represented a significant outlay for a club with limited reserves and it was essential that the club’s committee consult with the wider membership before proceeding.

Neanderthal woman found at Las Palomas

The almost complete remains of a young adult Neanderthal woman have been found in the Sima de las Palomas, an important cave site in Murcia, Spain, where the oldest known Neanderthal use of pigments and ornaments was discovered not long ago.

This woman's remains, only lacking the feet, include the most complete pelvis of any Neanderthal female found to date. She died some 50,000 years ago when she was maybe 20 years old. Her height was of 150 cm and had a robust complexion.

Along with her, the remains of eight other Neanderthals have also been unburied in the same site.

Ref. M.J. Walker et al., Morphology, body proportions, and postcranial hypertrophy of a female Neandertal from the Sima de las Palomas, southeastern Spain. PNAS 2011.

Sources: Pileta de Prehistoria & Murcia.com

World's largest amethyst vandalized

Vandalised ... Rene Boissevain with the world's largest
amethyst geode, the Empress of Urugary, at the Crystal
Caves museum in Atherton.

The world's largest amethyst geode was a little smaller yesterday after a tourist visiting the cave where the huge structure is kept snapped a bit off.

The owners of the bright purple geode - a hollow rock 327cm tall, filled with amethyst crystals and named the "Empress of Uruguay" - discovered it had been vandalised on Monday.

"It's like slashing the Mona Lisa but worse because the Empress is one of nature's grand masterpieces," owner Rene Boissevain said.

The thief, who was caught on CCTV, removed a chunk of crystals the size of a tennis ball.

The security camera footage was given to police.

The geode - which weighs about 2.5 tonnes - was found in Uruguay and then shipped to Australia to become the star attraction at the Crystal Caves near Atherton, about 1,800km north of Brisbane.

Crystal Caves website said the owners -- who were long-standing customers of the mine where it was found - paid US$75,000 for it in 2007 and spent another $25,000 moving it to Australia.

Cuba caving expedition film in 3D

Short film of the explorations in Cuba by La Salle Photo 3D team.

Joint development of La Salle and RMedia3D.es

Rescue at Glade Cave

Update 15/08/2011: Sarah Murphy, who was rescued Monday afternoon from an Augusta County cave, has been released from the University of Virginia Medical Center.

The 18-year-old from Laurel, Maryland was about 315 feet inside a cave near Mount Solon when she had a seizure and fell about 20 feet.

01/08/2011: Emergency crews had to go into Glade Cave near Mount Solon Monday to rescue a young woman.

An 18-year old woman was about 315 feet inside the cave when she suffered a seizure and fell about 20 feet.

Emergency crews used a rope and pulley system to get her out, and treated her for hypothermia. It's 52 degrees in the cave, and she was in cold water.

She was flown to the University of Virginia with a possible head injury. The rescue took just over an hour.

The woman was part of a group from nearby Camp May-Flather, which is affiliated with the Girl Scouts.

Source: NBC29

Ebook: Tech Diving Magazine n°3

Contents Issue N° 3:

• Stress in diving
• Asymmetric gas kinetics and conservation
• The bubbleless dream: historical facts and perspectives about the development of a recreational rebreather market in the diving industry
• Living amongst stars: NASA and its contributions to recreational SCUBA
• Russian IDA-59 rebreather
• Living Pioneers and Innovators: A series of in depth interviews: Al Giddings

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Tech Diving Mag is looking for new, well-illustrated technical diving articles in English for the next issue. If interested, please let us know what you can contribute. Also take a look at the submission guidelines at  http://www.techdivingmag.com/g​uidelines.html

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Previous issues:

Contents Issue N° 2:

• Behind the 1990s controversy over technival diving
• The golden compartments: halftimes from a different perspective
• Locating the SS Hogarth
• Emergence du REssel cave system in 3D
• Sidmount diving: sport or tech diving, caves or openwater, novice or expert?
• SS Dago
• A practical discussion of nitrogen narcosis

Contents Issue N° 1:

• Some perspective on technical diving
• Accelerating no-fly time using surface oxygen
• Exploring a historic site in NZ
• Team gas planning
• History of deep diving

Source: Tech Diving Magazine