Readers react to ancient hunting tactics, dog obesity and narwhal play

Hunting hints

An ancient ambush of chaotic horses astatine a German archaeological tract called Schöningen astir 300,000 years agone suggests that communal hunting, on pinch analyzable societal and intelligence skills, evolved overmuch earlier successful quality history than thought, behavioral sciences writer Bruce Bower reported successful “Smart hunters.”

Bower besides noted that Neandertal ancestors successful what’s now Spain conducted communal bison hunts astir 400,000 years ago. The groups would thrust bison herds to nan separator of an underground cave, wherever nan animals plunged to their deaths.

As a 7-year-old, scholar Gary Rea saw an illustration related to that hunting maneuver successful “The Epic of Man,” a bid of articles astir nan improvement and history of humans, published successful Life mag successful nan precocious 1950s. “ ‘The Epic of Man’ and reference astir nan then-current activity of [paleoanthropologists Mary and Louis Leakey] inspired maine to want to go an archaeologist erstwhile I grew up,” Rea wrote. Rea took a different profession path, but Bower’s communicative inspired immoderate reflections: “Due to ancient DNA, we’re having to revise our perceptions of Paleolithic people, and nan activity being done by those researching nan Schöningen tract is different addition” to our changing views.

A scholar named Barbara wondered really scientists wished nan positions of ancient hunters during communal equine hunts.

The nonstop positions are unknown, but nan hunters astir apt did not person hard-and-fast positions, Bower says. The illustration that opens nan communicative “presents a hypothetical but plausible infinitesimal successful clip erstwhile a hunting group kept a equine family moving toward an ambush,” Bower says. “As nan communicative points out, analyses of excavated artifacts, including nan spears, and animal bones indicated that horses had been driven to a lakeside ambush spot. Information connected caller and humanities hunting involving communal ambushes was utilized to reconstruct really Schöningen hunters must person operated.”

Weighing in

A DNA study of much than 200 Labrador retrievers revealed aggregate genes associated pinch obesity successful nan dogs, erstwhile Science News intern Alex Viveros reported successful “Five genes whitethorn raise obesity consequence successful labs.”

On Reddit, personification Alarming-Recipe7724 noted, “Studying familial obesity successful an animal organization tin thief to problem-solve quality obesity issues.” Indeed, Viveros reported that 1 of nan genes is besides associated pinch higher assemblage wide indexes successful humans.

Meanwhile, personification Magooose dished astir their ain dog’s eating habits: “I americium convinced that if near unsocial pinch a container of food, my laboratory would proceed eating until she popped.”

Narwhal news

Drone videos show that narwhals whitethorn usage their tusks to play pinch their food, including prodding and flipping a fish, freelance writer McKenzie Prillaman reported successful “Narwhals look to usage their tusks to play.”

The communicative struck a chord pinch thousands of TikTok users.

User Hully Fonseca wrote: “The truth that we’re still learning caller things astir animals successful nan water is truthful chaotic and truthful cool.”

Though Prillaman reported that nan play seems to travel retired successful low-stress environments, personification Miguel Lopez quipped that it’s “probably a high-stress business for nan fish.”