The Neolithic farmers and herders who built a massive stone chamber in southern Spain nearly 6,000 years ago seem to have possessed a good rudimentary grasp of physics, geometry, geology and architectural principles. Using data from a high-resolution laser scan, as well as unpublished photos and diagrams from earlier excavations, archaeologists pieced together a probable construction process for the monument known as the Dolmen of Menga. 'They understood how to fit together huge blocks of stone' with 'a precision that would keep the monument intact for nearly 6,000 years,' says archaeologist and study co-author Leonardo García Sanjuán. 'There's no way you could do that without at least a basic working knowledge of science.'
Extreme heat kills more people on average in the United States than any other weather event, including hurricanes, floods and extreme cold. Scientists are working with cities to introduce low-tech cooling features to protect people. In the short term, public cooling stations and 'too hot to work' payments can help those who are most vulnerable. Redesigning cities to have more green, natural features that provide shade and release moisture is the next step. But gaps in local data can make it hard to assess which interventions work best.
A third of Africa's remaining great ape population is at risk from the impacts of mining for the transition metals needed to power the transition to green energy. Nearly 180,000 gorillas, chimpanzees and bonobos could be affected by current and planned mining for minerals such as lithium and cobalt, particularly in West Africa.
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