SCIENCE IN THE NEWS WEEKLY
An Ancient Flute, Early Cherokee, Stolen Bones
A bird-bone flue found in a German cave is the oldest hand-crafted musical instrument ever discovered, archaeologists reported last week. They said it indicates that early Europeans had developed a complex and creative culture some 35,000 years ago.
Blombos Cave on the Southern Cape coast of South Africa has yielded remarkable human artifacts, including abstract designs and personal ornaments at least 70,000 years old. An article in American Scientist explored their significance.
Meanwhile, in a cave in southeastern Kentucky, an archaeologist has found what he thinks are the earliest known examples of the Cherokee language invented by Chief Sequoyah. The characters are cut into the cave wall.
The largest, most complete skeleton of a prehistoric giant elephant ever found in the tropics is being reconstructed in hopes that it will reveal new clues about the mysterious origins of its modern Asian cousin.
And, finally, dinosaur hunter Nathan Murphy was sentenced last week for stealing 13 dinosaur bones from central Montana's Hell Creek badlands in 2006. The case provided a rare glimpse into the black-market fossil trade.