Weekly Science Report

February 15, 2019

 
“Star Trek speaks to some basic human needs: that there is a tomorrow — it's not all going to
be over with a big flash and a bomb; that the human race is improving; that we have things to
be proud of as humans. No, ancient astronauts did not build the pyramids — human beings
built them, because they're clever and they work hard. And Star Trek is about those things.”
Gene Roddenberry
 

Introduction
 
Steve Detwiler created this publication with the support of Graham Hancock and the late John
Anthony West to share news and information on various disciplines to include but not limited to
paleontology, space sciences, genetics and archaeology.  His goal behind sharing this publication
has always been very simple, by sharing knowledge we can make our world a better place.  This
publication is Mr. Detwiler’s contribution to bring people together and share ideas and discoveries
with his fellow humans.
 
I hope you enjoy this publication and that the content challenges and inspires you!
 
The Weekly Science Report is also on social media at:
 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/weeklysciencerpt/
 Twitter: https://twitter.com/wklysciencerpt
 

News Articles
 
Paleontology, Evolution and Prehistoric Studies
 
Ancient mucus trail led to oldest evidence of mobility on Earth
https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/11/world/oldest-evidence-mobility-earth-study/index.html
 
Oldest Evidence of Humans Outside Africa Discovered
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/oldest-evidence-of-humans-outside-africa-discovered/ar-
BBToDZ7?li=BBnbfcL&ocid=SL5FDHP
 
Artificial Intelligence Study of Human Genome Finds Unknown Human Ancestor 
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/artificial-intelligence-study-human-genome-finds-
unknown-human-ancestor-species-180971436/#ppY5jy9gT2zYRh6U.99
 
Ancient European Stone Monuments Said to Originate in Northwest France
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/11/science/megaliths-archaeology-tombs.html
 
Archaeologists Find Evidence of Human Habitation In The Rockies Stretching Back 9,000 Years
https://www.kunc.org/post/archaeologists-find-evidence-human-habitation-rockies-stretching-back-
9000-years#stream/0
 
A taste for fat may have made us human, says study
https://popular-archaeology.com/article/a-taste-for-fat-may-have-made-us-human-says-study/
 
Is This the Footprint of One of the Last Neandertals?
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-this-the-footprint-of-one-of-the-last-neandertals/
 
Humans Are Still Mating with Neandertals
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/humans-are-still-mating-with-neandertals/
 
Gigantic dinosaur prints saved from Queensland flood
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/feb/14/gigantic-dinosaur-prints-saved-from-queensland-
flood
 
 
History
 
Holocaust Survivors And Victims' Families Receive Millions In Reparations From France
https://www.npr.org/2019/02/07/692376994/holocaust-survivors-and-victims-families-receive-
millions-in-reparations-from-fr?sc=tw
 
Cuba’s Taino people: A flourishing culture, believed extinct
http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20190205-cubas-tano-people-a-flourishing-culture-believed-
extinct?ocid=ww.social.link.facebook
 
Mosul museum reopens with legacy of Daesh destruction
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/Arts-and-Ent/Culture/2019/Jan-31/475450-mosul-museum-reopens-
with-legacy-of-daesh-destruction.ashx
 
Hungary's New Holocaust Museum Isn't Open Yet, But It's Already Causing Concern
https://www.npr.org/2019/02/08/690647054/hungarys-new-holocaust-museum-isn-t-open-yet-but-
it-s-already-causing-worry?
utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_
content=20190208
 
Is the US trustee system good for museums?
https://www.apollo-magazine.com/united-states-trustee-system-museums/?
fbclid=IwAR13BJxi_Zt1i7xUfcq9-4rmzf4NcC0rXVEbyiTO981Al6hEa-xpVAYiFek
 
This new art exhibit wants to change the way you think about the Syrian refugee crisis
https://www.vox.com/world/2019/2/5/18196101/helen-zughaib-art-exhibit-syrian-refugees-jacob-
lawrence-migration
 
Plantations are a dark chapter in American history—here’s why to visit
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/intelligent-travel/2016/02/01/the-plantation-every-
american-should-visit/?
cmpid=org=ngp::mc=social::src=twitter::cmp=editorial::add=tw20190210travel-
whitneyplantation-::rid=&sf207505439=1
 
Archive shows medieval nun faked her own death to escape convent
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/feb/11/archive-shows-medieval-nun-faked-her-own-
death-to-escape-convent?
CMP=fb_gu&fbclid=IwAR25TktNJ46OCQ_IxH5qAx7p9Xjba5NgRt9LGqlfPxrUy8h4uzOVgVuB
lD0
 
Substitute teacher resigns after telling class Martin Luther King Jr. killed himself
https://amp.usatoday.com/amp/2853044002?__twitter_impression=true
 
Frida Kahlo’s Home Is Still Unlocking Secrets, 50 Years Later
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/07/arts/design/frida-kahlo-review-brooklyn-museum.html
 
Links beyond boundaries
https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/links-beyond-boundaries/article26231052.ece
 
Egypt’s oldest Arabic calligraphy school struggles to survive
https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2019/01/cairo-school-tries-to-keep-up-calligraphy-
education.html
 
Japan to recognize indigenous Ainu people for first time
https://japantoday.com/category/politics/japan-to-recognise-indigenous-ainu-people-for-first-time?
comment-order=oldest
 
Ted Bundy’s murderous charm still polarizes, 40 years later
https://apnews.com/fda5c470e49540ec9f7f5910bb07bd8b
 
 
 
 

Archaeology
 
Wreckage of World War II aircraft carrier USS Hornet discovered
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/uss-hornet-wreckage-world-war-two-warship-discovered/?
fbclid=IwAR08yuDvh5uq_9TjzdJTE9l-
8fB4aZZJogWxElXTN0O682_4XOfjcSiVlX4&ftag=CNM-00-10aab6a&linkId=63503627
 
Underwater Archaeologists Find Surprising Artifacts from Major Roman Naval Battle
https://www.livescience.com/64734-underwater-rome-carthage-battle-artifacts.html
 
Archaeologists Make 'Very Special' Viking Era Discovery in Norway
https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidnikel/2019/02/16/archaeologists-make-very-special-viking-era-
discovery-in-norway/#2d130e13335e
 
Archaeologists discover Incan tomb in Peru
https://phys.org/news/2019-02-archaeologists-incan-tomb-peru.html
 
Ancient Fresco of Mythical Narcissus Found in Pompeii
https://www.livescience.com/64775-pompeii-fresco-narcissus-found.html
 
Hundreds of Mysterious Stone Structures Discovered in Western Sahara
https://www.livescience.com/64677-stone-structures-discovered-western-sahara.html
 
Art Institute of Chicago unveils key findings in African art thanks to medical technology
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-02/taio-aio021419.php
 
 

Egyptology
 
The Book of the Dead was Egyptians' inside guide to the underworld
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/archaeology-and-history/magazine/2016/01-02/egypt-book-of-
the-dead/?cmpid=org=ngp::mc=social::src=twitter::cmp=editorial::add=tw20190210hist-
egyptbookofdead::rid=&sf207526753=1
 
4500-Year-Old Burial of a Teenager Discovered
http://luxortimes.com/2019/02/4500-year-old-burial-of-a-teenager-discovered/
 
Stolen Ancient Egyptian Artifact Retrieved at Amsterdam
https://egyptianstreets.com/2019/02/13/stolen-ancient-egyptian-artifact-retrieved-at-amsterdam/
 
 
 
 
 

General Science
 
Forget People, Elroy's Self-Flying Drone Hauls Heavy Cargo
https://www.wired.com/story/elroy-cargo-drone-chaparral/?
CNDID=41291302&CNDID=41291302&bxid=MjM5NjgxMjIxODk5S0&hasha=3ed15b3d4270f5
2ce4da5de4e5031836&hashb=9085a9ae56cc45a4e9bae24e2eaeaade6e04a43e&mbid=nl_021319_d
aily_list3_p3&source=DAILY_NEWSLETTER&utm_brand=wired&utm_mailing=WIRED%20NL
%20021319%20(1)&utm_medium=email&utm_source=nl

Physics, Earth and Space Sciences

Mars One, which offered 1-way trips to Mars, declared

bankrupt

https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/mars-one-bankrupt-
1.5014522
 
US astronauts will soon fly again in American spacecraft - but not NASA’s
https://theconversation.com/us-astronauts-will-soon-fly-again-in-american-spacecraft-but-not-
nasas-111330
 
750,000 Pieces of Junk Circle Earth. This Firm Wants to Start Clearing It
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-02-13/as-launches-boom-a-venture-bets-on-
bringing-satellites-down?cmpid=socialflow-twitter-
business&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=socialflow-
organic&utm_content=business&utm_source=twitter
 
To Study the Stars, This Town Went Off the Grid
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2018/08/national-radio-quite-zone-virginia-
photography/?cmpid=org=ngp::mc=social::src=twitter::cmp=editorial::add=tw20190209science-
resurfoffgridt::rid=&sf207481462=1
 
NASA finds possible second impact crater under Greenland ice
https://phys.org/news/2019-02-nasa-impact-crater-greenland-ice.html?fbclid=IwAR1Ym3TqdE-
mfC2r-4OztVC36vco4wni9Ia86-9mNJgfmot5teNJmF6S15k
 
NASA’s Opportunity Rover Dies on Mars
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/02/13/science/opportunity-rover-mars-map.html?
smid=fb-
nytimes&smtyp=cur&fbclid=IwAR3emY7Gtmsr9ZN44QCvZ7wd2ygSgqP9fFmU7hXCDSI0reKB
AVq3PPD6Ct8
 
The Bizarre Planets That Could Be Humanity’s New Homes
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2019/02/space-colonies-on-tidally-locked-planets/
582661/
 
Two Satellites Almost Crashed. Here’s How They Dodged It
https://www.wired.com/story/two-satellites-almost-crashed-heres-how-they-dodged-it/?
mbid=social_tw_sci&utm_brand=wired&utm_campaign=wiredscience&utm_medium=social&utm
_social-type=owned&utm_source=twitter
 
A Young Island on Earth May Reveal Clues to How Water Shaped Mars
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/09/science/tonga-island.html
 
Meteorite source in asteroid belt not a single debris field
https://phys.org/news/2019-02-meteorite-source-asteroid-belt-debris.html
 
First evidence discovered of a gigantic remnant around an exploding star
https://phys.org/news/2019-02-evidence-gigantic-remnant-star.html
 
Be Kind to Extraterrestrials
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/be-kind-to-extraterrestrials/
 
Jokers please: first human Mars mission may need onboard comedians
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/feb/15/jokers-please-first-human-mars-mission-may-
need-onboard-comedians

Environment, Climate Change and Alternative Energy

Sources
 
Regenerative agriculture can make farmers stewards of the land again
https://theconversation.com/regenerative-agriculture-can-make-farmers-stewards-of-the-land-again-
110570
 
This Scary Map Shows How Climate Change Will Transform Your City
https://www.wired.com/story/this-scary-map-shows-how-climate-change-will-transform-your-city/?
CNDID=41291302&CNDID=41291302&bxid=MjM5NjgxMjIxODk5S0&hasha=3ed15b3d4270f5
2ce4da5de4e5031836&hashb=9085a9ae56cc45a4e9bae24e2eaeaade6e04a43e&mbid=nl_021219_d
aily_list1_p4&source=DAILY_NEWSLETTER&utm_brand=wired&utm_mailing=WIRED%20NL
%20021219%20(1)&utm_medium=email&utm_source=nl
 
The Senate just passed the decade’s biggest public lands package. Here’s what’s in it.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2019/02/12/senate-just-passed-decades-
biggest-public-lands-package-heres-whats-it/?utm_term=.0f7bd0821d9f
 
President Trump And Allies Push To Save A Very Specific Coal Plant
https://www.npr.org/2019/02/12/693966847/president-trump-and-allies-push-to-save-a-very-
specific-coal-plant?
utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_co
ntent=20190212
 
You May Be Surprised To Learn Which 2 Countries Are Making The Globe A Lot Greener
https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2019/02/14/694202210/you-may-be-surprised-to-learn-
which-two-countries-are-making-the-globe-a-lot-gre?sc=tw
 
A U.S. Hunter Paid $110,000 To Shoot A Pakistani Goat
https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2019/02/14/694347077/a-u-s-hunter-paid-110-000-to-
shoot-a-pakistani-goat?sc=tw
 

Bold Plan? Replace the Border Wall with an Energy–Water

Corridor
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/bold-plan-replace-the-border-wall-with-an-
energy-water-corridor/
 
 
Biological, Genetics and Medical Sciences

Monkeys With Superpower Eyes Could Help Cure Color

Blindness

https://www.wired.com/story/monkeys-with-superpower-eyes-
could-help-cure-color-blindness/?
CNDID=41291302&CNDID=41291302&bxid=MjM5NjgxMjIx
ODk5S0&hasha=3ed15b3d4270f52ce4da5de4e5031836&hashb
=9085a9ae56cc45a4e9bae24e2eaeaade6e04a43e&mbid=nl_021
719_backchannel_list1_p1&source=BACKCHANNEL_NEWS
LETTER&utm_brand=wired&utm_mailing=Backchannel
%20NL%20021719_Backchannel%20list
%20(1)&utm_medium=email&utm_source=nl

 
Rare whale found dead in Everglades National Park waters
http://www.fox35orlando.com/news/mobile-app-news-feed/rare-whale-found-dead-in-everglades-
national-park-waters-1?fbclid=IwAR17tkozj9nuN1Gh0UMD9_Faw5mHSWhG-
2t3c5aX5ossZhir7C2nGrZltjw
 
Chimpanzees Build Makeshift Ladder, Break Free from Zoo Enclosure
https://www.npr.org/2019/02/11/693560383/chimpanzees-build-ladder-to-break-free-from-belfast-
zoo-enclosure?
utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_
content=20190211&fbclid=IwAR0BV_LKJjSP5740q-
x3Rfv9yNrq51Cuzc0SKPzj4ou3ZSTr_rLhlfmBcCo
 
A New Lab Is Brewing Microbes to Create Makeup and Medicines
https://www.wired.com/story/culture-biosciences-is-fermenting-microbes-for-meat-makeup-and-
fuel/?
CNDID=41291302&CNDID=41291302&bxid=MjM5NjgxMjIxODk5S0&hasha=3ed15b3d4270f5
2ce4da5de4e5031836&hashb=9085a9ae56cc45a4e9bae24e2eaeaade6e04a43e&mbid=nl_021219_d
aily_list3_p1&source=DAILY_NEWSLETTER&utm_brand=wired&utm_mailing=WIRED%20NL
%20021219%20(1)&utm_medium=email&utm_source=nl
 
Chimp communication gestures found to follow human linguistics rules
https://phys.org/news/2019-02-chimp-gestures-human-linguistics.html
 
Beaked Whales Are the Deepest Divers
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/07/science/beaked-whales-dive.html
 
Drug combination may become new standard treatment for advanced kidney cancer
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2019-02-drug-combination-standard-treatment-advanced.html
 
 

Other
 
Hamilton Helps Raise $14 Million for the Arts in Puerto Rico
http://fortune.com/2019/02/15/hamilton-puerto-rico/?
fbclid=IwAR2xoVCVQEmZdx7MM28P7b3JhfJJ1ISux_ZRHf6W9LHqCEVJP8oULUkGGNg
 
Indigenous hunters have positive impacts on food webs in desert Australia
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-02/ps-ihh021319.php
 
What Happens When Techno-Utopians Actually Run a Country

https://www.wired.com/story/italy-five-star-movement-techno-
utopians/?
CNDID=41291302&CNDID=41291302&bxid=MjM5NjgxMjIx
ODk5S0&hasha=3ed15b3d4270f52ce4da5de4e5031836&hashb
=9085a9ae56cc45a4e9bae24e2eaeaade6e04a43e&mbid=nl_021
719_backchannel_list1_p2&source=BACKCHANNEL_NEWS
LETTER&utm_brand=wired&utm_mailing=Backchannel
%20NL%20021719_Backchannel%20list
%20(1)&utm_medium=email&utm_source=nl
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Additional Informational
 
TED Talk, An astronaut’s story of curiosity, perspective and change
https://www.ted.com/talks/
leland_melvin_an_astronaut_s_story_of_curiosity_perspective_and_change
 
Hate and Its Impact: Sowing the Seeds of Global Antisemitism Webcast, Feb 20
https://www.ushmm.org/online-calendar/event/mahateimpctdc0219
 
BLM Defers Oil and Gas Lease Sales in New Mexico, Temporarily Protecting Chaco Culture
National Historical Park
https://www.npca.org/articles/2110-blm-defers-oil-and-gas-lease-sales-in-new-mexico-temporarily-
protecting