Reading Bones in Underwater Caves | Science News

Scientists have cracked a new way to decode the stories bones tell from underwater caves—revealing how ancient creatures ended up there and what their environments were like. A groundbreaking study from Griffith University developed a method to analyze the unique “fingerprints” left by cave conditions on skeletal remains, comparing wet and dry cave systems in South Australia. Bones found in dark, submerged depths remained remarkably pristine, while those near entrances showed aquatic life traces. Dry caves revealed land-based decay markers. By studying recent animal remains—including some from the 1800s—the team can now better interpret how extinct megafauna fossils formed and survived, offering archaeologists and paleontologists a vital new tool to reconstruct ancient histories. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/70838744642f8804