The Hominid Post

Trace charcoal in Font-de-Gaume's black pigment allowed direct radiocarbon dating. A bison dates to about 13,000 years ago; different sections of a mask-like figure span approximately 16,000 to 8,600 calibrated years before present. The cave was revisited and modified across millennia — not painted in one continuous tradition.

A Yellow River Basin model combining hydropower, solar, wind, pumped storage and grid expansion could replace 23.8% of coal generation, reduce energy emissions 28%, cut electricity-sector water consumption 31.5% and restore 9% of ecosystem carbon storage. These are modeled outcomes dependent on demand, construction and financing assumptions.

UPS reported $22.8 billion in quarterly revenue and $2.1 billion in adjusted operating profit. Reported operating profit was $930 million after absorbing $1.17 billion in transformation costs, largely employee-separation expenses. Full-year revenue guidance increased to approximately $91.2 billion.

A nearly 500,000-year-old elephant-bone hammer shows that early humans used specialized tools to maintain other tools. Microscopic evidence indicates the shaped bone was used to resharpen Acheulean stone implements — reflecting planning, material selection and precision work.

A Cochrane review of 18 trials covering 1,368 participants found exercise reduced hip osteoarthritis pain by about seven points on a 100-point scale — below the commonly used 12-point threshold for a noticeable difference. Exercise remains appropriate for general health and function; individual response should be measured.

NASA will use a high-altitude WB-57 jet and student balloons to study the August 12 eclipse. The aircraft will capture at least 20 images per second from 50,000 feet while traveling approximately 460 miles per hour. Balloon teams will measure atmospheric changes including ozone.

A United Nations gathering examined AI's effects on work, education, health, inequality and access. The relevant test is whether systems expand people's capabilities and choices — not whether models perform impressively in isolation. A dialogue does not create binding standards.

A Nature Genetics review found that sequence-to-function AI models frequently generalize inconsistently across genetic variants and cellular contexts. Strong genomic-model accuracy does not guarantee reliable biological understanding — validation should include new genetic backgrounds and perturbation experiments.

Fluorescent nanoclusters detected several long-chain PFAS chemicals at 0.2–0.4 parts per billion. The one-step method could enable faster screening but does not replace confirmatory laboratory testing or remove contamination.

The SEC sent Congress new small-business capital-formation recommendations addressing early-stage fundraising, growth companies, smaller funds and small-cap public markets. These are recommendations — not adopted rules. Adoption would require separate legislative or regulatory action.