ScienceDaily: Caving News

Stalagmites provide new view of abrupt climate events over 100,000 years

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 15:44:44 EDT

A new set of long-term climate records based on cave stalagmites collected from tropical Borneo shows that the western tropical Pacific responded very differently than other regions of the globe to abrupt climate change events.

New cave-dwelling arachnids discovered in Brazil

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:03:03 EDT

Two new species of cave-dwelling short-tailed whipscorpions have been discovered in northeastern Brazil, and are described in new research.

Geologists study mystery of 'eternal flames'

Thu, 09 May 2013 09:07:07 EDT

"Eternal flames" fueled by hydrocarbon gas could shine a light on the presence of natural gas in underground rock layers and conditions that let it seep to the surface, according to new research.

Killer entrance suspected in mystery of unusually large group of carnivores in ancient cave

Wed, 01 May 2013 19:31:31 EDT

An assortment of saber-toothed cats, hyenas, an extinct 'bear-dog', ancestors of the red panda and several other carnivores died under unusual circumstances in a Spanish cave near Madrid approximately 9-10 million years ago. It now appears that the animals may have entered the cave intentionally and been trapped there, according to new research.

The underground adventures of the Mediterranean frog Rana iberica

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:14:14 EDT

Although many amphibians have been reported to live or spend part of their life underground, the Mediterranean frog Rana iberica, has never been reported dwelling in subterranean habitats until now. A new study marks the first record of all life stages of the species from a drainage gallery of Serra da Estrela Natural Park in Portugal.

Ice tubes in polar seas -- 'brinicles' or 'sea stalactites' -- provide clues to origin of life

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 11:23:23 EDT

Life on Earth may have originated not in warm tropical seas, but with weird tubes of ice -- sometimes called "sea stalactites" -- that grow downward into cold seawater near the Earth's poles, scientists are reporting.

Bat disease: More accurate, sensitive DNA test allows early identification of fungus causing white nose syndrome

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 16:09:09 EDT

Scientists are identifying additional species of Geomyces and describing development of a highly sensitive DNA-based technique for early identification of Geomyces destructans on bats as well as in soils and on cave walls.

Caves point to thawing of Siberia: Thaw in Siberia's permafrost may accelerate global warming

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 14:39:39 EST

Evidence from Siberian caves suggests that a global temperature rise of 1.5 degrees Celsius could see permanently frozen ground thaw over a large area of Siberia, threatening release of carbon from soils, and damage to natural and human environments.

Bad news for bats: Deadly fungus persists in caves

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 09:42:42 EST

Researchers have found that the organism that causes deadly white-nose syndrome persists in caves long after it has killed the bats in those caves.

From clawed spiders to deep-sea sharks: 137 new species described by California Academy of Sciences in 2012

Fri, 07 Dec 2012 16:16:16 EST

In 2012, researchers at the California Academy of Sciences added 137 new relatives to our family tree, enriching our understanding of the complex web of life on Earth and strengthening our ability to make informed conservation decisions. The new species include 83 arthropods, 41 fishes, seven plants, four sea slugs, one reptile, and one amphibian. They were described by more than a dozen Academy scientists along with several dozen international collaborators.

Three new arthropod species have been found in the Maestrazgo Caves in Teruel

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 09:41:41 EST

Scientists have discovered three new collembolan species in the Maestrazgo caves in Teruel, Spain. These minute animals belong to one of the most ancient animal species on the planet. The Maestrazgo caves in Teruel are located in a region of the Iberian Range where fauna has not been the subject of much study. It is a very isolated region since its average altitude is between 1,550 m and 2,000 m asl and its climate can be described as "almost extreme" experiencing temperatures of between -40°C and -25°C.

Surveying Earth's interior with atomic clocks

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 09:00:00 EST

Have you ever thought to use a clock to identify mineral deposits or concealed water resources within the Earth? Some scientists are convinced that ultraprecise portable atomic clocks will make this a reality in the next decade. The scientists argue that these atomic clocks have already reached the necessary degree of precision to be useful for geophysical surveying. They say that such clocks will provide the most direct measurement of the geoid – the Earth’s true physical form. It will also be possible to combine atomic clocks measurements to existent geophysical methods to explore the interior of the Earth.

Climate change and the political, human impacts among ancient Maya

Thu, 08 Nov 2012 14:27:27 EST

Archaeologists and earth science researchers has compiled a precisely dated, high-resolution climate record of 2,000 years that shows how Maya political systems developed and disintegrated in response to climate change. The researchers reconstructed rainfall records from stalagmite samples collected from Yok Balum Cave, located nearly three miles from ancient city of Uxbenka, in the tropical Maya Lowlands in southern Belize. They compared their findings to the rich political histories carved on stone monuments at Maya cities throughout the region.

New cave-dwelling reef coral discovered in the Indo-Pacific

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 09:06:06 EDT

A new species of reef coral is discovered, which lives on the ceilings of dark caves. Its closest relatives are larger, have symbiotic algae in their soft tissue and need sunlight to grow. The new species lacks such algae and its tissue is colorless. When other reef coral species lose their algae, they may die, a recurring disease known as coral bleaching.

Fall calls bats to hibernate, scientists to study them

Fri, 28 Sep 2012 08:49:49 EDT

Bats are an important weapon in the battle against insect pests, but a deadly fungal disease is killing more and more of them. They flock to mines and caves in the fall, where scientists study them while they hibernate. New research helps track their origins, which could lead to better prevention and control of White Nose Syndrome.

Sandia experts help when sinkhole opens up in Louisiana

Thu, 27 Sep 2012 09:12:12 EDT

The U.S. Geological Survey turned to Sandia National Laboratories for help when the earth opened up last month near Bayou Corne, La.

Shrinking snow depth on Arctic sea ice threatens ringed seal habitat

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 13:23:23 EDT

University of Washington scientists found that the habitat required for ringed seals -- animals under consideration for the threatened species list -- to rear their young will drastically shrink this century.

Israeli cave explorers return from record-breaking expedition in Abkhazia of ‘Everest of the caves’

Mon, 03 Sep 2012 14:29:29 EDT

Cavers have just returned from exploring the deepest cave in the world. The cave, known as Krubera-Voronya, is considered the “Everest of the caves” and is in Abkhazia in the south of Russia near the Black Sea.

Eyeless Australian fish have closest relatives in Madagascar

Wed, 29 Aug 2012 15:12:12 EDT

Researchers have discovered that two groups of blind cave fishes on opposite sides of the Indian Ocean are each other's closest relatives. Through comprehensive DNA analysis, the researchers determined that these eyeless fishes, one group from Madagascar and the other from similar subterranean habitats in Australia, descended from a common ancestor before being separated by continental drift nearly 100 million years ago.

Spider version of Bigfoot emerges from caves in the Pacific Northwest

Fri, 17 Aug 2012 09:26:26 EDT

The forests of the coastal regions from California to British Columbia are renowned for their unique and ancient animals and plants, such as coast redwoods, tailed frogs, mountain beavers and the legendary Bigfoot (also known as Sasquatch). Whereas Bigfoot is probably just fiction, a huge, newly discovered spider is very real.

The difference between a mole and shrew is in their SOX

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 09:06:06 EDT

The family of small insectivores, Talpidae, includes the moles, shrew moles, and aquatic desmans. New research has found that the enlargement of moles' digging front paws, compared to their feet, is controlled by altered timing of expression of the gene SOX9.

And then there was light! Discovery of the world's first eyeless huntsman spider

Thu, 09 Aug 2012 09:04:04 EDT

A scientist has discovered the first eyeless huntsman spider in the world. With a leg span of only six centimetres and a body size of around twelve millimetres, the spider Sinopoda scurion is certainly not one of the largest representatives of the huntsman spiders, which include more than 1100 species. However, it is the first of its kind in the world without any eyes.

Social bats pay a price: Fungal disease, white-nose syndrome ... extinction?

Tue, 03 Jul 2012 16:27:27 EDT

The effect on bat populations of a deadly fungal disease known as white-nose syndrome may depend on how gregarious the bats are during hibernation, scientists have discovered.

Social bats pay a price with new fungal disease: Study determines which bats are headed for extinction

Tue, 03 Jul 2012 13:40:40 EDT

The impact on bat populations of a deadly fungal disease known as white-nose syndrome may depend on how gregarious the bats are during hibernation. Species that hibernate in dense clusters even as their populations get smaller will continue to transmit the disease at a high rate, dooming them to continued decline, according to a new study.

Welsh reindeer is Britain's oldest rock art, U-series dating suggests

Fri, 29 Jun 2012 14:25:25 EDT

A reindeer engraved on the wall of a cave in South Wales has been found to date from at least 14,505 years ago -- making it the oldest known rock art in the British Isles.

Chemical fingerprinting tracks the travels of little brown bats

Tue, 29 May 2012 18:12:12 EDT

A novel technique using stable hydrogen isotopes —- a chemical fingerprint found in tissues such as hair —- has enabled researchers to determine where hibernating bats originated. Knowing that could help predict and ultimately manage the spread of white-nose syndrome.

Stalagmite research suggests Earth has two modes of responding to change

Thu, 03 May 2012 14:26:26 EDT

By analyzing stalagmites, a team of researchers has determined that the climate signature in the tropics through four glacial cycles looks different in some ways and similar in others when compared to the climate signature at high latitudes. The results suggest that Earth's climate system might have two modes of responding to significant changes.

Endangered bats find sanctuary in Israeli 'ghost bunkers'

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 13:31:31 EDT

Abandoned army bunkers along a 60 mile stretch of land in the north of Israel have new tenants, according to a Tel Aviv University researcher -- 12 indigenous bat species, including three already designated as endangered, have moved into the shelters and are flourishing.

Key to new antibiotics could be deep within isolated cave

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 20:54:54 EDT

Researchers discovered a remarkable prevalence of antibiotic resistance bacteria isolated from Lechuguilla Cave in New Mexico, one of the deepest and largest caves in the world and a place isolated from human contact for more than four million years.

Deepest terrestrial arthropod ever found

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 09:41:41 EST

Scientists have recently described the deepest terrestrial animal ever found, together with four new species. These animals are springtails (Arthropoda, Insecta, Collembola), a minute primitive wingless insect with six legs and without eyes that live in total darkness.

Life beyond Earth? Underwater caves in Bahamas could give clues

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:15:15 EST

Discoveries made in some underwater caves by researchers in the Bahamas could provide clues about how ocean life formed on Earth millions of years ago, and perhaps give hints of what types of marine life could be found on distant planets and moons.

Advantages of living in the dark: Multiple evolution events of 'blind' cavefish

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 20:12:12 EST

Blind Mexican cavefish have not only lost their sight but have adapted to perpetual darkness by also losing their pigment (albinism) and having altered sleep patterns. New research shows that the cavefish are an example of convergent evolution, with several populations repeatedly, and independently, losing their sight and pigmentation.

Evidence of past Southern hemisphere rainfall cycles related to Antarctic temperatures

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:16:16 EST

Geoscientists have published the first evidence that warm-cold climate oscillations well known in the Northern Hemisphere over the most recent glacial period also appear as tropical rainfall variations in the Amazon Basin of South America. It is the first clear expression of these cycles in the Southern hemisphere.

Scientists find microbes in lava tube living in conditions like those on Mars

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:59:59 EST

A team of scientists from Oregon has collected microbes from ice within a lava tube in the Cascade Mountains and found that they thrive in cold, Mars-like conditions. They have characteristics that would make the microbes capable of living in the subsurface of Mars and other planetary bodies.

How bats 'hear' objects in their path

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 12:09:09 EST

By placing real and virtual objects in the flight paths of bats, scientists have shed new light on how echolocation works. The researchers found that it is not the intensity of the echoes that tells the bats the size of an object but the 'sonar aperture', that is the spread of angles from which echoes impinge on their ears.

Controversy over reopening the 'Sistine Chapel' of Stone Age art

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 12:24:24 EDT

Plans to reopen Spain's Altamira caves are stirring controversy over the possibility that tourists' visits will further damage the 20,000-year old wall paintings that changed views about the intellectual ability of prehistoric people, according to a new article. The caves are the site of Stone Age paintings so magnificent that experts have called them the "Sistine Chapel of Paleolithic Art."

Genetic study of cave millipedes reveals isolated populations and ancient divergence between species

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 10:25:25 EDT

Cave millipedes of the genus Tetracion are found on the southern Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee and Alabama, USA. New genetic analyses show that their populations are generally isolated and genetically distinct. Genetic divergence between two species of Tetracion suggests they diverged several million years ago.

Health fears over CO2 storage are unfounded, study shows

Mon, 12 Sep 2011 15:29:29 EDT

Capturing carbon dioxide from power stations and storing it deep underground carries no significant threat to human health, despite recently voiced fears that it might, a new study shows. Researchers found that the risk of death from poisoning as a result of exposure to CO2 leaks from underground rocks is about one in 100 million -- far less than the chances of winning the lottery jackpot.

Separated for 20 million years: Blind beetle from Bulgarian caves clarifies questions

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 09:21:21 EDT

One of the smallest ever cave-dwelling ground beetles has recently been discovered in two caves in the Rhodopi Mountains, Bulgaria, and described under the name Paralovricia beroni. The beetle is completely blind and is only 1.8-2.2 mm long.

Darkness stifles reproduction of surface-dwelling fish

Tue, 10 May 2011 21:16:16 EDT

There's a reason to be afraid of the dark. Fish accustomed to living near the light of the water's surface become proverbial "fish out of water" when they move to dark environments like those found in caves, according to a study.

Caves and their dripstones reveal the uplift of mountains

Mon, 02 May 2011 11:06:06 EDT

Geologists from Austria and the UK report on ancient cave systems discovered near the summits of the Allgäu Mountains that preserved the oldest radiometrically dated dripstones currently known from the European Alps.

Tourism does not harm all caves, study suggests

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 11:10:10 EDT

Unlike the situation in other caves, damage caused by tourists at the Aguila cave in Avila, Spain is "imperceptible", despite it receiving tens of thousands of visitors each year, according to new research.

Food forensics: DNA links habitat quality to bat diet

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 11:14:14 EST

All night long, bats swoop over our landscape consuming insects, but they do this in secret, hidden from our view. Until recently, scientists have been unable to bring their ecosystem out of the dark but thanks to new genetic techniques, researchers have been able to reconstruct the environment supporting these elusive creatures.

Storm-chasing weather radar used to track bat populations

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 11:13:13 EST

Scientists are using mobile storm-chasing radars to follow swarms of bats as they emerge from their caves each night to forage on insects.

Culling can't control deadly bat disease, mathematical model shows

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 11:54:54 EST

Culling will not stop the spread of a deadly fungus that is threatening to wipe out hibernating bats in North America, according to a new mathematical model.

Quest for extinct giant rats leads scientists to ancient face carvings

Fri, 11 Feb 2011 09:55:55 EST

Ancient stone faces carved into the walls of a well-known limestone cave in East Timor have been discovered by a team searching for fossils of extinct giant rats.

Death in the bat caves: Disease wiping out hibernating bats

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 08:14:14 EST

Conservationists across the United States are racing to discover a solution to white-nose syndrome, a disease that is threatening to wipe out bat species across North America. Although WNS has already killed one million bats, there are critical knowledge gaps preventing researchers from combating the disease.

The 'Rodney Dangerfield' of Halloween Icons

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 15:12:12 EDT

While many people will be pursuing the latest pop culture icons as Halloween costumes this year, one of the annual icons of Halloween might be viewed as the Rodney Dangerfield of Halloween symbols. The legendary comedian based his career on the line "I get no respect," which might also apply to the misunderstood flying mammal known as bats. The animals often carry a negative connotation that doesn't reflect the respective role bats play in biological ecosystems.

Adapting to darkness: How behavioral and genetic changes helped cavefish survive extreme environment

Tue, 14 Sep 2010 17:13:13 EDT

Biologists have identified how changes in both behavior and genetics led to the evolution of the Mexican blind cavefish from its sighted, surface-dwelling ancestor. They identified a behavioral shift that was advantageous for feeding success in the dark, and linked it to its genetic basis in the fish's lateral line. This is the first time that a clear link has been identified between behavior, genetics, and evolution in Mexican blind cavefish.

True causes for extinction of cave bear revealed: More human expansion than climate change

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 08:22:22 EDT

The cave bear started to become extinct in Europe 24,000 years ago, but until now the cause was unknown. An international team of scientists has analyzed mitochondrial DNA sequences from 17 new fossil samples, and compared these with the modern brown bear. The results show that the decline of the cave bear started 50,000 years ago, and was caused more by human expansion than by climate change.

Bats facing regional extinction in Northeastern US from rapidly spreading white-nose syndrome

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 14:29:29 EDT

A new infectious disease spreading rapidly across the northeastern United States has killed millions of bats and is predicted to cause regional extinction of a once-common bat species, according to new findings. Estimates show over 99 percent of Northeast's little brown bat population may become extirpated in 20 years due to white-nose syndrome.

Extreme archaeology: Divers plumb the mysteries of sacred Maya pools

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 10:20:20 EDT

Steering clear of crocodiles and navigating around massive submerged trees, a team of divers began mapping some of the 25 freshwater pools of Cara Blanca, Belize, which were important to the ancient Maya. In three weeks this May, the divers found fossilized animal remains, bits of pottery and -- in the largest pool explored -- an enormous underwater cave. The dives will continue later this summer.

Remarkable fossil cave shows how ancient marsupials grew

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 10:59:59 EDT

The discovery of a remarkable 15-million-year-old Australian fossil limestone cave packed with even older animal bones has revealed almost the entire life cycle of a large prehistoric marsupial, from suckling young in the pouch still cutting their milk teeth to elderly adults.

Geochemist raises questions about carbon sequestration

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 09:00:00 EDT

As carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere rise, policy makers and scientists are looking at carbon sequestration as a way to tackle the problems associated with the greenhouse gas.

Stalagmite reveals carbon footprint of early Native Americans

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 11:00:00 EDT

A new study suggests that early Native Americans left a bigger carbon footprint than previously thought, providing more evidence that humans impacted global climate long before the modern industrial era.

Deadly fungus threatens 9 bat species in Ga., Ky., N.C., S.C. and Tenn., expert says

Wed, 07 Apr 2010 12:12:12 EDT

A leading bat expert identified nine bat species in Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee that she believes are most threatened by white-nose syndrome, a fungus that kills bats and appears to be rapidly spreading south from the northeastern United States.

Bat navigation: After the next sunset, please turn right

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 15:25:25 EDT

Despite the fact that bats are active after sunset, they rely on the sun as their most trusted source of navigation. Researchers found that the greater mouse-eared bat orients itself with the help of the Earth's magnetic field at night and calibrates this compass to the sun's position at sunset.

Phylogenetic analysis of Mexican cave scorpions suggests adaptation to caves is reversible

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:37:37 EST

A new study of the scorpion family Typhlochactidae, a group of nine dark-adapted species endemic to Mexico, shows that specialized traits are not necessarily an evolutionary dead end. At least three reversals, or a return to generalized morphology, were found in a phylogenetic analysis.

Cave reveals Southwest's abrupt climate swings during Ice Age

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 16:12:12 EST

Ice Age climate records from an Arizona stalagmite link the Southwest's winter precipitation to temperatures in the North Atlantic, according to new research. The stalagmite yielded an almost continuous, century-by-century climate record spanning 55,000 to 11,000 years ago, a time the Southwest flip-flopped between wet and dry periods. The finding is the first to document that the abrupt changes in Ice Age climate known from Greenland also occurred in the southwestern US.

Window opens into Moon's past volcanism

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 18:40:40 EST

Lava tubes, underground cave-like channels through which lava once flowed, are commonly found on Earth. Scientists have debated whether these tubes could form on the Moon as well, but no studies have yet conclusively identified features that indicate the presence of lunar lava tubes.