2023 News from the MPI of Geoanthropology

The report outlines science policy recommendations regarding biodiversity and pandemics with the goal of developing transformative policies for human, animal, and ecosystem health more

The project will bring an interdisciplinary approach to understanding how natural environments impact urban development in the Amazon more

In a new study titled published in Scientific Reports, a team of researchers led by the Max Plank Institute of Geoanthropology applied statistics and machine learning to develop a predictive model for the foundation of new structures. more

A novel study combines analysis of wear marks and biochemistry of fossil animal teeth at the site of Ahl al Oughlam (dating to 2.5 million years ago) to study past Moroccan ecosystems in deep time. more

The world’s most diverse forest, the Amazon, may also host more than 10,000 records of pre-Columbian earthworks (constructed prior to the arrival of Europeans), according to a new study published in the journal Science. The new study combines cutting-edge remote sensing technology with archaeological data and advanced statistical modeling to estimate how many earthworks may still be hidden beneath the canopy of the Amazon rainforest and in which locations these structures are most likely to be found. more

Use-wear analysis of grinding tools from the site of Jebel Oraf shows that the artifacts were used during the Neolithic, shedding new light on the subsistence and lifestyle of ancient peoples in the region more

In an innovative endeavor to create a sensory bridge to the ancient past, a team of researchers led by Barbara Huber of the MPI of Geoanthropology has recreated one of the scents used in the mummification of an important Egyptian woman more than 3500 years ago. Coined 'The Scent of Eternity’, the ancient aroma will be presented at the Moesgaard Museum in Denmark in an upcoming exhibition. more