New Discovery

“Madagascar marvel: Divers find fossils of extinct giant lemurs”

By: Daisy Carrington

Source: CNN

http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/19/africa/underwater-fossil-lemur-graveyard-madagascar/index.html

Laurie Godfrey, a paleontologist at the University of Massachusetts is part of an international team who recently uncovered one the most incredible collection of fossils found on the island of Madagascar in three flooded caves. The find is being touted as Madagascar's largest underwater graveyard. All three caves, Malaza Manga, Aven, and Mitoho, are submerged underneath Tsimanampetsotsa National Park. Their potential was first uncovered by Ryan Dart, an Australian diver. When Dart saw what was down there, he contacted his colleague Phillip Lehman, a diver for the Dominican Republic Speleological Society. What he found were the remnants of a lost world. With funding and logistical help from the National Geographic Society, the National Science Foundation and Madagascar National Parks made an initial exploration of the cave. The bones aren't damaged in any way. They believe that although extinct, the animals uncovered in the caves died recently. Signs point to their co-existence with humans. Godfrey believes that human effect played a large role in wiping out Madagascar's native species.

 The idea of finding fossils belonging to a never before found species is extremely thrilling and I am sure everyone reading this article agrees. The people should read this and be aware of the new discoveries being made around the world. This is just one of many discoveries and I am one hundred percent sure that many more will be made soon. Luckily with our advanced technology it will not be difficult to find and unravel the many mysteries this world contains.

Gender Roles

Gender roles in today's society still follow the typical stereotypes we've been dealing with for years. Despite remarkable progress made toward the goal of gender equality, the stereotypes of the "macho brute" and the "sensitive female" continue. People who break these stereotypes are either ignored or worshiped. I do think that males have had an unfair traditional advantage for far too long, but the goal is equality, not reversal in roles. While targeting for that goal, the progresses of the times need to be reflected. Gender roles in the old-fashioned sense still exist, but there is a generous amount of evidence which shows these roles are slowly changing in ways people cannot predict. Today we have many more female workers and society's beliefs as regards to the role of women as homemakers has changed. Women are commonly referred to as approaching in second behind men. Men have always had this certain cultural superiority. Women, however, are excelling significantly in the classroom and career-wise at a slightly higher rate than men. The stereotypes and biases are still there however, buried deep within years of traditions turned to constitution. There is evidence to lead one to believe that these gender roles and restraints are ever-changing and becoming like we'd never expected. People are slowly beginning to accept "non-traditional" gender roles. My hope is that abnormalities from tradition will eventually be considered acceptable for both men and women. 

Ancient Civilization

National Geographic reports that archaeologists have discovered the urban remains of what they believe is a vanished ancient civilization. Both a writer and photographer for National Geographic accompanied a team of scientists to the Honduras' Mosquitia region on the trail of a legendary "White City" also known as the "City of the Monkey God." The expedition was launched after aerial light detection scanning’s uncovered man-made structures below the rainforest. A team of U.S. and Honduran archaeologists, a light detection scanning engineer, an ethnobotanist, anthropologists and documentary filmmakers entered the isolated region. They were protected by Honduran Special forces. Writer Douglas Preston said the team emerged on February 25, after documenting the ruins of the "vanished culture." "In contrast to the nearby Maya, this vanished culture has been scarcely studied and it remains virtually unknown," Douglas wrote. Archaeologists’ believed there had been an entire civilization with many cities. The expedition found works, including an earthen pyramid as well as a collection of stone sculptures, thought to potentially have been burial offerings. Archaeologist Oscar Neil Cruz, from the Honduran Institute of Anthropology and History, estimated they dated from A.D. 1000 to 1400. The researchers were greeted by wildlife which were never before seen by humans. "The Honduran government is committed to protecting this area, but doesn't have the money. We urgently need international support," Douglas wrote.

            The idea of finding a whole new ancient civilization makes me extremely excited and I am sure everyone reading this article is too. The people should read this and be aware of the new discoveries being made.