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ONE OF THE last surviving populations of woolly mammoths was likely driven to extinction by a lack of drinking water.
Mammoths lived on Alaska’s St Paul Island in the Bering Sea until about 5,600 years ago. They never came into contact with humans, who only arrived on the island in 1787.
Researchers from the United States examined evidence of environmental change and found that the mammoths’ demise coincided with declining freshwater resources caused by rising sea levels and drier climate.
In a study published yesterday by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, they concluded that mammoths may have contributed to their own demise by congregating around remaining water holes.
The scientists said that the animals gathered around the water holes which destroyed the vegetation there at a faster rate.
“They were milling around, which would destroy the vegetation – we see this with modern elephants,” lead author Professor Russell Graham, from Pennsylvania State University, told The BBC.
“And this allows for the erosion of sediments to go into the lake, which is creating less and less fresh water.
The mammoths were contributing to their own demise.
Graham said that modern elephants require between 70 and 200 litres of water per day.
If it’s assumed that mammoths needed about the same, Graham said that they could have died out very quickly.
It wouldn’t have taken long if the water hole had dried up. If it had only dried up for a month, it could have been fatal,” he said.
“May” be pursued?
Should be hounded!
@Michael Kavanagh: indeed. And points on his licence.
@John Moylan:
Yup.
Railway points – and he has to carry them!
@John Moylan: I think a minimum ban of three months – he also drove on the wrong side of the road, and without due care and attention. It should be a dangerous driving charge by right.
I’ve noticed an increase in the amount of plonkers who decide to stop in a yellow box on Irish roads.
@Luke Lee: agree, in the Uk they have cameras on yellow boxes. Drivers who stop in the yellow box are recorded & a fix fine is imposed.
There is a yellow box there for a reason….ya big eej1t
Must have been a cyclist driving…only cyclists don’t stop at red lights.
@Vincent Harris: ha good one
@Vincent Harris: ha
@Vincent Harris: Incorrect. A MAJORITY of cyclists don’t stop at red lights.
@MK76: have you figures or statistics to back that up? In the recent Luas report into emergency stops motorists were by far and away the biggest single cause of the Luas emergency brakes bring applied.
What a dope.
@Paul Furey: man murdered someone and is fighting against how he was convicted?!! Sorry what?!!
As much of a tool as the lorry driver is “significant delays” surely all it takes is a couple of flag men to man the crossing until the barrier is repaired no?
@BAINNE ATHA CLIATH: Did you see that lorry hit the barrier? Would you want to be the one standing there with a flag?
@BAINNE ATHA CLIATH: unfortunately there is microswitches to ensure that all barriers are intact and also fully lowered, missing one will not allow the signals to clear and thus even with flagman the train has to be given authority to pass the signal at red at a snails pace this the knock on effect
The 2 monsters beside this story… Christ
egit…….
I think he thought it was a backstop
@Earl of Daventry: This place can be so vile at times. No wonder they close the comments, especially when dealing with legal issues.
Could have killed someone.
@LYNDALAND: yes – escaping by swerving onto the wrong side of the road in the face of oncoming traffic….hugely dangerous driving that is becoming everyday in Dublin in recent years
There were three clowns in the yellow box.
Imbecile
@Rory Mahon: if he had two brains he’d be twice as thick.
Special Kind of Stupid
This has never happened before..
Oh wait it has..
Put the Dart underground, problem solved.
Funny
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