The cosmic explosion led to the emergence of agriculture.

Agriculture in the Levant (modern Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Israel and parts of Turkey) began with a cosmic explosion that occurred 12 thousand 800 years ago, when a fragmented comet crashed into the Earth’s atmosphere.

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The explosion and subsequent environmental changes forced hunter-gatherers at the prehistoric site of Abu Hurayra to adopt agricultural practices to increase their chances of survival. This is evidenced by the results of a study by an international group of scientists, reports EurekAlert.

This large region experienced a change from wetter conditions, which were forested and with varied food sources for hunter-gatherers, to drier, cooler conditions where they could no longer survive as hunter-gatherers alone, the researchers note.

The settlement at Abu Hurayra is known among archaeologists as evidence of the oldest known transition from gathering to agriculture.

Peasants began to grow barley, wheat and legumes, scientists note. “This is what the evidence clearly shows.”

Today, Abu Hurayra and its rich archaeological heritage lie beneath Lake Assad, a reservoir created by the construction of the Takba Dam on the Euphrates River in the 1970s. But before the flooding, archaeologists managed to collect a lot of materials for further study.

Studying them, scientists found that:

• approximately 12 thousand 800 years ago, the inhabitants of the village began to grow drought-resistant plants characteristic of early agriculture – this reflects the drier climate that came after a sudden harsh winter;
• evidence of a large-scale explosion was also found, such as melted minerals, causing significant destruction at the time;
• Similar traces of explosions that occurred during this period have been found at about 50 other sites throughout North and South America and Europe.

According to the researchers, this indicates a widespread, simultaneously destructive event, which corresponds to a fragmented comet crashing into the Earth’s atmosphere. Explosions, fires, and further winter impacts may have caused the extinction of most large animals, including mammoths, saber-toothed cats, American horses, and American camels.

Since there is no crater from the fall of this space object, this indicates that an air explosion led to such consequences, the researchers note.

Agriculture eventually emerged in several places on Earth during the Neolithic era, but it arose first in the Levant, the scientists note, triggered by the harsh climatic conditions that accompanied the cosmic impact.

Source: EurekAlert

Source: Racurs

David

I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.