barely related sidebar:
...Historically, microtextural analysis has been done by hand and eye, using magnifying glasses and microscopes to attempt to draw inferences about sand grains’ histories. Modern science has validated the approach, showing that transport mechanisms do indeed impart telltale signatures – for example, grains that traveled farther often appear more rounded because they’ve had their sharp corners dulled; waves and wind also leave distinctive abrasion patterns.
However, traditional microtextural analysis is highly subjective, time-consuming, and scattershot across different studies. Thanks to the new tool, which leverages the power of machine learning to deeply scrutinize microscopic images of sand grains, microtextural analysis can now be far more quantitative, objective, and potentially useful across a wide range of applications. It also analyzes individual sand grains instead of lumping multiple grains into a single category, offering a more complete evaluation.
https://scitechdaily.com/images/Ancient-Sand-Ripples-scaled.jpg
The SandAI neural network was trained using modern quartz sand and can help unravel the histories encoded in ancient rocks. Shown here are ancient ripples formed by water currents being reworked by modern wind-blown sediment in Oman.
Credit: Mathieu Lapôtre/Stanford University
I read somewhere that it is thought the Clovis people came from Europe, where similar stone tools, arrowheads, spearheads, etc. have been found, cut {or chipped) in the same fashion.
Thanks. I’m a snow guy since a kid. I think fondly of the many times I went snow skiing in the bush. I used wooden skis, cable bindings, and mountaineering boots. The wax to be used for different conditions was a science in itself. I remember my first time ice fishing. After a six pack I was no longer scared.
