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'Siberian unicorn' walked Earth with humans
BBC ^
| 11/27/2018
| By Helen Briggs
Posted on 11/27/2018 1:15:48 PM PST by Red Badger
A giant rhino that may have been the origin of the unicorn myth survived until at least 39,000 years ago - much longer than previously thought.
Known as the Siberian unicorn, the animal had a long horn on its nose, and roamed the grasslands of Eurasia.
New evidence shows the hefty beast may have eventually died out because it was such a picky eater.
Scientists say knowing more about the animal's extinction could help save the remaining rhinos on the planet.
Rhinos are in particular danger of extinction because they are very picky about their habitat, said Prof Adrian Lister of the Natural History Museum, London, who led the study.
"Any change in their environment is a danger for them," he told BBC News. "And, of course, what we've also learned from the fossil record is that once a species is gone, that's it, it's gone for good."
Weighing in at a mighty four tonnes, with an extraordinary single horn on its head, the "Siberian unicorn", shared the earth with early modern humans up until at least 39,000 years ago.
What do we know about the ancient rhino?
The rhino, Elasmotherium sibericum, was thought to have become extinct between 200,000 and 100,000 years ago.
By radiocarbon-dating a total of 23 specimens, researchers found the Ice Age giant in fact survived in Eastern Europe and Central Asia until at least 39,000 years ago.
They also isolated DNA from the ancient rhino for the first time, showing it split from the modern group of rhinos about 40 million years ago.
The extinction of the Siberian unicorn marks the end point of an entire group of rhinos. Why might it have gone extinct?
The study also involved examining the animals' teeth, confirming they grazed on tough, dry grasses.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
TOPICS: Education; History; Outdoors; Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: c14; elasmotherium; godsgravesglyphs; helixmakemineadouble; keywordtroll; lucy; piltdownman; radiocarbondating; sibericum; storkzilla; unicorns; youngearthnitwits
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To: Covenantor
It was a Horny Buffalo.....................
21
posted on
11/27/2018 2:09:30 PM PST
by
Red Badger
(We are headed for a Civil War. It won't be nice like the last one....................)
To: Red Badger
22
posted on
11/27/2018 2:09:36 PM PST
by
KSCITYBOY
(The media is corrupt)
To: dead
You should photoshop them into the new Mars picture..................
23
posted on
11/27/2018 2:11:19 PM PST
by
Red Badger
(We are headed for a Civil War. It won't be nice like the last one....................)
To: Red Badger
24
posted on
11/27/2018 2:14:19 PM PST
by
Bratch
("The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." - Edmund Burke)
To: Bratch
I don’t think anyone would ever say that this Unicorn is the loveliest of all animals.
25
posted on
11/27/2018 2:20:46 PM PST
by
Pontiac
(The welfare state must fail because it is contrary to human nature and diminishes the human spirit)
To: fishtank
That part about being framed by the CIA is not improvabke.
26
posted on
11/27/2018 2:39:50 PM PST
by
reasonisfaith
(What are the implications if the Resurrection of Christ is a true event in history?)
To: PLMerite
Save it for post #4. (”Frigid?”)
27
posted on
11/27/2018 3:07:21 PM PST
by
grey_whiskers
(The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
To: dead
28
posted on
11/27/2018 3:08:06 PM PST
by
grey_whiskers
(The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
To: EEGator
#4 is what you advertise for. #1 is what answers the ad.
To: EEGator
To: Red Badger
Why might it have gone extinct? Impermanence. Everything changes. Just as every individual living being dies every species of living creature eventually becomes extinct. The fossil record should be a pretty good clue about that.
31
posted on
11/27/2018 4:46:05 PM PST
by
TigersEye
(This is the age of the death of reason.)
To: Rightwing Conspiratr1
"Theres a lot of ribs on the skeleton. I think it went extinct because it was delicious barbecued."
Wilma baby ... those Siberian Unicorn ribs are OFF THE CHAIN!!!
32
posted on
11/27/2018 5:26:15 PM PST
by
CapnJack
To: Bratch
Oh yes, thanks for that...I’m so pleased we have cats and rats and elephants at least.
And now a unicornious buffaluffalo creature. Named Sam.
33
posted on
11/27/2018 5:42:04 PM PST
by
Veto!
(Veto! (Political Correctness Offends Me))
To: Larry Lucido
34
posted on
11/27/2018 5:53:15 PM PST
by
EEGator
To: Red Badger
There was a one-horned animal called a tachash that lived in Biblical days. It was created for a single purpose: to provide its skin to the Mishkan in the desert. Once the Mishkan was replaced by the Holy Temple, it had served its purpose and died out.
35
posted on
11/27/2018 5:58:38 PM PST
by
Zionist Conspirator
("Conservatism" without G-d is just another form of Communism.)
To: Red Badger
In my opinion, the Siberian unicorn probably looked something like this:
36
posted on
11/27/2018 6:01:08 PM PST
by
Zionist Conspirator
("Conservatism" without G-d is just another form of Communism.)
To: StayAt HomeMother; Ernest_at_the_Beach; 1ofmanyfree; 21twelve; 24Karet; 2ndDivisionVet; 31R1O; ...
Thanks Red Badger.
37
posted on
11/27/2018 10:42:46 PM PST
by
SunkenCiv
(and btw -- https://www.gofundme.com/for-rotator-cuff-repair-surgery)
To: Red Badger
Listening to the song...”And don’t you forget mu Unicorn”, and looking at the picture, I can see why it wasn’t let on the boat....
38
posted on
11/28/2018 3:14:13 AM PST
by
trebb
(Those who don't donate anything tend to be empty gasbags...no-value-added types)
To: Red Badger; dead
You should photoshop them into the new Mars picture.................. They could become the new "Tourist Guy"
39
posted on
11/28/2018 4:47:07 AM PST
by
COBOL2Java
(Marxism: Trendy theory, wrong species)
To: Zionist Conspirator
40
posted on
11/28/2018 6:13:09 AM PST
by
Red Badger
(We are headed for a Civil War. It won't be nice like the last one....................)
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