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That was heavy going

Okay, I knew the Doggerland conference was for archaeology professionals and not scum like me, but it was still heavier going than expected.

Like, there was the man who talked for half an hour about the chemistry of how DNA breaks down over time, with molecular orbital diagrams and long strings of equations. And after half an hour of this, he concluded by saying they found DNA evidence of walnut, walnut didn’t grow in Western Europe at the time, so it is probable evidence of both humans and trade.

See, the dumbed-down-for-weasels, popsci version would be just that last bit.

Still and all, every one of the talks had an interesting bit, so it’s worth attending day 2.
Excuse me, my puzzler hurts.

Comments


Comment from durnedyankee
Time: May 6, 2021, 9:47 pm

Or, maybe…Walnuts didn’t grow in the uplands that weren’t drowned during this time period.

Not impossible, but isn’t it interesting that a ‘trade good’ survived. Considering the ‘native’ range of the tree.

Can we assume they were talking about wood, not the actual nuts?


Comment from Ben
Time: May 6, 2021, 10:05 pm

You can make your own molecular orbital diagrams with this fun tool:
http://orbitals.com/orb/ov.htm


Comment from BJM
Time: May 7, 2021, 1:27 am

You’re a better weasel than I am, Stoaty. I fell asleep…twice.


Comment from Some Vegetable
Time: May 7, 2021, 6:34 am

…” walnut didn’t grow in Western Europe at the time, so it is probable evidence of both humans and trade.”

A walnut could have been easily carried there by a migrating swallow!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8Rn_f75UHs


Comment from JC cOLLINS
Time: May 7, 2021, 7:06 am

‘Ye can’t have yer puddin’ if ye don’t eat yer meat! HOwdyu expect to get any puddin’ if ye don’ eat yer meat!’ Sorry Stoaty, the lecturer evidently though you need extra cabbage, or some such. Having been raised in Texas, I was appalled to find that in the UK ‘meat’ means variously ‘a course of a meal which includes meat and (mostly) veg’, or a vulgarism for courting tackle (‘meat and 2 veg’), but very rarely ‘The Roast Beef of Old England’ or the ‘Sunday joint of Beef’. But I have resigned myself to a fuller understanding of Brit meal … things. ‘High Tea’ is not a formal thing, it means we’re having scrambled eggs for the evening meal. ‘Second Breakfast’ and ‘Elevenses’ seem to have missed the ark, along with the unicorn. Lunch is just another goddam meeting, quite probably vegan, and with not a drop of reality fluid to be found, carrying a pocket flask being more than your job’s worth. ‘Supper’ is a knife-and-fork tea (thank you Kingsley Amis, for that redolent phrase).


Comment from BJM
Time: May 7, 2021, 4:16 pm

@JC…much of our schedule still revolves around our rural roots and rhythms.

My fav is the Viennese “Gabelfrühstück” (fork breakfast). So called because it is usually comprised of a savory dish substantial enough for a fork to stand in the bowl, wurst or cold meats and a beer.


Comment from durnedyankee
Time: May 7, 2021, 5:01 pm

Sweaty, did you know you were a Pokémon?

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