KAKADU, AUSTRALIA—According to a statement released by the University of Queensland, archaeologist Anna Florin, Mirarr Traditional Owners, and their colleagues analyzed the shells of pandanus nuts unearthed at Madjedbebe, an archaeological site in Australia’s Northern Territory dating back some 65,000 years. Florin explained that the composition of the shells reveals the amount of rainfall the tree received that growing season. Team member Chris Clarkson added that the changes in the amount of rainfall recorded in the nutshells correspond with coping strategies observed in the archaeological record. Early Australians may have even been attracted to the region for its resources during dry spells, the researchers explained. Read the original scholarly article about this research in Nature Ecology & Evolution. To read about rock art in the Northern Territory's Kakadu National Park, go to "Off the Grid."
