A study shows that the earliest human inhabitants of Moxos plains began transforming the tropical savanna eco-region in Bolivia 10,000 years ago, that is 8,000 earlier than previously thought.
The study was conducted by scientists from Bern in cooperation with universities in Britain, Spain and the United States.
The study involved an unprecedented large-scale regional analysis of more than 60 archaeological sites, according to the university statement.
Samples were retrieved from 30 forest islands and archaeological excavations were carried out in four of them.
“Until this recent study, scientists had neither searched for, nor excavated, old archaeological sites in this region that might document the pre-Columbian domestication of these globally important crops,” says Umberto Lombardo from Bern university.
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Swiss scientists identify bowstring used by Ötzi the Iceman
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Swiss scientists have established that a cord found next to the body of Neolithic hunter Ötzi the Iceman was a bowstring.
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Nemo brought the Eurovision Song Contest to Switzerland with a victory on Saturday evening in Malmö, Sweden. It is Switzerland's third victory in the history of the music contest.
Switzerland abstains from vote on Palestinian bid for full UN membership
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On Friday, Switzerland abstained from the vote at the General Assembly on granting the Palestinians new rights at the United Nations (UN).
Protein in abdominal fat could help shape obesity treatment
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The study analysed fat cells from different locations in the body, and found that those in the abdomen have unique properties.
North African asylum claims fall after rapid Swiss processing
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The accelerated procedure, now out of its test phase, has resulted in a significant drop in applications from North African countries.
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The artist's song "The Code" focuses on their journey as a nonbinary individual. It is one of the favourites to win this year's contest.
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Earliest high mountain settlement identified in Ethiopia
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An international team with Swiss participation discovered the oldest high mountain dwelling at an altitude of almost 3,500 metres in Ethiopia’s Bale mountains. The archaeological find revealed that the hunters made tools from obsidian and fed on giant mole rats, as the scientists reported in the academic journal “Science”. Charcoal remains also came to light during the excavations. The scientists…
Baby teeth reveal previously unknown ancient Siberians
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An international research group has found 31,000-year-old milk teeth – and a previously unknown population group in north-eastern Siberia.
Gene editing leads to faster production of food-friendly cassava
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Zurich researchers have used gene editing to develop a variant of the starchy tuber cassava that is much easier to process for the food industry.
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Herren, the subject of a new biography, tells swissinfo.ch how he managed to naturally control the bug using a method that involved shooting the insect’s natural enemy, a type of wasp, from aeroplanes across huge swathes of Africa. The scientist was only 31 when he took a job in the middle of a crisis: the…
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If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.