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Ancient fossils in Laos cave reveal early human presence in Asia

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Ancient fossils found in Laos challenge human migration theories, indicating early humans reached Asia 86,000 years ago, much earlier than previously thought.

According to Kira Westaway, the lead author of the study from Macquarie University, Australia, this early migration may have been unsuccessful, but the fact that Homo sapiens had reached the region during that time is a remarkable achievement. Earlier studies using DNA analysis and archaeological evidence had suggested that modern humans left Africa around 50,000 to 60,000 years ago, following coastal routes and islands towards Australia. 

However, the discovery of older human remains in China and the Levant has complicated this narrative, implying the possibility of earlier migrations that did not contribute to the modern gene pool.

The fossils found in Tam Pa Ling cave, including a leg bone fragment and part of a skull, exhibited physical characteristics typical of early modern humans. Dating these fossils was challenging since they were too old for radiocarbon dating. Instead, the researchers utilised luminescence dating of sediment minerals and electron-spin-resonance dating of animal teeth found in the same layer as the human remains. These methods estimated the fossils to be between 68,000 and 86,000 years old, significantly expanding the timeline of human presence in the region.

This discovery not only raises questions about the timing and routes of human migration but also challenges the conventional belief that early human journeys in the area primarily followed coastlines and islands. The cave’s location, situated inland and at a considerable altitude of approximately 1,100 meters (3,609 feet), indicates that early Homo sapiens had the capability to adapt and disperse through upland forested regions much earlier than previously assumed.

The findings from this cave, along with other sites in the region, have the potential to provide further insights into early human history and paleoanthropology. Ongoing excavations and future discoveries in the area will continue to contribute to our understanding of the complex migration patterns and adaptations of early Homo sapiens.

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Moon train operations are planned by NASA.

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The goal is to construct the first lunar train system, which will enable safe, independent, and effective cargo transportation on the moon, according to robotics specialist Ethan Schaler of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

He went on, “The day-to-day functioning of a sustainable lunar base in the 2030s will depend heavily on a robust, long-lasting robotic transport system.”

The Flexible Levitation on a Track, or FLOAT, is the name of the proposed lunar rail system. According to NASA, the establishment of a railway system on the moon is “critical to the daily operations.”

According to the space agency, the primary objective of FLOAT is to offer transportation services in regions of the moon where astronauts are engaged in activities. To do this, cargoes of lunar soil and other materials will need to be transported to various regions of the moon.

Each robot will be able to transport cargo of various sizes and shapes at a pace of roughly 1 mph (1.61 km/h), according to Dr. Schaler.

Notably, NASA also declared new initiatives last month to create and test new vehicle models intended for moon exploration.

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Pakistan’s lunar mission ‘ICUBE-Q’ reaches the moon orbit.

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Pakistan’s lunar mission (ICUBE-Q) entered orbit around the moon on Wednesday.

Pakistan’s historic lunar mission (ICUBE-Q) launched from Hainan, China, on Friday aboard China’s Chang’E6 spacecraft.

According to the IST, the satellite ICUBE-Q was planned and developed in partnership with China’s Shanghai University SJTU and Pakistan’s national space agency SUPARCO.

The ICUBE-Q orbiter is equipped with two optical cameras to image the lunar surface. ICUBE-Q has now been integrated into the Chang’e6 mission after successfully qualifying and testing it.

Chang’e6 is the sixth lunar exploration mission launched by China.

The launch event was streamed live on the IST website and social media platforms. Chang’6, China’s Lunar Mission, will land on the Moon’s far side to collect surface samples before returning to Earth for further research.

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Education

The establishment of IT labs in Islamabad’s educational establishments

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SIFC was established to improve the ease of doing business for potential investors through a “Whole of Government”Approach”—achieving optimal horizontal-vertical synergy and facilitation by the Pakistan Army—and to attract investments from friendly countries in selected sectors through an empowered organisation that serves as a “single-window” platform for facilitation.

The children will learn the newest skills in these state-of-the-art IT labs, expanding their employment prospects.

These IT laboratories will be constructed in sixteen degree colleges spread throughout various parts of Islamabad.

Students will take six-month courses in artificial intelligence (AI), game development, data science, and block chain in these IT labs.

Approximately 1,000 students will have access to courses in the first phase, which is being implemented in response to market demand.

The National Vocational and Technical Training Commission has worked with esteemed universities such as NUST, National Skills University, COMSATS, and NUML to produce these courses.

The second week of this month will mark the start of these classes. For these courses, about 3,600 students have signed up.

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