- About 8,000 years ago, numerous civilizations flourished on flatlands that today lie beneath the waters of the North and Baltic Seas.
- Currently, researchers affiliated with numerous academic organizations across Northern Europe are conducting an extensive investigation aimed at examining these areas and uncovering proof of ancient civilizations that once thrived there.
- Time is crucial because numerous areas that scientists aim to investigate are highly desirable locations for constructing wind farms necessary to address increasing sea levels. this era .
Around 8,000 to 6,000 BCE, the North and Baltic Seas did not resemble seas; rather, they encompassed expansive grasslands where early human societies thrived. However, as the final act ended Ice Age As the water levels rose, they submerged these low-lying regions, erasing most signs of thriving communities. Almost all traces were lost.
The University of Bradford’s Submerged Landscapes Research Centre in the UK, along with TNO Geological Survey of the Netherlands, Flanders Marine Institute, and the University of York, will shortly embark on exploring these submerged landscapes. civilizations As part of a research partnership called SUBNORDICA, one of the historic regions this initiative seeks to explore is an ancient territory. to explore is Doggerland , believed to have flourished in the North Sea area around 8,200 years ago.
About twenty thousand years ago, the worldwide sea level stood approximately 130 meters below today's levels. global warming and sea-level rise ", vanished ancient terrains, which have been inhabited by human communities for thousands of years, were lost," stated Vincent Gaffney, who leads the Submerged Landscapes Research Centre. stated in a press release We have very limited knowledge about the inhabitants of these vast prairies. With Europe and the globe moving towards net-zero emissions, the exploration of coastal shelf areas has become a key strategic objective. The SUBNORDICA project aims to employ cutting-edge technology to investigate these regions and promote sustainable growth.
Included among these technologies will be cutting-edge seabed mapping along with computer simulations of submerged settlements. Additionally, various AI tools, alongside seismic and acoustic surveys and drilling operations, will be employed. The University of Bradford announced this in March. disclosed its intention to examine information collected through magnetometer surveys Designed for evaluating the environmental impact of upcoming green energy projects, university experts suggest that magnetic fields can assist in pinpointing "areas rich in peat... or locations where erosion has taken place, such as within river channels."
Time is crucial when examining these submerged ancient societies. Many millennia past, an extra 7.7 million square miles stood above the waves, with about 1.16 million square miles situated near Europe’s current shores. Experts characterize this area as "the prime territory along Europe’s present-day coast." prehistoric settling anywhere within the continent."
Today, this area mostly constitutes the coastal shelf that various North Sea countries are now developing for offshore wind farms to address climate change. climate change This significant growth in green energy infrastructure might restrict scientific exploration of these regions, which is why initiatives such as SUBNORDICA are hurrying to study the region before opportunities become scarce.
SUBNORDICA aims to explore the importance of ancient shorelines and their resources for human populations. By conducting diving surveys in Aarhus Bay within Denmark, we intend to assess the prevalence of coastal communities relative to inland ones during this period and understand how marine resources were utilized from approximately 9000 to 8500 years ago," stated Peter Moe Astrup, an underwater archaeologist at Denmark’s Moesgaard Museum, in a press release. "Subsequently, this information will guide our efforts. archaeological inquiries in harder-to-reach regions."
As countries battle escalating sea levels—a struggle that.some The North Sea nations have never fully concluded —scientists are hurriedly working to uncover what occurred with these ancient humans who also went through an increase in temperature temperature those that threatened and ultimately defeated their civilizations.
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