Week 3 Article Part 1: Did a comet cause agriculture? Flashcards
What climatic event, caused by a comet, may have triggered the development of agriculture around 12,800 years ago?
A) Ice Age Cooling
B) Younger Dryas
C) Green Sahara
D) Anthropocene
B
Fill-in-the-Blank
Q: The ________ is a site in Syria that provides evidence for one of the earliest known agricultural societies, possibly due to environmental changes from a comet impact.
Abu Hureyra
Match each term with its correct description.
Terms:
- Younger Dryas
- Abu Hureyra
- Black mat layer
- Shocked quartz
- Founder crops
Descriptions:
A. Early cultivated grains and legumes in the Fertile Crescent
B. Found at sites with cosmic impacts and nuclear test sites
C. Early settlement site where agriculture emerged
D. Evidence of high temperatures, containing platinum and nanodiamonds
E. A period of cooling triggered by a cosmic event
- Younger Dryas — E. A period of cooling triggered by a cosmic event
- Abu Hureyra — C. Early settlement site where agriculture emerged
- Black mat layer — D. Evidence of high temperatures, containing platinum and nanodiamonds
- Shocked quartz — B. Found at sites with cosmic impacts and nuclear test sites
- Founder crops — A. Early cultivated grains and legumes in the Fertile Crescent
Describe the changes in diet and lifestyle observed at Abu Hureyra after the onset of the Younger Dryas.
After the Younger Dryas began, the inhabitants’ diet shifted to more drought-resistant, domestic-type grains and legumes.
There was also evidence of early animal domestication and a move towards an agrarian lifestyle.
Define “cosmic airburst” and its relevance to the development of agriculture at Abu Hureyra.
A cosmic airburst is an explosion caused by a meteor or comet fragment entering Earth’s atmosphere and exploding before reaching the ground.
It’s relevant to Abu Hureyra as it is believed to have triggered climate changes that fostered conditions for early agriculture.
Explain how a comet impact might be linked to the origins of agriculture.
The comet impact likely caused a sudden cooling period (Younger Dryas), which altered environmental conditions.
This change in climate forced hunter-gatherers to start cultivating grains and legumes for a stable food source, marking an early transition to agriculture.
Which of the following materials is a strong indicator of cosmic impact and was found at Abu Hureyra?
A) Iron
B) Sulfur
C) Uranium
D) Nanodiamonds
D) Nanodiamonds
Fill-in-the-Blank
Q: The presence of the _______ at Abu Hureyra, which contains high levels of platinum and nanodiamonds, supports the hypothesis of a cosmic impact.
Black mat layer
Why do scientists compare shock fractures in quartz at Abu Hureyra to those found at nuclear test sites?
Scientists compare them to understand the effects of lower-pressure cosmic airbursts.
The similar fractures indicate extreme heat and pressure, supporting the theory that a cosmic airburst impacted Abu Hureyra.
Sort the following events in the correct order of occurrence:
Comet impact triggers Younger Dryas cooling.
Abu Hureyra inhabitants rely on wild grains and legumes.
Environmental shift leads to early cultivation of domestic-type crops.
Neolithic ‘founder crops’ become prominent in the Fertile Crescent.
Answer:
- Comet impact triggers Younger Dryas cooling.
- Abu Hureyra inhabitants rely on wild grains and legumes.
- Environmental shift leads to early cultivation of domestic-type crops.
- Neolithic ‘founder crops’ become prominent in the Fertile Crescent.
What evidence suggests that the Younger Dryas cooling event was caused by a cosmic airburst?
A) Presence of fossilized plants in Abu Hureyra
B) High concentrations of platinum, nanodiamonds, and metallic spherules in the black mat layer
C) The appearance of domestic-type grains and legumes
D) The absence of animal remains in Abu Hureyra
B) High concentrations of platinum, nanodiamonds, and metallic spherules in the black mat layer
