5. The World’s Farthest Away Family
Discovered year: 1803
Estimated Value: N/A
When Adrian Targett, a 42-year-old history teacher, discovered that the 9,000-year-old Cheddar Man’s DNA matched his own, via his mother’s line, he formed an incredible genealogical connection. This prehistoric skeleton, the earliest complete one discovered in England, belonged to a hunter-gatherer who lived before agriculture was invented, circa 7000 BCE.
The Farthest Away Relative in the World Copyright Joseph Maguire/Shutterstock
The discovery was made during a DNA test for the archeology program “Once Upon a Time in the West.” The match was verified by Oxford University’s Institute of Molecular Medicine, which cast doubt on earlier theories regarding the spread of farming among early human groups and illuminated the residents’ lineage.
6. Fresh Life Emerges on Earth
Found Year: 2012 Estimated Value: N/A
The Bahamas’ “blue holes,” or underwater caverns, are becoming important research locations for the study of life’s evolution. Three inland blue holes were investigated by researchers, including Texas A&M University marine biologist Tom Iliffe, and each one revealed unique microbial life.
Earth’s New Life @atlasobscura/Pinterest
The depth, water layers, and oxygen levels all affected the different bacteria. “We’re finding new forms of life that are totally unknown elsewhere on Earth,” stated Iliffe. Each cave’s unique environment offers scientists information on possible evolutionary routes and adaptations. Known as “natural laboratories,” these blue holes provide a window into the strange realm of organisms that survive in harsh environments.
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