It is a regrettable reality that there is never enough time to cover all the interesting scientific stories that come our way. So each month, we highlight some of the best stories that almost made it. May’s list includes the discovery of a possible prehistoric mining site in the Pyrenees; A new species of small blue octopus; This appears to be why cats prefer silver vine to catnip; and why political polarization may behave like a phase change, among other notable stories.
Prehistoric mining in the Pyrenees
Credit: IPHES-CERCA
There is a prehistoric cave high in the eastern Pyrenees, which was excavated between 2021 and 2023. Based on analysis of artefacts uncovered at the site, a team of Spanish archaeologists believe it may have served as an ancient copper smelting site, occupied by humans far more frequently than previously thought. The researchers describe these preliminary findings in a paper published in the journal Frontiers in Environmental Archaeology.
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