University Advancement

  • Oviatt Library

Clips

Most archaeologists think the first Americans arrived by boat. Now, they’re beginning to prove it

"I had no idea what it meant," says Des Lauriers, now a professor at California State University (Cal State) in Northridge. Curiosity piqued, he returned for a test excavation and sent some shell and charcoal for radiocarbon dating. When Des Lauriers's adviser called with the results, he said, "You should probably sit down." The material dated from nearly 11,000 to more than 12,000 years ago—only a couple thousand years after the first people reached the Americas. -- Science Magazine

Family Meal? Ancestral Humans May Have Engaged in Ritualistic Cannibalism

Hélène Rougier does not share Shipman’s assurance. The California State University, Northridge, anthropologist says the similarities between the incisions and known art from the era as well as the fact that the engraver was aware they were consuming and decorating another human, make interpreting the cuts as ceremonial behavior tempting. “But other hypotheses cannot be definitely dismissed,” she wrote in an e-mail. For instance, the carving might have been a spur-of-the-moment decision, she says. Maybe the arm bone was actually engraved for functionality, not as a ritual, suggests Paul Pettitt, an archaeologist at Durham University in England. With the pointy tip such a fractured fragment would likely produce, this bone might have been used to puncture other materials. If so, “certainly these would have been used in tasks that were somewhat messy,” he says. Like grooves on a bike handle, deep carvings enhance grip. And because Bello compared her bone with animal bones and antlers that also have been interpreted as tools, this possibility cannot be ruled out, he notes. -- Scientific American

For eight years, potato cooperatives have been campaigning ruthlessly to artificially raise prices.

Une véritable «OPEC de la pomme de terre» [en référence à l’Organisation des producteurs de pétrole] qui sévissait au pays du Mc Donald’s. C’est le constat accablant d’un rapport de Melanie Williams, professeur de droit à l’université de Californie. Entre 2004 et 2012, les coopératives de producteurs de pommes de terre se sont accordées pour réduire les surfaces de leurs champs, limitant ainsi la récolte et faisant gonfler artificiellement les prix. -- VSD - France (in French)

Most archaeologists think the first Americans arrived by boat. Now, they’re beginning to prove it

"I had no idea what it meant," says Des Lauriers, now a professor at California State University (Cal State) in Northridge. Curiosity piqued, he returned for a test excavation and sent some shell and charcoal for radiocarbon dating. When Des Lauriers s adviser called with the results, he said, "You should probably sit down." The material dated from nearly 11,000 to more than 12,000 years agoonly a couple thousand years after the first people reached the Americas. -- Newscaf

Alleged Rape At COC Prompts Talk About Santa Clarita Resources For Sexual Assault Victims

Strength United, a CSUN-based communitywide collaboration that “offers an interdisciplinary approach to ending abuse and violence through the collaboration of mental health professionals, educators, researchers, students and volunteers” would be the closest resource. There is a Strength United representative who works closely with COC’s Student Health Center, offering training and outreach, Schallert said. COC also refers students to Strength United or the local Domestic Violence Center when a need arises. -- KHTS

Kids let off a little STEAM while learning

Fee-based educational programs were easier to find this summer, but most were expensive. Walnut Unified School District, for instance, charged a $475 fee for its six-week summer enrichment program, and California State University Northridge offered summer academic programs for middle and high school students whose parents paid up to $700 for the three-day sessions. -- Camarillo Acorn

Summer Movie Fest: Psycho

Summer Movie Fest is an outdoor movie screening event hosted every Thursday at California State University Northridge. Each week we bring you an amazing movie, fun activities and delicious food trucks. So grab your blankets and chairs, bring the family, and enjoy an evening with CSUN. -- Carpe Diem

Pages