It’s an unfortunate reality that there is never enough time to cover all the interesting science stories we come across. That’s why every month we highlight some of the best stories that almost went unnoticed. May’s list includes the discovery of a possible prehistoric mining site in the Pyrenees; a new species of tiny blue octopus; why cats seem to prefer silver vine to catnip; and why political polarization could behave like a phase transition, among other stories worth mentioning.
Prehistoric mining in the Pyrenees
Credit: IPHES-SEARCH
High in the Eastern Pyrenees is a prehistoric cave, excavated between 2021 and 2023. Based on analysis of artifacts discovered at the site, a team of Spanish archaeologists believe this may have served as an ancient copper smelting site, with much more frequent human occupation than previously thought. The researchers described these preliminary findings in a paper published in the journal Frontiers in Environmental Archeology.
