Natural History Wanderings

Live Science  reports

The world’s oldest termite mounds have been collecting carbon from the atmosphere for thousands of years.

Scientists in South Africa have discovered the world’s oldest known active termite mounds, which have been occupied for tens of thousands of years.

“Recent radiocarbon dating has revealed that these mounds are far older than any previously known, with some dating as far back as 34,000 years — that’s older than the iconic cave paintings in Europe and even older than the Last Glacial Maximum, when vast ice sheets covered much of the northern hemisphere,” Michele Francis, the lead author of the study published in May in the journal Science of the Total Environment, said in a statement.

Read more at  Scientists discovered the oldest termite mounds on Earth — and they’re 34,000 years old | Live Science