This is a rather interesting article by BBC - about the most recent attempt at dating Stonehenge. The pomp and show associated with this article has me wondering about its authenticity.
On the one hand, one cannot be too sure that the scientists are doing real science, and not just making up numbers that fit the popularly held belief - so that they might be able to get more funding for the project. Their academic careers probably depend on making this project work (the University they presumably work for has given them a sabbatical to work on the project, and would definitely not want to see them return empty handed.)
On the other hand, there is the question of the media's integrity as well! Anyone who has watched the flood of news channels these last few years will have realized that there is a lot of money to be made in the making News - clearly the way they make money is by sensationalizing an issue to the extent to which people would pay money to watch other shows (in this case, Time-Watch) on one of their sister channels - and in the process doubling their revenue off the story!
But the story has definitely caught my attention. The results do sound cool!
BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Dig pinpoints Stonehenge origins
On the one hand, one cannot be too sure that the scientists are doing real science, and not just making up numbers that fit the popularly held belief - so that they might be able to get more funding for the project. Their academic careers probably depend on making this project work (the University they presumably work for has given them a sabbatical to work on the project, and would definitely not want to see them return empty handed.)
On the other hand, there is the question of the media's integrity as well! Anyone who has watched the flood of news channels these last few years will have realized that there is a lot of money to be made in the making News - clearly the way they make money is by sensationalizing an issue to the extent to which people would pay money to watch other shows (in this case, Time-Watch) on one of their sister channels - and in the process doubling their revenue off the story!
But the story has definitely caught my attention. The results do sound cool!
BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Dig pinpoints Stonehenge origins
Until now, the consensus view for the date of the first stone circle was anywhere between 2600 BC and 2400 BC.
Strictly speaking, the result was rounded down to "between 2400 BC and 2200 BC" - but 2300BC is taken as the average. .....
"It's quite extraordinary that the date of the Amesbury Archer is identical with our new date for the bluestones of Stonehenge," said Professor Darvill.
"The date of Stonehenge had been blowing in the wind. But this anchors it. It helps us to be secure about the chronology of events.
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