Heritage with Related Tags
Galápagos Islands
Located in the Pacific Ocean, about 1,000 kilometers from mainland South America, these 19 islands and surrounding marine reserve have been described as a unique "living museum and showcase of evolution." Located at the confluence of three ocean currents, the Galapagos Islands are a "melting pot" of marine species. Continuous earthquake and volcanic activity reflects the processes that formed the islands. These processes, combined with the islands' extreme isolation, have led to the emergence of unusual animal life—such as land iguanas, giant tortoises and many species of finches—which inspired Charles Darwin to propose his theory of evolution by natural selection after his visit in 1835.
Sites of Human Evolution at Mount Carmel: The Nahal Me’arot / Wadi el-Mughara Caves
The site, located on the western slopes of the Carmel Mountains, includes the Taben, Jamal, Elwad and Shooul caves. Ninety years of archaeological research have revealed an unparalleled cultural sequence that provides an archive of early human life in South-West Asia. The 54-hectare site preserves cultural deposits representing at least 500,000 years of human evolutionary history, demonstrating the unique presence of Neanderthals and early anatomically modern humans within the same Mesolithic cultural framework, the Mousterian culture. The numerous Natufian burials and evidence of early stone architecture in the caves represent the transition from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle to agriculture and pastoralism. The caves have therefore become a key site in the chronostratigraphic framework of human evolution, particularly prehistory in the Levant.
Gorham's Cave Complex
The steep limestone cliffs on the east side of the Rock of Gibraltar contain four caves with archaeological and paleontological deposits that provide evidence of Neanderthal habitation for more than 100,000 years. Unique testimony to the cultural traditions of the Neanderthals, mainly reflected in the hunting of birds and marine animals for food, the use of feathers as ornaments, and abstract rock carvings. Scientific research on these sites has made a significant contribution to the debate on Neanderthal and human evolution.
Fossil Hominid Sites of South Africa
The Taung Skull Site is an extension of the site inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1999, where the famous Taung skull, a specimen of Australopithecus africanus, was discovered in 1924. The Macapan Valley is also located within the site, where many archaeological caves show traces of human habitation and evolution dating back to about 3.3 million years ago. The area contains important elements for determining the origin and evolution of humans. The fossils found there have allowed the identification of several early ape specimens, especially Paranthropus, dating back to 4.5 to 2.5 million years ago, as well as evidence of the use of fire by humans between 1.8 and 1 million years ago.
Lower Valley of the Awash
The Awash Valley is one of the most important paleontological sites on the African continent. The remains found at the site date back to at least 4 million years ago, providing evidence for human evolution and changing our understanding of the history of the human skeleton. The most striking discovery came in 1974, when 52 bone fragments allowed the reconstruction of the famous Lucy.
Fangshan World Geopark Museum
On September 17, 2006, at the Second World Geopark Conference, Fangshan World Geopark in China was officially approved and awarded by UNESCO, becoming the only world geopark in a capital city. The park covers a total area of 953.95 square kilometers, spanning Fangshan District, Beijing, Laishui County, and Laiyuan County, Baoding City, Hebei Province. The park is divided into eight parks according to resource types and historical culture, showing the historical picture of the evolution of the earth in North China for billions of years, and recording the turmoil and changes in various geological eras. The museum is the landmark building and core display area of the geopark, located in Changgou Town, Fangshan District. The foundation stone was laid on March 29, 2009, and the trial operation was carried out on May 15, 2010. The reception capacity and experience effect have had a wide impact on the society and have been well received by all sectors of society. On July 12, 2010, it received unanimous praise from the experts of the jury in the mid-term evaluation of UNESCO. French expert Martini praised the museum as a brand-new, outstanding and unparalleled museum, representing the future and development of China World Geopark; Malaysian expert Kumo commented: This is the art masterpiece of the World Geopark Museum and the best place for popular science education; Chinese expert Zhao Xun wrote the inscription: the Palace of Science and the Enlightenment Base. The museum covers an area of 6.11 hectares, with a total investment of 180 million yuan and a construction area of 10,000 square meters. The architectural design concept is "shocking", which fully reflects the characteristics of "respecting natural mechanisms, making use of native terrain, naturally stretching shapes, and consistent internal and external spaces", and is unique and typical. The museum exhibition is based on "heaven, earth, man, and harmony" as the soul, with the geological changes, biological evolution, and human evolution of the park as the main line, supported by geological knowledge, and with popular science, storytelling, and popular language as the link. Using various modern scientific and technological means, the park's geological relics and cultural landscapes are displayed in all directions and from multiple angles, allowing visitors to feel the power of nature and the creation function of the earth, so as to achieve the purpose of enlightening thoughts, spreading knowledge, cultivating interests, and stimulating exploration. The museum has indoor exhibitions and outdoor science plazas. The indoor exhibition area is 5,800 square meters, with six exhibition halls, including the opening hall, the geological history and evolution hall, the eight park exhibition halls, the domestic and foreign world geological park exhibition halls, the physical specimen hall, and the prospect hall; the outdoor science plaza displays large specimens and some statues of geoscientific celebrities. Since it was officially opened to the public for free on April 3, 2011, the museum has conscientiously implemented the work requirements and work arrangements put forward by the leaders of the Fangshan District Tourism Committee and the Land Management Office, namely "standardization of target management, refinement of daily management, standardization of comprehensive management, diversification of policies, and overall efficiency of operation", and has always adhered to the "three closeness" principle and the purpose of "always paying attention to the needs of the audience" to serve the public. Since its opening, the museum has fully played the role of popular science education, leisure tourism, scientific research education, publicity and display, and information exchange. Its reception capacity and experience effect have been well received by leaders at all levels and all sectors of society. In 2012, it was awarded the title of "National 3A-level Tourist Attraction", the Science Education Base of the Ministry of Land and Resources, the Science Education Base of Beijing, the Patriotism Education Base of Beijing, and the Youth Extracurricular Activity Base of Beijing. It actively played the role of youth league members and established the "China Fangshan World Geopark Museum Youth Forum", which was rated as a municipal youth forum. It was also awarded the title of "Youth Civilization Unit" in Fangshan District, "Women Civilization Post" in Fangshan District, "Fangshan District Primary and Secondary School Students' Social Classroom Resource Unit", and "Changgou Middle School Student Social Practice Activity Education Base". While doing a good job in daily exhibition visits, the museum successfully held the 2010, 2011, 2012 Spring Beijing International Long Walk Conference and the 17th and 18th Fangshan Tourism and Culture Festival, the 2011 Nobel Prize Winner Beijing Forum - "Innovation and Development" Theme Exhibition, China World Geopark Photo Exhibition, Tourism Souvenir Competition, Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Travel Agency Promotion Conference, "Earth Day", "5.18 Museum Day, China Tourism Day, Cultural Heritage Day" and other large-scale science theme day publicity activities. At the same time, many theme activities were held in Fangshan District, including social classes for primary and secondary schools, science knowledge competitions, tour guide speech competitions, weekend lectures, science popularization in communities and schools, etc., so that the museum's role as a base for science popularization education and enlightenment hall was fully played, providing a good learning and activity venue for all sectors of society, and becoming a beautiful business card to promote Fangshan.
Vredefort Dome
Located approximately 120 km southwest of Johannesburg, the Vreedefort Dome is a representative section of a large meteorite impact structure (or crater). Dating back to 2.023 billion years ago, it is the oldest crater ever discovered on Earth. With a radius of 190 km, it is also the largest and most deeply eroded. The Vreedefort Dome witnessed the world's largest known single energy release event, which had devastating effects around the globe, including, according to some scientists, major evolutionary changes. It provides key evidence for the Earth's geological history and is essential for understanding the evolution of the Earth. Despite the importance of impact sites to Earth history, geological activity on the Earth's surface has caused evidence for most impact sites to disappear, with Vreedefort being the only example that provides a complete geological section of a star-shaped crater below the crater floor.
Wadi Al-Hitan (Whale Valley)
Wadi Al-Hitan, the Whale Valley in Egypt's Western Desert, contains priceless fossil remains of the earliest, now extinct whale suborder Archaeoceti. These fossils represent one of the main stories of evolution: the evolution of whales from land animals to marine mammals. This is the most important site in the world showing this stage of evolution. It gives a vivid picture of the form and life of these whales during the transition. The number, concentration and quality of such fossils here are unique, and they are easy to find and located in a beautiful and protected environment. The fossils at Al-Hitan show the youngest Archaeoceti, which are in the final stages of losing their hind limbs. Other fossil material at the site allows one to reconstruct the surrounding environment and ecological conditions at the time.
Ogasawara Islands
The property includes more than 30 islands, divided into three groups, covering an area of 7,939 hectares. The islands have a variety of landscapes and are home to a wide range of animals, including the critically endangered bat Ogasawara flying fox and 195 endangered bird species. 441 native plant species have been recorded on the islands, and their waters support a wide range of fish, cetaceans and corals. The ecosystem of the Ogasawara Islands reflects a range of evolutionary processes, with plant species from Southeast and Northwest Asia, as well as many endemic species.
Tassili n'Ajjer
The site is located in a geologically significant and bizarre lunar landscape and contains the world's most important collection of prehistoric cave art. More than 15,000 drawings and engravings document climate change, animal migrations and the evolution of human life. The rock formations on the edge of the Sahara Desert date from 6000 BC to the first few centuries of the modern era. The geological formations here are spectacular, with eroded sandstone forming a "rock forest".
Lake Malawi National Park
Located at the southern end of the vast Lake Malawi, the national park is a deep, clear lake backed by mountains and home to hundreds of fish species, almost all of which are endemic. Its importance to evolutionary studies is comparable to that of the finches of the Galapagos Islands.
Komodo National Park
These volcanic islands are home to about 5,700 giant lizards, known as Komodo dragons for their appearance and aggressive behavior. They are unique elsewhere in the world and are of great significance to scientists studying evolution. The rugged slopes of the dry savannah and the thorny green vegetation contrast with the bright white sand beaches and blue waters surging over the corals.
Australian Fossil Mammal Sites (Riversleigh / Naracoorte)
Riversleigh and Naracoorte, located in the north and south of eastern Australia respectively, are among the world's top ten fossil sites. They provide excellent examples of key stages in the evolution of Australia's unique fauna.
Messel Pit Fossil Site
Messel Pit is the richest site in the world for understanding life during the Eocene Epoch (57 to 36 million years ago). In particular, it provides unique information about the early stages of mammal evolution, including well-preserved mammal fossils, from complete skeletons to stomach contents of animals from this period.
Atlantic Forest South-East Reserves
The Southeastern Atlantic Forest Reserve, located in the states of Paraná and São Paulo, contains the finest and most extensive Atlantic Forest in Brazil. Comprising 25 protected areas (with a total area of approximately 470,000 hectares), the reserve showcases the biological wealth and evolutionary history of the last remaining Atlantic forests. From densely forested mountains to wetlands and coastal islands with isolated mountains and sand dunes, the area offers a rich natural environment of stunning beauty.