This Week In History News, May 3 – 9

Published May 8, 2020

William Wallace's 13th-century fort revealed, gaps in Earth's geological record uncovered, most dangerous place in history determined.

13th-Century Fort Built By William Wallace Comes To Light Thanks To Drone Footage

Fort Built By William Wallace

FLS Skyscape Survey 2020An aerial view of the Scottish site believed to be the location of William Wallace’s 13th-century fort.

Starting in 1296, Scottish knight William Wallace led his countrymen against the invading English in a war for independence. He often used small forts to mount his David-vs.-Goliath campaign before ultimately being captured and killed.

Now, a drone survey has revealed images of one such fort in Scotland. “There isn’t much evidence on the surface,” said lead archaeologist Matt Richie, “but the rampart and topography matches the historic description very well.”

See more here.

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Millions Of Years Are Missing From Earth’s Geological History — And Scientists Think They Know Why

Earth From Outer Space

PixabayGeologists believe they have finally unlocked the mysteries of what’s known as the Great Unconformity.

For some time, scientists have puzzled over layers of rock missing from Earth’s geological record. Throughout the course of Earth’s evolution, layers of rock sediment formed one on top of the other and each layer represents a different time period in Earth’s history. But there are layers of sediment missing from this record that span hundreds of millions of years — and scientists think they have finally figured out why that is.

The new study suggests that these gaps were likely created by the planet’s moving tectonic plates.

Dig deeper in this look at the Great Unconformity.

According to Paleontologists, This Was The Most Dangerous Place In Earth’s History

Carcharodontosaurus And Elosuchus Illustration

Davide BonadonnaThe toothy Carcharodontosaurus stalking the Sahara as the crocodile-like Elosuchus roam around for a fresh kill.

A group of international paleontologists claims to have discovered the most dangerous time and place on the planet. Based on their exhaustive research, the one place you wouldn’t want to visit was the Sahara — 100 million years ago.

Dr. Nizar Ibrahim of the University of Detroit Mercy led the study and explained that “a human time-traveler would not last very long” in the area. With colossal reptiles swooping through the skies and gigantic crocodile-like beasts roaming the landscape, his point is well taken.

Read more about the most dangerous place in history.

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All That's Interesting
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Established in 2010, All That's Interesting brings together a dedicated staff of digital publishing veterans and subject-level experts in history, true crime, and science. From the lesser-known byways of human history to the uncharted corners of the world, we seek out stories that bring our past, present, and future to life. Privately-owned since its founding, All That's Interesting maintains a commitment to unbiased reporting while taking great care in fact-checking and research to ensure that we meet the highest standards of accuracy.
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John Kuroski
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John Kuroski is the editorial director of All That's Interesting. He graduated from New York University with a degree in history, earning a place in the Phi Alpha Theta honor society for history students. An editor at All That's Interesting since 2015, his areas of interest include modern history and true crime.