Friends of Soqotra 15th AGM & Symposium 2016

Friday 2nd - Sunday 4th September 2016

This year, the Friends of Socotra AGM will take the format of reviewing the past, reporting on the present, and looking to the future. Invited speakers will present themed sessions, with time allowed for discussion after each session.

In addition, in order to allow participants to present and discuss their ideas, images and research, there will be an extended poster session. Each poster presenter will be allowed 1-2 minutes to introduce their poster, within an informal discussion forum.

Here you can find information on the AGM and Symposium programme, as well as details for poster submission.

UAE sends aid to Yemen’s Socotra Islands again!

ABU DHABI // The UAE is sending 12 planeloads carrying 400 tonnes of Ramadan food supplies to Yemen’s Socotra Island to help Yemenis.

The humanitarian initiative by Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation was in response to the directives of President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.The first three aid planes include 100 tonnes of Ramadan food supplies to help underprivileged families especially during the Holy Month of Ramadan, an official source at the Khalifa Foundation said.

This latest allocation of humanitarian aid follows several other deliveries to Yemen, the most recent being in April and February 2016 and September 2015.

Source: http://www.thenational.ae/world/middle-east/uae-sends-aid-to-yemens-socotra-islands

Hobbit histories: the origins of Homo floresiensis

And it doesn't stop, people of around 1m in height, working with tools... 700.000 years ago?

https://youtu.be/ewI3i5v0LzE

The origins of the species known as 'the hobbit' - a human relative only a little over a metre tall - have been debated ever since its discovery in 2004. Now new fossils may reveal the ancestors of this strange species and help us to understand its history.

Read more from nature news here: http://www.nature.com/uidfinder/10.1038/534164a.

Find the paper on the new fossils here: http://www.nature.com/doifinder/10.1038/nature17999.

And a second paper here covers the age and context of the fossils:http://www.nature.com/doifinder/10.1038/nature17663

Early Neanderthal constructions deep in Bruniquel Cave in southwestern France

Something to think about!?
Actually, what do we know?!

175.000 years ago Neanderthal contructed this deep in a cave (SW France)

Why, how, who, ...

A view-only version of the paper in Nature is available by using the following link:

http://rdcu.be/it73 and video http://bcove.me/6ncvregh

A 6minutes movie of the discovery is available at:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4ce4sl (Français)/

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x4ceckj (English)