Artifacts, fossils tell story of changes to Egypt’s animals

Egypt’s 6,000-year history is giving scientists a window into the influence that climate and humans have on animal communities.

A close look at depictions of animals in ancient Egyptian artifacts and fossils from the Nile Valley suggest that the ecosystem in the area has become progressively less stable. The analysis also shows that species extinctions are tied to a drying climate, a growing human population and industrialization, researchers report September 8 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.