Nature Podcast

The mystery of Stonehenge's central stone unearthed

Aug 14, 2024

Discover the incredible journey of Stonehenge's Altar Stone, traced back to Northern Scotland, over 600 miles away. Recent analyses unveil that ancient Britons may have transported it from afar, challenging previous beliefs. The podcast also delves into revolutionary methods in chemistry, including breaking selenium-selenium bonds unevenly and innovative approaches for targeted molecular synthesis. These discussions highlight the intersection of archaeology and modern science, paving the way for exciting future discoveries.

22:49

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Quick takeaways

Recent research reveals Stonehenge's Altar Stone originated from Northern Scotland, challenging prior beliefs about its Welsh roots, thus enhancing our understanding of ancient transportation methods.

A new chemistry breakthrough demonstrates a method for unevenly breaking selenium-selenium bonds, potentially revolutionizing the synthesis of new chemical compounds and processes.

Deep dives

The Mystery of the Altar Stone at Stonehenge

Stonehenge's Altar Stone is a significant archaeological enigma, having been transported from North East Scotland to Salisbury Plain over 4,000 years ago. Recent research indicates its origin from the Orkadian Basin, challenging previous beliefs that it originated from areas like the Preseli Hills in Wales. Detailed geological analyses compared the unique composition of the Altar Stone to rocks across the UK, ultimately pointing to its Scottish roots, but revealing much more about the movement and connections of ancient peoples. This discovery not only raises questions about the logistics of transporting such massive stones but also suggests a deeper cultural connection among Neolithic communities.

Intro

2min

Unearthing the Altar Stone: Secrets of Stonehenge

13min

Revolutionizing Bond Cleavage in Chemistry

5min

Innovative Approaches in Chemical Bond Manipulation

1min

Exploring New Horizons in Chemical Bond Manipulation

2min

00:48 The mystery of Stonehenge’s Altar Stone

Stonehenge’s central stone came from Northern Scotland, more than 600 miles away from the monument, according to a new analysis of its geochemistry. It is commonly accepted that many of the rocks that make up the iconic neolithic monument came from Wales, 150 miles from the site. Previously, it had been thought that a central stone, called the Altar Stone, had also come from this area, known as the Preseli Hills. The new work suggests that the ancient Britons went much further, perhaps ferrying the Altar Stone hundreds of miles, to place the rock at the centre of Stonehenge.

Research Article: Clarke et al.

News: Stonehenge’s massive slabs came from as far as Scotland — 800 kilometres away

12:12 Research Highlights

How a parasite could help scientists break through the blood-brain barrier, and the physics of skateboard moves.

Research Highlight: Engineered brain parasite ferries useful proteins into neurons

Research Highlight: How expert skateboarders use physics on the half-pipe

14:13 A new way to break bonds

Chemists have demonstrated a way to break Selenium-Selenium bonds unevenly, something they have been trying for decades. Chemical bonds have to be broken and reformed to create new compounds, but they often don’t break in a way that allows chemists to form new bonds in the ways they would like. Breaks are often ‘even’, with electrons shared equally between atoms. To prevent such an even split, a team used a specific solvent and a combination of light and heat to force the selenium bonds to break unevenly. This could potentially open up ways to create compounds that have never been made before.

Research Article: Tiefel et al.

News and Views: Innovative way to break chemical bonds broadens horizons for making molecules

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