Ancient Amber in China and 25,000‑Year‑Old Mammoth Shelters Found in Moldova

Scientists have identified the world’s oldest amber, dating to about 385 million years ago, in the Hujiersite formation of Xinjiang, China. The microscopic amber fragments were chemically verified through infrared spectroscopy and mass spectrometry, establishing a resin record that predates dinosaurs and precedes the evolution of seed plants.

Archaeologists from Moldova, France and the United Kingdom are studying 25,000‑year‑old structures constructed from mammoth bones at Climăuții de Jos in the Şoldănești district of Moldova. The work illuminates how Paleolithic hunter‑gatherer groups built durable shelters using large bone assemblages.