Mystery of 'Pinnacle Man' found frozen in cave finally solved after nearly five decades
The identity of a frozen man found in a Pennsylvanian cave had been a mystery since 1977 Poppy Bilderbeck A coroner's office has been confirmed. . The identity of a man found frozen in a Pennsylvanian cave all the way back in 1977. On January 16, 1977, a man's frozen body was discovered in a cave near The Pinnacle - a peak on the Blue Mountain ridge of the Appalachian Mountains - in Berks County, Pennsylvania by a group of hikers. For over 47 years, the identity of the man remained unknown - and subsequently dubbed the 'Pinnacle man' - however, last month, officials made a breakthrough in the case. A man's frozen body was discovered by hikers in 1977 (Berks County Coroner's Office / YouTube / WGALTV) The initial autopsy on the body when it was first discovered did not lead to a positive identification, CNN reports . It was ruled the man had passed away from a drug overdose with no foul play suspected. The man's belongings, clothes and appearance offered little indication of who he was and despite dental records and fingerprint samples being taken, the fingerprint records were later misplaced. The dental records were later linked to two missing person cases and so the body was exhumed in 2019. 'Pinnacle Man' mystery solved Credit: WGAL 0 seconds of 1 minute, 18 secondsVolume 90% However, DNA samples showed the body wasn't a match to either case. It was not until August earlier this year when it reported Ian Keck of the Pennsylvania State Police found the lost fingerprint card which had been taken during the 1977 autopsy of the body. On August 12, the fingerprint was submitted to NamUs - 'a national information clearinghouse and resource center for missing, unidentified, and unclaimed person cases across the United States'. The Pinnacle Man's fingerprints were matched to a missing man named Nicolas Paul Grubb from Washington, Pennsylvania and his identity was later confirmed by a family member. The man has been identified as Nicolas Paul Grubb (Berks County Coroner's Office / YouTube / WGALTV) WGAL TV reports Nicolas as being honorably discharged in 1971 from the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. It adds Nicolas was returned to his family and buried in the family plot. In a news conference last week, Berks County Coroner John Fielding told reporters the cold case 'posed significant challenges' given how 'the passage of time often erases the traces that lead us to the truth'.
He resolved: "This identification is a testament to the advances of forensic science and the unwavering commitment of the professionals involved.
"This identification brings a long awaited resolution to his family, who have been notified and expressed their deep appreciation for the collective efforts that made it possible.
" It is moments like these that remind us of the importance of our work to provide answers, to bring closure and to give the unidentified a name and a story. "
If you want friendly, confidential advice about drugs, you can call American Addiction Centers on (313) 209-9137 24/7, or contact them through their website .Featured Image Credit: YouTube / wgaltv
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Mystery of missing millionaire suspected to have been 'eaten by cannibals' over six decades ago 'solved' by man
Michael Rockefeller was researching the Asmat tribe in present day Papua Stefania Sarrubba Research into the The The disappearance of Michael Rockefeller might prove he met a horrific fate during his time in the Asmat region of southwestern New Guinea. He was the son of Nelson A. Rockefeller, an American businessman known for being the former Vice President . After graduating from Harvard, Michael headed to the Asmat region , now part of the Indonesian province of Papua to work on a documentary. René Wassing capsized. Michael decided to brave the river and swim to shore - a journey he estimated would be between three and ten miles - but was never seen again . Rockefeller was officially declared dead by drowning, though it seems that author Carl Hoffman has a different, much grimmer explanation as to what truly happened to the budding ethnographer. Michael Rockefeller allegedly believed he could swim to shore. (T. Nielsen / Keystone / Hulton Archive / Getty Images) In his 2014 book Savage Harvest, Hoffman details his theory according to which Rockefeller was killed and eaten by the cannibalistic Asmat tribe. Hoffman believes that the investigation into Rockefeller's death was swept under the rug by the Dutch, who were focused on keeping their colony and showing our efficient government had been. In an interview
with the NPR, Hoffman claims to have seen 'hundreds and hundreds of pages of original memos and cables and letters' between the Dutch and the Catholic Church.
He resolved: "This identification is a testament to the advances of forensic science and the unwavering commitment of the professionals involved.
"This identification brings a long awaited resolution to his family, who have been notified and expressed their deep appreciation for the collective efforts that made it possible.
" It is moments like these that remind us of the importance of our work to provide answers, to bring closure and to give the unidentified a name and a story. "
If you want friendly, confidential advice about drugs, you can call American Addiction Centers on (313) 209-9137 24/7, or contact them through their website .Featured Image Credit: YouTube / wgaltv
Topics: Science , World News
Mystery of missing millionaire suspected to have been 'eaten by cannibals' over six decades ago 'solved' by man
Michael Rockefeller was researching the Asmat tribe in present day Papua Stefania Sarrubba Research into the The The disappearance of Michael Rockefeller might prove he met a horrific fate during his time in the Asmat region of southwestern New Guinea. He was the son of Nelson A. Rockefeller, an American businessman known for being the former Vice President . After graduating from Harvard, Michael headed to the Asmat region , now part of the Indonesian province of Papua to work on a documentary. René Wassing capsized. Michael decided to brave the river and swim to shore - a journey he estimated would be between three and ten miles - but was never seen again . Rockefeller was officially declared dead by drowning, though it seems that author Carl Hoffman has a different, much grimmer explanation as to what truly happened to the budding ethnographer. Michael Rockefeller allegedly believed he could swim to shore. (T. Nielsen / Keystone / Hulton Archive / Getty Images) In his 2014 book Savage Harvest, Hoffman details his theory according to which Rockefeller was killed and eaten by the cannibalistic Asmat tribe. Hoffman believes that the investigation into Rockefeller's death was swept under the rug by the Dutch, who were focused on keeping their colony and showing our efficient government had been. In an interview
with the NPR, Hoffman claims to have seen 'hundreds and hundreds of pages of original memos and cables and letters' between the Dutch and the Catholic Church.
"It was this huge paper trail that showed that within, really, two weeks almost of Michael's disappearance, two priests on the ground and Asmat-speaking people - men who had been in the area for years and knew the villages and the men who lived in them well - heard rumors that Michael had swum ashore, encountered men from [the village of] Otsjanep and he had been killed by them, "Hoffman said.
"And those priests looked into it further and wrote, actually, fairly long, detailed reports in which they named names - who had Michael's head, who had ... other parts of his skeleton.
" They filed those reports both to their superiors in the church and to the Dutch government. And they're all sort of saying: What are we going to do? Let's not tell the Rockefellers. "
He then said:" The Dutch did a full investigation and sent a police officer to the village of Otsjanep to live and find out and that was all kept secret.
In an AMA session on Reddit , Hoffman recalled the time he spent with the Asmat tribe, explaining cannibalism used to be practiced as headhunting and for ritualistic purposes, though it began to disappear during the 1960s.
Michael C. Rockefeller (1934-1961) adjusting his camera in New Guinea, Papuan men. background (Alamy)
As to why the locals could have consumed Rockefeller's body, Hoffman hypothesized it could have been in retaliation after a 'Dutch government raid' on the village of Otsjanep in 1958
. raid] killed five people, four of them the most important men in the village, "Hoffman wrote.
" That made the world unbalanced, in the Asmat cosmos, and ultimately the men who took their places as the heads of the jeu, or longhouses. . . . - think of them as clans - were there when Michael swam up exhausted and vulnerable and alone. They killed him. "Featured Image Credit: Peabody Museum of Archeology and Ethnology / Alamy
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Mystery of the 'Gate to Hell' that caused a series of unexplained. Deaths finally solved The so-called 'portal' was rediscovered in 2013 Niamh Shackleton Scientists believed they 've solved the mystery of Hierapolis' 'Gate to Hell', which is the cause of a series of unexplained deaths back to the 2nd century and is home to the supposed portal to the underworld .
As to why the locals could have consumed Rockefeller's body, Hoffman hypothesized it could have been in retaliation after a 'Dutch government raid' on the village of Otsjanep in 1958
. raid] killed five people, four of them the most important men in the village, "Hoffman wrote.
" That made the world unbalanced, in the Asmat cosmos, and ultimately the men who took their places as the heads of the jeu, or longhouses. . . . - think of them as clans - were there when Michael swam up exhausted and vulnerable and alone. They killed him. "Featured Image Credit: Peabody Museum of Archeology and Ethnology / Alamy
Topics: World News , History
Mystery of the 'Gate to Hell' that caused a series of unexplained. Deaths finally solved The so-called 'portal' was rediscovered in 2013 Niamh Shackleton Scientists believed they 've solved the mystery of Hierapolis' 'Gate to Hell', which is the cause of a series of unexplained deaths back to the 2nd century and is home to the supposed portal to the underworld .
For years, it was believed that most living things that went through the gateway would not live to tell the tale as a result of 'Hades breath' - but this theory has since been debunked.
Mahmut Serdar Alakus / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Located in modern-day Turkey , many were lead to believe it was a fatal place to visit because of the ancient Greek geographer Strabo's written works.
Strabo visited the ancient site around 2,000 years ago.
"It is an opening of only moderate size large enough to admit a man, but it reaches a considerable depth and this space is full of a vapor so misty and dense that one can scarcely see the ground," he had penned in his book, Geographica.
"Bulls that are led in to it fall and are dragged out dead. I threw in sparrows and they immediately breathed their last and fell."
Yikes.
Located in modern-day Turkey , many were lead to believe it was a fatal place to visit because of the ancient Greek geographer Strabo's written works.
Strabo visited the ancient site around 2,000 years ago.
"It is an opening of only moderate size large enough to admit a man, but it reaches a considerable depth and this space is full of a vapor so misty and dense that one can scarcely see the ground," he had penned in his book, Geographica.
"Bulls that are led in to it fall and are dragged out dead. I threw in sparrows and they immediately breathed their last and fell."
Yikes.
Dani Salvà / VWPics / Universal Images Group via Getty Images
At one stage, the 'Gate to Hell' was apparently used for religious sacrifices, with animals being tossed into the grotto as tokens to underworld gods.
Adding to the religious lore surrounding the gateway, castrated priests who walked through the gates of hell survived.
Strabo believed they survived as a result of their castration.
While it was long believed that it was' Hades breath 'that was killing any living thing that entered, it has since been revealed what was really responsible for the animals' deaths.
The lethal element to the grotto has now been found to be gas leaking from the Earth's crust .
In 2018, a research team led by volcano biologist Hardy Pfanz at the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany studiedthe shrine's fatal properties in more detail and measured the CO2 concentration levels.
At one stage, the 'Gate to Hell' was apparently used for religious sacrifices, with animals being tossed into the grotto as tokens to underworld gods.
Adding to the religious lore surrounding the gateway, castrated priests who walked through the gates of hell survived.
Strabo believed they survived as a result of their castration.
While it was long believed that it was' Hades breath 'that was killing any living thing that entered, it has since been revealed what was really responsible for the animals' deaths.
The lethal element to the grotto has now been found to be gas leaking from the Earth's crust .
In 2018, a research team led by volcano biologist Hardy Pfanz at the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany studiedthe shrine's fatal properties in more detail and measured the CO2 concentration levels.
Archivio Missione Archeologica Italiana a Hierapolis
During the day, the CO2 levels were quite low as a result of the sun's rays, but by night a CO2 'lake' would form across the lower levels of the 'Gate to Hell'.
With the findings in mind, it was expected that previous scarifies were made when the CO2 levels were at their highest and that the animals thrown in weren't tall enough to escape the dangerous gases.
Meanwhile, the priests who walked the grounds of the gateway survived because they were able to evade them as a result of their height.
According to Pfanz, the priests 'knew that the deadly breath of [the mythical hellhound] Kerberos only reached a certain maximum height', Science.org reports .Featured Image Credit: DE AGOSTINI PICTURE LIBRARY / Getty Images / Cem Oksuz / Anadolu Agency / Getty Images
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During the day, the CO2 levels were quite low as a result of the sun's rays, but by night a CO2 'lake' would form across the lower levels of the 'Gate to Hell'.
With the findings in mind, it was expected that previous scarifies were made when the CO2 levels were at their highest and that the animals thrown in weren't tall enough to escape the dangerous gases.
Meanwhile, the priests who walked the grounds of the gateway survived because they were able to evade them as a result of their height.
According to Pfanz, the priests 'knew that the deadly breath of [the mythical hellhound] Kerberos only reached a certain maximum height', Science.org reports .Featured Image Credit: DE AGOSTINI PICTURE LIBRARY / Getty Images / Cem Oksuz / Anadolu Agency / Getty Images
Topics: Science , Nature , News , World News
Mystery behind why 2,000 gray whales died on the same coast has finally been solved
Since 2019, 2,000 gray whales have died on the same coast with scientists stumped as to why. Now, the case seems to be finally solved. Callum Jones Scientists believe they have finally solved the mystery of why 2,000 gray whales tuned up dead off the Pacific coast. Gray whales make the longest journey of any mammal on Earth , traveling a whopping 12,000 miles every year from their summer homes of the Arctic, to the lagoons of Mexico's Baja Peninsula for the winter. Woman left 'freaking out' after seeing pod of whales Credit: TikTok / @ lindseehoweyadoin 0 seconds of 31 secondsVolume 90% Way back in 1986, gray whale populations made a rather impressive comeback from what appeared to be the brink of extinction for the species. This came after the International Whaling Commission issued an all-out ban on commercial whaling. But since then, researchers have tracked a number of mysterious deaths surrounding the sea mammals, leading to more confusion amongst scientists . The number of gray whales washed up dead on the Pacific coast has reached alarming rates ever since 2019, with scientists stumped as to what may have caused them. Justin Sullivan / Getty Images For decades, marine researchers had speculated the decrease was a result of gray whales' post-ban population boom, leading to a new equilibrium within the northern Pacific food chain. However, new research suggests that the standings from Mexico all the way to Alaska are due to an 'unusual mortality event', which might be the result of shrinking Arctic ice, subsequently reducing the stock of whales preferred food such as scuds and shrimp. So essentially, these thousands of whales to have washed up on the shores in recent years have likely starved to death as the ecosystem they rely on so much has dwindled beneath them. The latest die-off has led to the population of gray whales plummeting from an estimated 27,000 in 2016 to 14,500 in 2023, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The latest findings as to why we have lost some 2,000 gray whales in recent years was published on Thursday (18 October) in the journal Science.
Natalie Fobes / CORBIS / Corbis via Getty Images Joshua Stewart, an assistant professor at the Marine Mammal Institute and lead author of the study, said in an Oregon State University press release: "These are extreme population swings that we did not expect to see in a large, long-lived species like gray whales.
"When the availability of their prey in the Arctic is low, and the whales cannot reach their feeding areas because of sea ice, the gray whale population experiences rapid and major shocks."
He continued: "Even highly mobile, long-lived species such as gray whales are sensitive to climate change impacts. When there are sudden declines in the quality of prey, the population of gray whales is significantly affected."
While we may not have to worry about extinction like yesteryear, we should certainly get use to the idea of a smaller population of gray whales.Featured Image Credit: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images
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Scientists believe they've solved the mystery of the dinosaur extinction
A major factor of an asteroid hit played a much more pivotal role than previously thought Poppy Bilderbeck Scientists think they've identified a major cause of why dinosaurs ended up going extinct. Dinosaurs went extinct roughly 65 million years ago, after living on the planet for around 165 million years. It was the end of a time known as the Cretaceous Period that they walked their last steps on Earth and there is one particular theory which has been focused on by scientists which may explain why.
However, a group of researchers from the Royal Observatory of Belgium now believe they've identified a major factor which led to the dinosaurs' demise , which wasn't previously appreciated as playing such a pivotal role.
Around 66 million years ago, an asteroid struck the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico .
While the asteroid was believed to have been around 10-15 kilometers in width, it left an 150km crater as a result of the velocity of the impact - the impact site known as the Chicxulub crater.
It's impact caused mega-tsunamis, earthquakes and wildfires which scientists to believe 75 percent of Earth's animals - including dinosaurs - were immediately wiped out in the asteroid's wake.
A new report has since revealed one factor of the asteroid hit could've played a bigger role in dinosaurs' extinction than previously considered.
"When the availability of their prey in the Arctic is low, and the whales cannot reach their feeding areas because of sea ice, the gray whale population experiences rapid and major shocks."
He continued: "Even highly mobile, long-lived species such as gray whales are sensitive to climate change impacts. When there are sudden declines in the quality of prey, the population of gray whales is significantly affected."
While we may not have to worry about extinction like yesteryear, we should certainly get use to the idea of a smaller population of gray whales.Featured Image Credit: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images
Topics: News , Science , World News
Scientists believe they've solved the mystery of the dinosaur extinction
A major factor of an asteroid hit played a much more pivotal role than previously thought Poppy Bilderbeck Scientists think they've identified a major cause of why dinosaurs ended up going extinct. Dinosaurs went extinct roughly 65 million years ago, after living on the planet for around 165 million years. It was the end of a time known as the Cretaceous Period that they walked their last steps on Earth and there is one particular theory which has been focused on by scientists which may explain why.
However, a group of researchers from the Royal Observatory of Belgium now believe they've identified a major factor which led to the dinosaurs' demise , which wasn't previously appreciated as playing such a pivotal role.
Around 66 million years ago, an asteroid struck the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico .
While the asteroid was believed to have been around 10-15 kilometers in width, it left an 150km crater as a result of the velocity of the impact - the impact site known as the Chicxulub crater.
It's impact caused mega-tsunamis, earthquakes and wildfires which scientists to believe 75 percent of Earth's animals - including dinosaurs - were immediately wiped out in the asteroid's wake.
A new report has since revealed one factor of the asteroid hit could've played a bigger role in dinosaurs' extinction than previously considered.
Getty Images / Florilegius / Universal Images
In a study titled Chicxulub impact winter sustained by fine silicate dust published by Nature Geoscience , Cem Berk Senel and a group of scientists from the Royal Observatory of Belgium have focused on the role of the 'various debris injected. . into the atmosphere following the Chicxulub impact. '.
The scientists believe around 2,000 gigatonnes of dust ended up in the atmosphere, leading to the Sun being blocked and Earth being subjected to a 'global winter' - surface temperatures dropping by as much as 15C.
With the Sun's rays blocked, the ecosystem would've been interrupted - plants unable to photosynthesis and being killed off, herbivorous animals having nothing to eat and subsequently dying out too, leading all the way up to meat-eaters.
Soot and sulfur from wildfires also played a part in blocking plants ability to photosynthesise.
After running tests on sediment discovered at a North Dakota fossil site, the team predicted the dust could've blocked the Sun for as long as two years and stayed in the atmosphere for 15 years.
The team subsequently believe instead of the asteroid killing off dinosaurs immediately, it took several years for the animals to die out.Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Images / Nicky Loh / Getty Images
Topics: Science , World News
In a study titled Chicxulub impact winter sustained by fine silicate dust published by Nature Geoscience , Cem Berk Senel and a group of scientists from the Royal Observatory of Belgium have focused on the role of the 'various debris injected. . into the atmosphere following the Chicxulub impact. '.
The scientists believe around 2,000 gigatonnes of dust ended up in the atmosphere, leading to the Sun being blocked and Earth being subjected to a 'global winter' - surface temperatures dropping by as much as 15C.
With the Sun's rays blocked, the ecosystem would've been interrupted - plants unable to photosynthesis and being killed off, herbivorous animals having nothing to eat and subsequently dying out too, leading all the way up to meat-eaters.
Soot and sulfur from wildfires also played a part in blocking plants ability to photosynthesise.
After running tests on sediment discovered at a North Dakota fossil site, the team predicted the dust could've blocked the Sun for as long as two years and stayed in the atmosphere for 15 years.
The team subsequently believe instead of the asteroid killing off dinosaurs immediately, it took several years for the animals to die out.Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Images / Nicky Loh / Getty Images
Topics: Science , World News
