The National Mining Agency (ANM) said local firefighters reported that gases in the deep, vertical tunnels had contributed to the cave-in.
Interestingly, the researchers also discovered a dramatic decline in the number of cave bears who used Grotte XVI during the same time frame as the Neandertal occupation, suggesting that humans may have ousted the animals for shelter and contributed to the cave bear extinction.
Glacial meltwaters also contributed to the formation and development of many of the caves in the limestone area.
Denisovans from the nearby Denisova caves also contributed to the modern human gene pool.
PTRF is known to contribute to the formation of caveolae, small membrane caves involved in cell signaling, lipid regulation, and endocytosis (Chadda and Mayor 2008).
Geomorphologic heritage maps and the derived indexes can serve as useful quantitative tools to enhance cave cultural and natural heritage, and therefore, can contribute to cave management in tourist caves.
Because of concerns about toxic carbon dioxide accumulations and exhalations contributing to mold on the cave walls, a problem that has developed in other caves with Paleolithic art, he was also limited to shooting no more than four hours a day over a six-day period.
Waves lapped at the caved-in bricks.
Not only are the remains extremely numerous and concentrated, but they also occur in largely unconsolidated mud-rich sediments deep inside the cave away from any obvious cave opening, which suggests that a special confluence of circumstances contributed to their accumulation.
Virtual exhibition about the cave (in French).
Recent observations suggest that karst landscapes may be an unaccounted sink for atmospheric CH4, but questions remain about the processes contributing to sub-atmospheric CH4 mole fractions in caves.
