2024 Events

As high-throughput sequencing techniques continue to advance, an increasing amount of genetic information across all branches of the tree of life is being generated. With the introduction of the molecular clock hypothesis, we are now capable not only of making inferences about genetic divergence based on the number of differing mutations between sequences but also of estimating divergence in terms of absolute time units. Since then, numerous conceptual and methodological advancements have facilitated bridging the gap between genetic data and temporal divergence, jumping from molecules to millennia. Nevertheless, many challenges still remain that need to be addressed to form a more comprehensive understanding of evolution as a function of time. [more]

The notion of ‘extreme events’ is widely discussed in various disciplines, and is a topic of increasing academic research. Rapid and dramatic environmental and climatic events are particularly prominent in this – including heat waves, volcanic eruptions, droughts, earthquakes, floods, etc. Several of these are forecast to increase in frequency and severity given current anthropogenic climate change, as widely discussed by organisations such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. [more]

The conference aims to explore what we know and what we would like to know about cultural dynamics and human-environment interactions in ancient Central Asia and Mongolia. The cross-disciplinary event will bring together local and international scholars with expertise in archaeology, archaeobotany, and palaeoenvironmental sciences in Central Asia and adjacent regions. It will be an excellent venue to present and exchange new research results and to encourage new research projects. [more]