{
  "id": 18004311,
  "title": "Cold without consequences? Short-term climate fluctuations appear to have had less impact on early farmers",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/03/cold-without-consequences-short-term-climate-fluctuations-appear-to",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-11-03T18:40:22.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Phys.org",
    "slug": "phys-org",
    "url": "https://phys.org/news/2026-11-cold-consequences-short-term-climate.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A recent study by the Leibniz-Zentrum für Archäologie in Germany has found that short-term climate fluctuations may not have played a significant role in the delay of farming's spread across south-eastern Europe during prehistory. Researchers examined the archaeological site of Franchthi in Greece and analyzed evidence from limpet shells and animal bones. While the study does not negate the impact of climate on human decision-making, it suggests that the cold conditions observed at Franchthi during the pause in farming expansion were not severe enough to significantly impact food supplies. The researchers emphasize that other factors, such as social, economic, and cultural developments, should be considered as possible explanations for the delayed spread of farming.",
  "summary": "Cold conditions may not have been responsible for the centuries-long pause in the spread of farming across south-eastern Europe during prehistory, according to a new study by the Leibniz-Zentrum für Archäologie (LEIZA) in Germany, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Researchers found no evidence of extreme cold at the Greek archaeological site of Franchthi,…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}