{
  "id": 6656714,
  "title": "I went into France's prehistoric caves. The world hasn't looked the same since",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/10/i-went-into-frances-prehistoric-caves-the-world-hasnt-looked-the-same",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-10T22:55:32.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Haaretz",
    "slug": "haaretz",
    "url": "https://www.haaretz.com/archaeology/2026-09-11/ty-article-magazine/i-went-into-frances-prehistoric-caves-the-world-hasnt-looked-the-same-since/000001a0-7597-dfbf-a5f7-7f9739060000"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On a Saturday in mid-May, a group of six people ventured into the darkness of seven ancient caves in southern France. Archaeologists, a Jungian analyst, a painter, and the reporter were among them. As they entered Niaux Cave, completely silent and enveloped in darkness, they felt an overwhelming sense of awe and tranquility. Dr. Ella Assaf Shpayer, a researcher and lecturer in archaeology, shared a personal connection to the experience, describing how she had dreamt of swimming inside herself and found similar feelings of quiet and tranquility within the cave. Prehistoric humans had a fascination with seashells, and the presence of these shells in the cave further heightened the sense of connection to the past. Dr. Guy Perel, a Jungian analyst and poet, likened the darkness of the cave to the Ten Plagues of Egypt, describing it as a tangible, felt darkness that held and enveloped the visitors. The journey through these ancient caves aimed to delve into the depths of human creativity, belief, consciousness, and ability, with the hope that the visitors might experience an expansion of consciousness themselves.",
  "summary": "I expected ancient paintings. Instead, I found myself weeping in total darkness. A journey through seven caves became a search for what our ancestors knew about being human, and what we've forgotten",
  "key_points": [
    "Six people explored seven ancient caves in southern France.",
    "Prehistoric humans admired seashells in the caves.",
    "Experience aimed to expand visitors' consciousness."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Indian Express",
        "title": "PM Modi: We invite France and the world to be co-travellers in India’s next space frontier",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/10/pm-modi-we-invite-france-and-the-world-to-be-co-travellers-in-indias",
        "published": "2026-09-10T21:13:19.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}