Fossil fungus reveals human invasion
The fossilised spores of a fungus that thrives in the dung of large mammals has revealed 2000-year-old story of human invasion and environmental devastation in Madagascar… [Scientists] found high levels of the fungal spores across the island up until about 200 AD. This is consistent with paleontological and historical records of large - now extinct - animals inhabiting the island. But during the following two centuries the spore levels dropped to almost zero.