Topic
Ice Age Research and Ornithology
The history of exploring animate and inanimate nature in Eastern Europe is closely linked to the region's cultural history. The aim of these scientific and historical investigations is to shed light on the transnational links between glacial geology and ornithology.
Entangled histories of Ice Age research and ornithology
Following the end of the last glacial period around 10,000–12,000 years ago, when large parts of Eastern Europe were covered by a vast ice sheet, prehistoric and early humans began to settle throughout the region in a »prehistoric and early environment«. The development of human culture during the first millennia is the subject of research into prehistory and early history. While this became nationalised in the 19th century, natural history research was an international discipline from the outset. Even during the Cold War, the following seemed to apply to the globally interconnected field of ice age research: »No Cold War in Ice Age Research«. A high degree of transnational interdependence can also be observed in ornithology (avifaunistics), a scientific discipline since the late 19th century. The migratory behaviour of most bird species (which is also influenced by ice ages) has necessitated cross-border collaboration since the discipline's inception.
