# South Australia cave bones record effects of light and darkness 2026-08-07T10:42:19+00:00 | Health & Science | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Scientists from Griffith University have found that animal bones in South Australia’s underwater caves carry distinct marks linked to their surroundings. Bones near cave entrances, where sunlight reaches the water, showed algae, aquatic plants and biofilms, along with black staining, corrosion and circular etching. Remains from permanently dark zones were far better preserved and lacked these biological marks. Published in PLOS One, the study examined bones from Green Waterhole and Gouldens Sinkhole near Mount Gambier. Radiocarbon dating of 41 specimens placed them across decades and centuries. The findings may help archaeologists determine how ancient bones entered underwater caves and changed after deposition, including remains of extinct Australian megafauna. ## Coverage - timesofindia.indiatimes.com Tags: archaeology, Australia, bone preservation, palaeontology, underwater caves Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/south-australia-cave-bones-record-effects-of-light-and-darkness/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/south-australia-cave-bones-record-effects-of-light-and-darkness/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.