* Astronomy

  Five millions years older than first thought

Scientists at the Senckenberg Center for Human Evolution and Palaeoecology (HEP) at the University of Tubingen and the Senckenberg Research Institute in Frankfurt have examined the age of the Rhine based on fossils. They have discovered that the river is five million years older than previously believed. The accompanying study is published today in the specialist journal "PLoS ONE".
The Rhine is not an unknown entity in Europe - on its journey to the North Sea it flows through Switzerland, Austria, Germany and the Netherlands. In addition, the catchment area of the river, which is around 1,233 kilometres long, also encompasses almost all of Luxembourg as well as small parts of Belgium, France, Lichtenstein and Italy. Yet as famous as the river may be, its original age is still disputed.
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