Lascaux cave paintings discovered in France
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In 1940, four teenage boys exploring woods near Montignac, France, found a hole leading to the Lascaux cave paintings.
The boys stumbled upon the entrance while potentially searching for a lost dog. Inside the network of caves, they discovered an estimated 600 paintings on the walls and ceilings. Historians believe people created the art over many generations, depicting animals and plants that lived around 17,000 years ago.
Although the original Lascaux caves are now closed to visitors due to deterioration, the site remains a popular destination and is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Scientists currently worry about protecting the artwork from fungus, which is worsened by global warming, and from pollution introduced by outside sources. Similar preservation challenges exist at other ancient cave systems, including Minnetonka Cave in Idaho, Timpanogos Cave in Utah, and Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico.
Researchers have studied Lascaux and these other sites to find ways to combat the damaging effects of modern conditions on prehistoric art.
