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'Kerry Cow' bones revealed as ancient bear remains, challenging long-held theory on ...

ucd.ie

Bones labeled "Kerry Cow" for generations have turned out to be ancient bear remains — upending what researchers thought they knew about early Irish prehistory.

Misattribution BiasParadigm ShiftFossil Record AnalysisZooarchaeology
'Kerry Cow' bones revealed as ancient bear remains, challenging long-held theory on ...

Theory Briefing

  • Bones long identified as a mysterious Irish bovine have been reclassified as bear remains by new University College Dublin research.
  • The misidentification had anchored a long-held theory about Irish prehistory, which the new findings now directly challenge.
  • The reclassification forces a rethink of what animals — and possibly what people — were present in early Ireland.