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Isotope and archaeobotanical analysis reveal radical changes in mobility, diet and inequalities around 1500 BCE at the core of Europe
The transition from the Middle to the Late Bronze Age (around 1500 BCE) in the Carpathian Basin was parallel by drastic cultural changes in Central-Europe, which strongly influenced the dynamic of prehistoric Europe. The cultural fragmentation of the Middle Bronze Age (2000 − 1500 BCE) Carpathian Basin was followed by a more homogeneous development at the beginning of the Late Bronze Age (1500 − 1300 BCE), with the appearance of the Tumulus culture. In the beginning of this period, the long-used tell-settlements were abandoned, furthermore new pottery styles and metal types appeared. Whether these changes were caused by immigration, or a local adaptation to external influxes, has long been a matter of debate. Our study investigates this transition from the point of view of diet and mobility from several key-sites of Hungary. Our results show (1) low migration rates and a shift of migration trajectoriesthat (2) the beginning of the systematic consumption of Panicum miliaceum was from 1540 − 1480 BCEthat (3) the decrease of average animal protein intake was parallel by an increase of cereal consumption and a tendency to less unequal diet. Overall, our results shed new light on the dynamics of complex change in Bronze Age Europe
AI automation and technologies within industries across Europe
This paper examines the current landscape of artificial intelligence (AI) automation and technologies across various industries in Europe, utilizing descriptive statistics derived from Eurostat data. By analyzing the proportions of AI adoption within key sectors, the aim is to provide a comprehensive overview of the present state of AI integration in European industries. This is relevant from the perspective of its possible economic effects. The existing litareture that focuses on the effects of automation technologies on employment is rather inconsistent and inconclusive (Filippi et al, 2023). According to Bowles (2014) 54 % of European workers are at risk of substitution (by applying the occupation-based approach), while according to Pouliakas (2018) only 13.9 % of workers will face a risk higher than 70 % (by applying the task-based approach). Moreover, McGuinness et al 2021, show how 16 % of adult European workers have recently experienced a skills-displacing technological change, i.e., some changes in the use of technologies (e.g., machinery and ICT systems) in the last five years and thus concludes that several of their skills will become outdated in the next five years. Josten and Lordan (2020) predicted that by 47% of European jobs will be automatable (of which 35% are fully automatable), while 40% of them are not expected to be automated. Anyhow, the probability of automation varies considerably across industries. The service sector is generally less threatened by automation (Pajarinen et al, 2015), no matter the fact that wholesale and retail trade have a high probability of automation (Nedeloska and Quintini, 2018). Several studies conclude that (besides services) industries with a low probability of automation (lower than 40 %) include: education, health and social work, arts, sport and entertainment, management, business and finance, public administration and public utility services (Illessy et al, 2021, Yamashita nad Cummins, 2021among others). Furthermore, this paper explores projected growth trajectories for AI usage, highlighting anticipated advancements and the potential for increased efficiency and innovation. Basically, an independent survey conducted in 2024 by the German Reichelt elektronics on the current status and potential of technologies (such as AI, ML, big data, robotics and IoT) and their use in European industrial companies shows that many European companies in the industrial sector (60%) believe that production will be fully automated in five years’ time. In addition, more than two thirds of the European industry (68%) consider automation to be essential in order to remain competitive. Therefore this paper also discusses the challenges and hurdles that may impede the widespread adoption of AI technologies, including regulatory, ethical, and infrastructural considerations, while seeking to understand the dynamics of AI implementation in Europe and its implications for future economic development