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  • NEWS FEATURE

Did giant ice age beasts carve these vast caves in South America?

Researchers are investigating who — or what — cut ancient tunnels in sandstone in Brazil and nearby nations.
By
  1. Meghie Rodrigues

    1. Meghie Rodrigues is a freelance journalist in Paraná, Brazil.

Three researchers and guides look at mysterious cave markings in Brazil.

Inside the Armadillo’s Den, a giant palaeoburrow in southern Brazil. Credit: Rafael Lange for Nature

At age 75, Vadevino Alano keeps up a brisk pace as he strides through the forest on the way to the Armadillo’s Den — a spectacular cave in southern Brazil. When he reaches the cave’s opening, Alano is dwarfed by the size of the hole, which is big enough to accommodate a van.

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Nature 637, 1036-1037 (2025)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-025-00216-x

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