Does this mysterious stone hold a secret about human civilization?

Human civilization may have been boosted by an event captured on the stone.

The Vulture Stone is an ancient carving with mysterious significance. However, researchers from the University of Edinburgh now believe they have an answer for the stone and its significance, and it is literally out of this world.

LOS ANGELES, CA (California Network) -- The Vulture Stone is about 12,000 years old, and predates Stonehenge by about 6,000 years. It features the image of a vulture, a scorpion and a crane, among other creatures. It was uncovered at the Gobekli Tepe site in southern Turkey.

The symbolism of the stone has long been debated, but by comparing the stone to the positions of the stars as they would have appeared at the time the stone was carved reveals it is a map of the sky. It was probably created to depict something in particular which could have changed the world.

According to the scientists, it depicts a swarm of comets that may have been visible at the time. Some of those fragments may have struck Earth, altering our climate, and the course of human history forever.

The fact the stone shows comets is based on the conclusion that the animals correspond to ancient constellations. The date of the stone also corresponds to a time when the planet's climate suddenly changed, known as the Younger Dryas.

This sudden change was believed to be the result of a cosmic cataclysm, such as the Earth being struck by an asteroid or comet. Other scientists think it could have been caused by changes in ocean current circulation. However, the comet-impact hypothesis also correlates with mineral deposits that suggest something struck the Northern Hemisphere and cooled the planet by two to 6 degrees Celsius.

This sudden cooling is thought to have prompted people to settle down and develop agriculture and ranching, the basis of modern civilization.

Scientists at the University of Edinburgh think the Vulture Stone commemorates this event.

It is unclear if this is true, there is some speculation involved. It is also unclear how much the makers of the stone would have known or understood. However, if true, it is a remarkable discovery that shows our ancient ancestors were very much in tune with the cosmos and how what happens above their heads can impact their lives.