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ScienceHuman HistoryPreserved Brain Tissue Found in Victim of Ancient Vesuvius Eruption, Scientists Report
The catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius nearly 2,000 years ago is famous for preserving its many victims in volcanic ash. New research suggests this preservation extends to the cellular level, owing to the apparent discovery of neurons in a victim whose brain was turned to glass during the eruption. New research published today in PLOS … Continued
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ScienceHuman HistoryVolcanic Eruption in Alaska May Have Sparked Political Turmoil in Ancient Rome
An unusually powerful volcanic eruption in 43 BCE has been linked to political upheaval on the other side of the globe, including the fall of the Roman Republic and the Ptolemaic Kingdom. Julius Caesar was assassinated by a group of rebellious senators in 44 BCE, triggering a chain of events that led to the demise … Continued
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ScienceHuman HistoryAncient Roman Board Game Found in Norwegian Burial Mound
A 1,700-year-old board game, including rare elongated dice, dating back to the Roman Iron Age has been unearthed in Norway. Found near an important sea route, the game was likely used to forge relationships among long-distance traders. A total of 18 distinct playing pieces, similar to chips used in checkers, were found in a circular … Continued
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ScienceHuman HistoryGround-Penetrating Radar Reveals Entire Ancient Roman City
For the first time ever, archaeologists have used ground-penetrating radar to map an entire city while it’s still beneath the ground. A preliminary map of Falerii Novi, an ancient Roman city located 50 kilometers (31 miles) north of Rome, has been compiled with data taken from ground-penetrating radar. It’s “preliminary” because it wasn’t humanly possible … Continued
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EartherIf the Ancient Romans Could Recycle, Then So Can You
A team of researchers at Pompeii recently discovered evidence that Romans were avid recyclers, according to a weekend Guardian report. It figures that the same society that brought us urban planning, indoor heating, and concrete was also ahead of its time with going green too. Preserved piles of trash, some several meters high, found outside … Continued
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ScienceHuman HistoryVictims of Ancient Vesuvius Eruption Were Baked, Not Vaporized, According to New Research
A novel analysis of the skeletal remains of Vesuvius victims who sought shelter during the catastrophic eruption 2,000 years ago suggests they endured a slower death than is typically appreciated. Like the nearby settlements of Pompeii, Stabiae, and Oplontis, the ancient Roman city of Herculaneum was devastated when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 CE. The … Continued
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ScienceHuman HistoryFamous ‘Lovers of Modena’ Skeletons Were Young Men, New Analysis Finds
A new analysis of the Lovers of Modena—a pair of 1,600-year-old skeletons found buried with their hands clasped together—reveals the pair as being male, in a discovery unique to archaeology. Found 10 years ago in an Italian Late Antiquity cemetery, the Lovers of Modena were initially presumed to be a male and female couple. That … Continued
