Latest news with #SapienzaUniversityofRome
National Geographic
24-06-2025
- Science
- National Geographic
Why Rome's dolphins are fighting each other
Rome's dolphins have an unusually high number of bite marks, suggesting that the population is in competition for dwindling food sources. Photograph By Daniela Silvia Pace, CoNISMa-Tor Vergata University of Rome Rome, the Eternal City, is revered for its history, art, culture, and food. Yet, few people know that less than an hour away, where the Tiber River flows into the Tyrrhenian Sea, there's something that makes the area even more unique: a population of around 500 bottlenose dolphins. Now, a recent study shows that the dolphins are not only sick, but they're fighting over food—and it's due to human activity. The 'Capitoline dolphins,' as researchers have named them, have inhabited the coast outside Rome for thousands of years, as shown by mosaics from the archaeological site of Ostia Antica that depict the dolphins stealing fish from fishermen's nets 2,000 years ago. Yet they've only recently been closely studied, beginning in 2016. Two male dolphins have an aggressive encounter in the sea outside Rome. Photograph By Daniela Silvia Pace, CoNISMa-Tor Vergata University of Rome It's not unusual for Rome's dolphins to display signs of fighting. Photograph By Daniela Silvia Pace, CoNISMa-Tor Vergata University of Rome Around 500 dolphins spend some of the year in the area, while about 100 are permanent residents—mostly females and their offspring who live near the mouth of the Tiber River, where food is most abundant. This makes the area an important breeding site, where males are attracted each year to mate. Daniela Silvia Pace, a researcher at the Sapienza University of Rome, has studied these dolphins for a decade. She and her colleagues recently analyzed more than 400 photographs taken between 2016 and 2023, depicting 39 individuals of the resident population. "What emerges is a decidedly worrying picture,' as these animals are subject to so many pressures, she says. From scuba diving to set-jetting Pace and her team measured and counted marks on the dolphins' bodies. Analyzing marks on cetaceans is a common technique used by scientists, as it can tell them a lot about their life, their health, and the dangers they're exposed to. The result of the new research, published in Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems in April, does not necessarily paint a hopeful picture. 'Unfortunately, the situation for bottlenose dolphins in the Mediterranean, including the Tiber River Estuary, appears to be particularly concerning,' says Bruno Díaz López, a biologist and director at Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute, who was not involved with the study but found it 'very interesting and relevant.' The analysis revealed that 70 percent of the residents studied showed signs of malnutrition, such as visible ribs. 'This is strange, because we are in an area rich in food,' says Alice Turchi, a PhD student in environmental and evolutionary biology at the Sapienza University of Rome and author of the study. Turchi and her colleagues believe that the lack of food might be due to overfishing. 'The fact that most of the population is undernourished is a strong alarm bell,' adds Pace. In the study, the lines and ropes used by fishermen had left marks on half of the dolphins' bodies, and amputations were present as well. Nearly all, or 97 percent, of the dolphins had a skin disease, which didn't come as a shock to the researchers. 'It is not surprising,' says Turchi, because the water is tainted, mostly due to pollutants carried by the Tiber River into the sea, as well as wastewater from boats passing through. 'Pollution can promote immunodepression and cause animals to get sick,' Turchi says. In another distressing development, researchers also found evidence of fighting. They analyzed teeth marks caused by interactions with other dolphins, which were universal across the population. While these marks are sometimes normal for dolphins, as they can bite to communicate dominance during mating competitions or to establish social hierarchies, this population showed an unusually high number. The researchers believe that this may be due to competition for dwindling food resources. López, from the Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute, says the findings on the Capitoline dolphins' health 'are consistent with what we observe in many coastal bottlenose dolphin populations worldwide.' 'These populations are exposed to continuous and intense pressure from human activities, ranging from fisheries and maritime traffic to pollution and habitat degradation,' he notes. For example, he says, 'in Galicia, on the Atlantic coast of Spain, we see similar patterns of skin marks related to both natural and anthropogenic factors.' Similarly, he says, 'studies from other regions—such as Sarasota Bay in the United States or various sites in Australia—also report high frequencies of marks linked to social interactions, fishing gear, boat strikes, and skin diseases.' While bottlenose dolphins are an adaptable species and can show great resilience, the researchers are worried about the future of this population. The area is currently 'unmanaged,' says Turchi, meaning that almost no conservation actions are carried out to protect this slice of coast. 'There is a need to carry out interventions to safeguard this population, which is unique.' The team says that it would be necessary to establish a Site of Community Importance, which would help the conservation of this population and the whole rich ecosystem found off this coast. But the process to establish such a site is 'very complex,' says Pace, and would need to run up the political chain. The researchers hope that making this population known to the general public could be a step in the right direction to ensure that politicians will be more motivated to implement conservation actions aimed at protecting the area. 'It is important to take into account that this area is important for this species, and it is also important for our species,' says Turchi. 'We should try as much as possible to reconcile human exploitation with the conservation of biodiversity.'
Muscat Daily
31-05-2025
- Muscat Daily
Ancient tombs unearthed along Oman-UAE railway route
Suhar – An Omani-Italian archaeological team found 28 ancient tombs during an excavation in Suhar along the route of the planned Oman-UAE railway line. The excavation carried out in Sohar Free Zone was jointly conducted by Ministry of Heritage and Tourism and Sapienza University of Rome as part of a salvage operation aimed at protecting heritage sites potentially affected by the railway connecting Suhar to Abu Dhabi. 'We identified around 28 graves in the route of the railway,' said Francesco Caputo, an archaeologist from Sapienza University. 'One of the tombs contained a substantial collection of human bones. We also recovered a variety of grave goods, including stone and shell beads, bronze rings and bangles, and fragments of ancient glass vessels.' The artefacts provide insight into burial practices and social structures of ancient communities that once inhabited the region, adding to growing evidence of continuous settlement in Oman since prehistoric times. Ismail Salim al Mutrafi, Head of Archaeological Survey Department at the ministry, noted the collaborative nature of the project. 'A large number of ministry staff are actively involved in this excavation, working alongside our Italian counterparts,' he said. 'This effort is not just about discovery – it's about skills transfer and building national capacity in the field of archaeology.' According to the ministry, it is currently working with archaeological teams at 68 sites across the sultanate. Findings contribute to efforts to protect Oman's cultural heritage and support its tourism sector. 'The ministry is committed to protecting archaeological sites and maximising the value of these resources as key elements of our tourism product,' said Mutrafi. 'Findings from excavations like this one help enrich the collections of National Museum and other regional museums under the ministry's umbrella.' He also emphasised the role of such artefacts in promoting international cultural exchange, citing their inclusion in exhibitions abroad. 'This is a reminder that beneath our modern infrastructure lies an ancient world waiting to be rediscovered,' Mutrafi added. 'Each find is a story, a memory and a connection to people who walked this land long before us.'
Daily Record
12-05-2025
- General
- Daily Record
Archaeologists' 'incredible discovery' as they 'find' Jesus tomb
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem has been the subject of an ongoing excavation, which has now confirmed the existence of a garden and new burial chamber as detailed in the Bible Recent findings of an ancient structure in Jerusalem match precisely with the biblical description of Jesus' tomb. The exact location, as described in the Gospel of John, has been revealed by architects working at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem: "Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. There laid they Jesus." Archaeobotanical and pollen analysis conducted on samples taken from beneath the ancient basilica's floor confirmed the presence of olive trees and grapevines. These discoveries suggest that the site dates back to the pre-Christian era, although radiocarbon testing is still pending. Prof Francesca Romana Stasolla of the Sapienza University of Rome told the Times of Israel: "We know that the area was already part of the city at the time of Emperor Hadrian when the Romans built Aelia Capitolina," referring to the Roman city constructed atop the ruins of Jerusalem in the first half of the 2nd century CE. She added: "However, at the time of Jesus, the area was not part of the city yet." Christian tradition holds that the Church of the Holy Sepulchre marks the spot of Jesus' crucifixion (known as Calvary or Golgotha) and his nearby tomb, which today is topped by an aedicule erected in 1810, reports the Express. Stasolla has been leading the charge in the excavations that began in 2022, following an agreement reached by the church's primary custodians - the Orthodox Patriarchate, the Custody of the Holy Land, and the Armenian Patriarchate - in 2019, after protracted internal disagreements. The revamp includes updating the basilica's predominantly 19th-century floor, marking the most substantial restoration since the fire of 1808. The Israel Antiquities Authority issued a permit for the dig, ensuring it met the nation's legal stipulations for archaeological work. "During the renovation works, the religious communities decided to also permit archaeological excavations beneath the floor," Stasolla disclosed to The Times of Israel in her initial detailed discussion concerning the project. She added: "However, currently, we do not have any active excavation sites as the church is preparing for Easter, when it needs to be fully accessible to pilgrims." She highlighted the critical nature of handling such a sensitive site with extreme care due to its importance and practical demands. The archaeological team consists exclusively of Italians affiliated with La Sapienza University. Stasolla commented: "We work in shifts, but our team in Jerusalem always comprises 10 or 12 individuals. The atmosphere here is truly unique; we have received a warm welcome and established strong bonds with everyone." Occasionally, experts in specific fields such as geologists, archaeobotanists, or archaeozoologists from Rome work alongside the archaeologists in Jerusalem. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre was under renovation in March 2025. "We take turns, but our team in Jerusalem always includes 10 or 12 people," Stasolla said. "The atmosphere here is very special; we have been welcomed warmly and built strong relationships with everyone." Occasionally, specialists like geologists, archaeobotanists, or archaeozoologists from Rome join the archaeological team in Jerusalem. Archaeologists from Rome's Sapienza University are currently digging at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. (Archivio Università di Roma La Sapienza). "However, most of our team remains based in Rome, where we send the data for the post-production work," Stasolla explains. "While we have not been able to see the entire church excavated in one glance, new technologies are allowing us to reconstruct the bigger picture in our labs," Stasolla said. "If we were talking about a puzzle, we could say we are only excavating one piece at a time, but eventually, we will have a complete multimedia reconstruction of the full picture." The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a site of immense historical significance in Jerusalem, has endured cycles of destruction and restoration over many centuries. Originally built by Emperor Constantine in the fourth century, who was the first to convert to Christianity, it faced devastation from a fire set by Persians in the seventh century and was attacked by Caliph al-Hakim in 1009. Its current structure owes much to the extensive renovations carried out during the Crusader period in the 12th century. According to Stasolla, the hidden layers beneath the church's floor provide a remarkable chronicle of Jerusalem's past, tracing back to the Iron Age (1200-586 BCE). "The church is built on a quarry, which isn't surprising as a large portion of the Old City of Jerusalem is situated on a quarry," said Stasolla. "The quarry was operational during the Iron Age. During our excavation, we discovered pottery, lamps, and other everyday items from that era." After the quarry fell into disuse and before the church was constructed, the area was repurposed for agricultural activities. "Low stone walls were constructed, and the space between them was filled with soil," detailed Stasolla. "The archaeobotanical findings have been particularly intriguing for us, given what is mentioned in the Gospel of John, believed to be written or compiled by someone familiar with Jerusalem at the time. The Gospel refers to a green area between the Calvary and the tomb, and we identified these cultivated fields." Remarkable discoveries tied to the era of Constantine have surfaced at a Jerusalem site that traces back to the time of Jesus. The area served as both a quarry and a necropolis, with numerous rock-hewn tombs scattered across different levels. "We need to imagine that as the quarry was progressively abandoned, tombs were carved at different levels. "The area, therefore, featured several burials from that period. Constantine selected the one that had been venerated as the tomb where Jesus was buried, and he excavated around it in the area that corresponds to the current rotunda, isolating it from the other burials." Within the grounds of the Holy Sepulchre complex rest various ancient sepulchres, including one honoured by Christian tradition as belonging to Joseph of Arimathea, who is said to have provided his own tomb for Jesus' burial. Professor Francesca Stasolla's research group encountered an array of artefacts regarded as dating from the fourth century. Digging beneath the contemporary edifice, she found: "Under the current aedicule, we found a circular basis that is part of the first monumentalization of the tomb, made out of marble." Stasolla underscored the finding's importance, noting: "It is interesting because the most ancient depictions of the aedicule, which date back to the 5th and 6th centuries, describe it as circular. We therefore believe that this circular basis was part of the original structure built by Constantine." The artifact, spanning an impressive six meters across, may uncover new secrets about the revered edifice's history. "We are conducting geological analysis to verify the origin of the marble, and we are also testing the mortar," shared Stasolla, suggesting these tests could be pivotal in understanding the construction. Remarkably, a trove of centuries-old coins dating back to the fourth century has been uncovered in the eastern part of the current rotunda. The oldest coin is from the reign of Constantius II (337–361 CE), with others from the era of Valens (374–378 CE). Adding to their findings, the team unearthed numerous animal bones that highlight a history of feasting by priests and pilgrims. A 2023 preliminary report in "Liber Annuus," a peer-reviewed journal, documents a structural trench from the Crusader period and a modern manhole pit excavation, which revealed animal remains, fish, and shells. Stasolla further revealed: "We also discovered several shells of a terrestrial snail species that is still consumed today," a species tracing its expansion around the Mediterranean after the Crusades. The archaeologist highlighted the need for thorough analysis of the discovered bones to gain a deeper insight into the changing dietary habits of those who lived in and frequented the Church over the ages. It's expected that the scientific examination of all the findings from the dig, which includes some 100,000 shards of pottery, will span several years. Despite this, the digs are set to restart post-Easter and are projected to wrap up within months. "We only have a part of the northern aisle left to excavate," Stasolla disclosed. When asked whether archaeology could ever conclusively prove if Jesus was indeed interred at the Holy Sepulchre, Stasolla underscored the importance of distinguishing between faith and historical fact. "However, it is the faith of those who have believed in the sanctity of this site for millennia that has allowed it to exist and evolve," she noted. "This is true for all holy sites. "The real treasure we are discovering is the history of the people who made this site what it is by expressing their faith here," she added. "Whether someone believes or not in the historicity of the Holy Sepulchre, the fact that generations of people did is objective. The history of this place is the history of Jerusalem, and from a certain point, it is the history of the worship of Jesus Christ."
Egypt Independent
10-04-2025
- Science
- Egypt Independent
Ancient DNA pulls back curtain on the Sahara Desert's greener past
Editor's note: A version of this story appeared in CNN's Wonder Theory science newsletter. To get it in your inbox, sign up for free here. CNN — Picture the Sahara, and an inhospitable landscape of endless sand dunes and barren rock comes to mind. That's largely the case today, but 7,000 years ago the vast desert was an altogether different place: a verdant world of trees and rivers and home to megafauna such as hippos and elephants. Over the past decades, scientists have gleaned details of the 'green Sahara.' Now, with the help of ancient DNA from mummified remains, geneticists are figuring out who once lived there. A long time ago The mummified remains of a woman buried in the Takarkori rock shelter date back about 7,000 years. Archaeological Mission in the Sahara/Sapienza University of Rome The Takarkori rock shelter — situated in southwestern Libya's Tadrart Acacus mountains — offers a remarkable glimpse into the Sahara's greener past. Archaeologists uncovered the remains of 15 women and children at the site two decades ago. Initial attempts to extract ancient DNA from the remains fell flat. Cool and constant conditions — the opposite of the extreme temperature swings of today's Sahara — yield the best preserved DNA. New techniques made it possible to sequence the genome — a complete set of genetic material — of two mummified women. The analysis revealed intriguing information about the ancestry of the Takarkori people and how they adopted a herding way of life. Explorations Dark energy is a mysterious force that accelerates the expansion of the universe, and it's thought to represent about 70% of the energy in the cosmos. New clues from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument collaboration, known as DESI, suggest dark energy may be behaving in unexpected ways and may even be weakening over time. The collaboration, now in its fourth year of surveying the sky, has released its latest batch of data. While it's not the final word, the information has space scientists excited. 'We're in the business of letting the universe tell us how it works, and maybe the universe is telling us it's more complicated than we thought it was,' said Andrei Cuceu, a postdoctoral researcher at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, which manages DESI. Defying gravity A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the Fram2 mission astronauts aboard lifts off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Monday. Gregg Nedwton/AFP/Getty Images A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket sent four tourists in a Crew Dragon capsule on a polar orbit never attempted before. Spearheading the Fram2 mission was Malta resident Chun Wang, who made his fortune running Bitcoin mining operations. He paid SpaceX an undisclosed sum for this trip. Watch a video of the spacecraft's splashdown off California's coast on Friday after Wang and his crewmates — film director Jannicke Mikkelsen, robotics researcher Rabea Rogge and adventurer Eric Philips — spent 3.5 days in low-Earth orbit. It was the first journey to space for each of the four crew members, who all have ties to polar land exploration. Meanwhile, NASA's Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore spoke out this week for the first time following a protracted nine-month mission to space. Here's what they had to say. Dig this To the untrained eye, stone tools may look like ordinary rocks, but to specialists they have fascinating stories to tell. Researchers have found stone artifacts crafted in a style closely associated with Neanderthals in East Asia for the first time at a site in southwestern China's Yunnan province. The discovery, dating back 60,000 to 50,000 years, has puzzled archaeologists, who have come up with competing hypotheses to explain the stone tools. Perhaps Neanderthals could have migrated east and reached what's now China, or a different species of ancient human possibly made tools uncannily similar to those unearthed in Europe. Either way, the answer could shake up what's known about human origins during the Stone Age. Dino-mite An artist's illustration depicts how herbivorous sauropods (left) and carnivorous megalosaurs would have moved around the same lagoon in what's now the Isle of Skye in Scotland. Tone Blakesley/Scott Reid Ancestors of T. rex and their plant-eating prey would have congregated to drink water from a lagoon on what's now Scotland's Isle of Skye, according to an analysis of newly identified dinosaur footprints. Lead study author Tone Blakesley said he was among a small group that recognized an initial three footprints at the remote site on the isle's Trotternish Peninsula in 2019 when he was a graduate student at the University of Edinburgh. 'It was very exciting,' Blakesley said. Documenting a total of 131 footprints, he used a drone to take thousands of overlapping images of the site before producing digital 3D models of the tracks. They are preserved in 'exquisite detail,' he added. The wonder Dive into these remarkable stories. — The discovery of a mystery king's tomb in Abydos, Egypt, is revealing fresh clues about a long-lost dynasty notoriously missing from records of pharaohs who once ruled the region. — Scientists sent a container of cooked soybean paste to the International Space Station, where it was left to ferment before returning to Earth as miso. Here's how it tasted. — An eerie spiral recently lit up European skies, and it's becoming a more common sight. — Archaeologists excavating a massive tomb in Pompeii unearthed extremely rare, nearly life-size marble statues that shed new light on the power held by priestesses in the ancient city. Like what you've read? Oh, but there's more. Sign up here to receive in your inbox the next edition of Wonder Theory, brought to you by CNN Space and Science writers Ashley Strickland, Katie Hunt and Jackie Wattles. They find wonder in planets beyond our solar system and discoveries from the ancient world.
Fox News
04-04-2025
- Science
- Fox News
Excavation near site where Jesus was crucified and buried results in ancient discovery
Proof of an ancient garden, consistent with biblical scripture, has emerged at the holiest site in Christianity — and an archaeologist says "many surprises" from the site are in the works. Archaeologists excavating the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the ancient church in Jerusalem situated where Jesus Christ was crucified and buried, recently found evidence of ancient olive trees and grapevines. The specimens date back roughly 2,000 years. The discovery echoes the New Testament verse John 19:41, "Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid." Francesca Stasolla, an archaeology professor at the Sapienza University of Rome, confirmed the findings with Fox News Digital on Wednesday. She said the proof of the ancient garden came in the form of seeds and pollen. Calvary, the site where the church stands, had multiple uses in ancient times, including being used as a quarry. While the exact age of the organic material has yet to be determined, Stasolla said the pollen and seeds date back "in between the use of the quarry and the Roman age, when the area had a funerary use." "The quarry had to be gradually abandoned and as the stone extraction ended it was used for agricultural areas and tombs," Stasolla said. "This must have been what it looked like in the 1st century A.D." Stasolla also mentioned that many artifacts have been found at the site so far, with some dating all the way back to the Iron Age. The discoveries attest to the area's status as a pilgrimage location since the fourth century. "Ceramics, metals, glass… [all] document both the occupation of the area and the presence of believers and pilgrims," she noted. "The excavation's [aim is to gain] knowledge [about this] significant area of the city of Jerusalem." "And this is what it is giving back," she added. "An area that, from a certain moment on, becomes central in the Christian cult." The excavation, first reported by the Times of Israel, is the first major restoration project at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in nearly two centuries. The diggings are "taking place in all areas of the church common to the religious communities," Stasolla said. The church was founded in 326 A.D., though the original fourth-century structure was destroyed by Islamic ruler al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah in 1009 A.D. The site was taken over by Christian Crusaders nearly a century later, and Stasolla said that the still-standing church is largely the work of the Crusaders. "The current church is that of the Crusader reconstruction, but the whole church is a composition of historical phases from the fourth century to the modern age," she described. When asked if she felt that the discovery echoes John 19:41, Stastolla agreed, though she drew a line between archaeological research and theology. "Archaeology provides us with data that must then be historicized and interpreted," she said. "In this case, it documents an agricultural use of the quarry… [the Bible quote] is certainly suggestive [of this]." Stasolla also emphasized that the excavation work is "still in progress, and the study will reserve many surprises." "It is certainly a strategic excavation for the knowledge of the development of the city and its process of sacralization in a Christian key," she said.
