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The Irish Sun
22-05-2025
- Science
- The Irish Sun
Mysterious mummy with face tattoos STILL visible after 800yrs found & scientists are baffled by the ink that was used
LONG lost tattoos have been discovered on the face of an 800-year-old South American woman whose remains were donated to an Italian museum nearly a century ago. While humans have been inking ourselves for millennia, according to researchers, the tattoos on this mysterious mummy are unique in several ways. 3 A minimalist but uncommon three-line design has been found on her cheeks Credit: Mangiapane et al, Journal of Cultural Heritage, 2025 3 The left cheek was not as well preserved as the right, but there are signs of a tattoo Credit: Mangiapane et al, Journal of Cultural Heritage, 2025 A team of anthropologists and archeologists, led by Gianluigi Mangiapane from the University of Turin in Italy, found unique tattoo designs on the mummy, which had been unusually well preserved. The mummification process has darkened her skin, making the tattoos harder to see. But with an array of imaging techniques, researchers have been able to get a better picture of the unique designs. A minimalist but uncommon three-line design has been found on her cheeks - with the design on the right cheek being better preserved than the one on the right. READ MORE ON ARCHAEOLOGY Cheek tattoos are rarely discovered - or are easily missed - "due to difficulties in finding preserved skin," according to researchers. "The three detected lines of tattooing are relatively unique: in general, skin marks on the face are rare among the groups of the ancient Andean region and even rarer on the cheeks," they wrote in their study, published in An S-shaped tattoo has also been found on one of her wrists - a common placement for tattoos among South American cultures the time. The ink that was used is also pretty unique - consisting of magnetite , a black, metallic, and magnetic iron ore , instead of the usual charcoal. Most read in Science The mummy may therefore present "possibly [the] first evidence" of magnetite used for tattooing in the past in South America. The body was found in a sitting position with no accompanying funerary wrappings, ornaments, or grave goods. Shock footage reveals moment a medieval mummy is seized in house raid But her black hair was well preserved by natural dehydration, while a few pieces of fabric were stuck to the surface of the body. Researchers believe the textiles could be from long lost animal fibres wrappings or bundles. It's unclear where the mummy came from, due to relatively shoddy museum records in the past century. Her remains were donated to the Italian Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography in 1931, with nearly no context besides the donors name. Filed only under 'South American artifacts', the age of the remains, and where they came from, have remained a mystery until now. Researchers were able to date the remains to from 1215 CE to 1382 CE. And there are also some hints as to her origins. The way her body was seated in an upright position suggests a preservation technique known as 'fardo'. The body would have been wrapped tightly in this position with many layers of fabric and then tied in a bundle - a common funerary practice in Paracas culture, of the Andean region on the south coast of 3 An archive photograph from 1930 showing the mummified body in a museum showcase, alongside other human remains Credit: Mangiapane et al, Journal of Cultural Heritage, 2025
Scottish Sun
22-05-2025
- Science
- Scottish Sun
Mysterious mummy with face tattoos STILL visible after 800yrs found & scientists are baffled by the ink that was used
Cheek tattoos are rarely discovered - or are easily missed - "due to difficulties in finding preserved skin," according to researchers TAT'S AMAZING Mysterious mummy with face tattoos STILL visible after 800yrs found & scientists are baffled by the ink that was used Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) LONG lost tattoos have been discovered on the face of an 800-year-old South American woman whose remains were donated to an Italian museum nearly a century ago. While humans have been inking ourselves for millennia, according to researchers, the tattoos on this mysterious mummy are unique in several ways. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 A minimalist but uncommon three-line design has been found on her cheeks Credit: Mangiapane et al, Journal of Cultural Heritage, 2025 3 The left cheek was not as well preserved as the right, but there are signs of a tattoo Credit: Mangiapane et al, Journal of Cultural Heritage, 2025 A team of anthropologists and archeologists, led by Gianluigi Mangiapane from the University of Turin in Italy, found unique tattoo designs on the mummy, which had been unusually well preserved. The mummification process has darkened her skin, making the tattoos harder to see. But with an array of imaging techniques, researchers have been able to get a better picture of the unique designs. A minimalist but uncommon three-line design has been found on her cheeks - with the design on the right cheek being better preserved than the one on the right. READ MORE ON ARCHAEOLOGY GATES OF HELL Mysterious giant pink DOOR 'to the underworld' found in 4,400 year old tomb Cheek tattoos are rarely discovered - or are easily missed - "due to difficulties in finding preserved skin," according to researchers. "The three detected lines of tattooing are relatively unique: in general, skin marks on the face are rare among the groups of the ancient Andean region and even rarer on the cheeks," they wrote in their study, published in Journal of Cultural Heritage. An S-shaped tattoo has also been found on one of her wrists - a common placement for tattoos among South American cultures the time. The ink that was used is also pretty unique - consisting of magnetite, a black, metallic, and magnetic iron ore, instead of the usual charcoal. The mummy may therefore present "possibly [the] first evidence" of magnetite used for tattooing in the past in South America. The body was found in a sitting position with no accompanying funerary wrappings, ornaments, or grave goods. Shock footage reveals moment a medieval mummy is seized in house raid But her black hair was well preserved by natural dehydration, while a few pieces of fabric were stuck to the surface of the body. Researchers believe the textiles could be from long lost animal fibres wrappings or bundles. It's unclear where the mummy came from, due to relatively shoddy museum records in the past century. Her remains were donated to the Italian Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography in 1931, with nearly no context besides the donors name. Filed only under 'South American artifacts', the age of the remains, and where they came from, have remained a mystery until now. Researchers were able to date the remains to from 1215 CE to 1382 CE. And there are also some hints as to her origins. The way her body was seated in an upright position suggests a preservation technique known as 'fardo'. The body would have been wrapped tightly in this position with many layers of fabric and then tied in a bundle - a common funerary practice in Paracas culture, of the Andean region on the south coast of Peru.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Plants produce more nectar when they ‘hear' bees buzzing, scientists find
Plants can 'hear' bees buzzing and serve up more nectar when they are nearby, scientists have found. The research suggests that plants are a more active partner than previously thought in their symbiotic relationship with pollinators. The behaviour could be a survival strategy that favours giving nectar and sugar to bees over so-called nectar robbers that do not offer plants any reproductive benefits. 'There is growing evidence that both insects and plants can sense and produce, or transmit, vibro-acoustic signals,' said Prof Francesca Barbero, a zoologist at the University of Turin, who led the research. The findings add to the 'truly astonishing' multitude of ways that plants can perceive their surroundings, including the presence of beneficial and harmful insects, temperature, drought and wind, Barbero added. In future, the team suggested, buzzing noises could be used on farms as an environmentally friendly way of enhancing the pollination of crops. The scientists are not yet sure how the plants might be listening in. They could rely on mechanoreceptors, cells that respond to mechanical stimulation such as touch, pressure or vibrations. 'Plants do not have a brain, but they can sense the environment and respond accordingly,' said Barbero. After observing that bees and competing insects have distinct vibrational signals that are used in mating and other forms of communication, Barbero and her collaborators set out to investigate whether plants detected these signals. They played recordings near snapdragons of the buzzing sounds produced by snail-shell bees (Rhodanthidium sticticum), which are efficient snapdragon pollinators, comparing the plants' response to sounds produced by a non-pollinating wasp and ambient sounds. The researchers found that in response to the snail-shell bee noises, the snapdragons increased the volume of nectar and its sugar content and showed altered expression in genes that govern sugar transport and nectar production. This could be an evolutionary adaptation to coax the pollinators into spending more time at the flowers. 'The ability to discriminate approaching pollinators based on their distinctive vibro-acoustic signals could be an adaptive strategy for plants,' said Barbero. While it is clear that buzzing sounds can trigger nectar production, the scientists are now looking into whether sounds from plants are being used actively to draw in suitable pollinators. They are also testing whether the plant responses enhanced the attraction for all flower visitors – including nectar robbers – or only the best pollinators. 'Our hypothesis is that the changes in nectar we observed after treating the plants with the sounds of the best pollinators specifically increase the attraction of this particular species (Rhodanthidium sticticum),' said Barbero. 'However, to confirm this, we need to conduct choice tests to assess how different nectar concentrations attract various species. 'If this response from insects is confirmed, sounds could be used to treat economically relevant plants and crops, and increase their pollinators' attraction,' she said. The findings were presented on Wednesday at the joint 188th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America and 25th International Congress on Acoustics in New Orleans.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Plants can hear tiny wing flaps of pollinators
Our planet runs on pollinators. Without bees, moths, weevils, and more zooming around and spreading plants' reproductive cells, plants and important crops would not grow. Without plants we would not breathe or eat. When these crucial pollinating species visit flowers and other plants, they produce a number of characteristic sounds, such as wing flapping when hovering, landing, and taking off. Depending on the size of the pollinator, these sounds are extremely small, especially compared to the other vibrations and acoustics of insect life. In new research presented today at the 188th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America and 25th International Congress on Acoustics, it appears that plants can respond to the tiny wingbeats of insects. 'Plant-pollinator coevolution has been studied primarily by assessing the production and perception of visual and olfactory cues, even though there is growing evidence that both insects and plants can sense and produce, or transmit, vibroacoustic signals,' said Francesca Barbero, a professor of zoology at the University of Turin in Italy. A team of entomologists, sound engineers, and plant physiologists played recordings of the buzzing sounds made by the tiny Rhodanthidium sticticum bee near some growing flowers called snapdragons (from the genus Antirrhinum). The bees in this genus are known to be efficient snapdragon pollinators. The team then monitored the flowers' reactions. The sound of the bees appears to trigger the snapdragons to increase their sugar and nectar volume. The noise can even change how the genes that control both sugar transport and nectar production behave. According to the team, this response could be a survival and co-evolution strategy, especially if the snapdragons can influence the time that pollinators spend on their flowers. 'The ability to discriminate approaching pollinators based on their distinctive vibroacoustic signals could be an adaptive strategy for plants,' said Barbero. What is less clear is whether the plant acoustics can influence the insect's behavior. For example, can sounds made by plants draw in a suitable pollinator. [ Related: ] 'If this response from insects is confirmed, sounds could be used to treat economically relevant plants and crops, and increase their pollinators' attraction,' said Barbero. The team is currently analyzing snapdragon response to other pollinators to try and learn more. 'The multitude of ways plants can perceive both biotic factors — such as beneficial and harmful insects, other neighboring plants — and abiotic cues, like temperature, drought, and wind in their surroundings, is truly astonishing,' Barbero said. The data in this research has not been peer reviewed yet or published in any scientific journal. The project, 'Good Vibes: How do plants recognise and respond to pollinator vibroacoustic signals?' is funded by the Human Frontier Science Program and is a collaborative effort between the University of Turin, I²SysBio in Valencia, and the Centre for Audio, Acoustics and Vibration at the University of Technology Sydney.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Unusual Face Tatts Discovered on Mysterious South American Mummy
South American mummies have become known for their impressive tattoos, but an analysis has found the design inked into the cheek of an approximately 800-year-old woman buried in the region is unique in many ways. While we humans have been decorating ourselves with permanent skin art for thousands of years, evidence of the artwork is often lost to the sands of time. Tools have been found here and there, but it's rare for the tattooed skin itself to survive. In South America, though, preserved tattoos are fairly common among millennium-old mummies, particularly because the coastal deserts where they were buried are ideal for protecting soft tissue like skin from decay. A team of anthropologists and archeologists led by Gianluigi Mangiapane from the University of Turin in Italy have taken a closer look at the remains of one woman whose tattoos make her stand out from the crowd. The exact origin of this particular mummy is unfortunately unknown, because her remains were donated to the Italian Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography nearly a century ago with essentially no context other than the Italian donor's name and the fact she was filed under 'South American artifacts'. But there are some hints as to her origins. The way her body was seated in an upright, knees-bent position suggests a state of preservation known as a 'fardo', in which the corpse is wrapped in many layers of fabric and then tied into a bundle. This was a common funerary practice in Paracas culture in the Andean region, on the south coast of Peru. Radiocarbon dating of the textile fragments that still cling to the woman's body revealed she lived between 1215 and 1382 CE. Her tattoos are somewhat hard to see thanks to the mummification process darkening her skin, so the team used an array of non-destructive imaging techniques to get a better picture of the surprisingly minimalist designs. An S-shaped tattoo adorns one of her wrists; a common placement for tattoos among South American cultures the time. Yet even that design is much simpler than those typically seen on the hands, wrists, forearms, and feet of their mummies. What stands out most, of course, is the mummy's unusual cheek tattoos, which are also curiously simple in their design. Among ancient South American tattoos, the authors write, "cheek tattoos are less present (or underestimated due to difficulties in finding preserved skin)." "The three detected lines of tattooing are relatively unique: in general, skin marks on the face are rare among the groups of the ancient Andean region and even rarer on the cheeks," they report. Chemical analysis suggests the tattoo's black ink was made from magnetite, a black, metallic, and magnetic iron ore. That's unusual, too: archaeologists tend to assume black tattoo ink was made from charcoal, though the authors point out that few studies actually investigate the ink composition at a chemical level. This kind of pigment, the authors say, has not been reported in any other South American mummies. "The intentional use of only charcoal pigments, which are the most commonly used materials according to the literature, can be ruled out in this case," they write. "The results highlight the presence of magnetite, a commonly used material both in present and past cultures, as well as of other iron-rich phases of the pyroxene silicates group… with a small amount of carbon-based materials, possibly not intentionally added (e.g. due to pigment preparation procedures)." What do her unique tattoos mean, you ask? Well, obviously they were meant to be seen by others, since they would not have been covered by clothing. But what they were meant to communicate, exactly, remains a mystery. The research was published in Journal of Cultural Heritage. The Speed of Your Eyes Could Hide Objects in Plain Sight Tales of Viking Pregnancy Reveal The Fierce Side of Norse Mothers Song And Dance May Not Be Universal Human Behaviors, Study Shows
