Studying and decoding the past has never been an easy job. But thanks to the new technologies and rapidly evolving AI tools, scientists were able to crack these 5 historical mysteries in 2023. Let's have a look.
In 2008, a 5,000-year-old female skeleton initially thought to be a young man, was unearthed in Seville, Spain, alongside a crystal dagger. Tooth enamel analysis revealed the surprising gender discrepancy, challenging traditional methods of gender determination.
Roman concrete, lasting longer than modern equivalents, was scrutinised by scientists in Rome. The key to its durability was identified as lime clasts, overlooked before, enabling the concrete to heal cracks. This discovery sheds light on the Romans' ability to construct resilient structures in challenging environments.
Ötzi, the 5,300-year-old mummified body found in the Italian Alps, underwent a new DNA analysis, unveiling a different physical appearance than previously thought. Contrary to popular depictions, Ötzi had dark skin, and dark eyes, and was likely bald, challenging previous reconstructions.
Ancient human DNA was extracted from a deer bone pendant in Siberia, revealing a woman's identity from 19,000 to 25,000 years ago. Belonging to the Ancient North Eurasian group with a genetic link to the first Americans, the pendant provided unique insights into ancient populations.
The Herculaneum Scrolls, a collection of 1,100 burned documents from Vesuvius' eruption, remained a mystery until a University of Nebraska student decoded a word using artificial intelligence and computerised tomography. It offered hope for future full-scroll deciphering with the technique.