Tortoise and her egg found in new Pompeii excavations
Archaeologists in Pompeii have discovered the remains of a pregnant tortoise that had sought refuge in the ruins of a home destroyed by an earthquake in 62 AD, only to be covered by volcanic ash and rock when Mount Vesuvius erupted 17 years later......»»
Case study of rare, endangered tortoise highlights conservation priorities for present, future World Wildlife Days
Though wildlife trafficking has been effectively disrupted since the first World Wildlife Day—established 50 years ago today via the 1973 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of Wild Fauna and Flora—a newly published ca.....»»
Pompeii"s House of the Vettii reopens: A reminder that Roman sexuality was far more complex than simply gay or straight
As Pompeii's House of the Vettii finally reopens after a long process of restoration, news outlets appear to be struggling with how to report on the Roman sex cultures so well recorded in the ruins of the city......»»
Coprolites identify oldest bearded vulture nest in the Paleolithic Iberian Peninsula
Coprolites (fossil feces) from around 30,000 years ago have been used to identify the presence of bearded vultures (Gypaetus barbatus) at the Paleolithic site of Lagar Velho (Portugal). A comparison of the coprolites found in the excavations with the.....»»
Chromosome-scale genome of a gentle giant enables insights into the genetic health of a threatened population
The Aldabra giant tortoise is one of only two giant tortoise species left in the world, and it is currently on the threatened list. Conservation efforts are underway, but more and better tools to improve the chance of long-term success are greatly ne.....»»
Detailing a disastrous autumn day in ancient Italy
Volcanic eruptions evoke images of lava, fire, and destruction; however, this is not always the case. The Plinian eruption of Mount Vesuvius around 4,000 years ago—2,000 years before the one that buried the Roman city of Pompeii— left a remarkabl.....»»
Apple highlights how archaeologists use iPad Pro to preserve Pompeii history
Apple shared a press release about how archaeologists are using the iPad Pro in revolutionary new ways to better preserve the ancient history of Pompeii. more… The post Apple highlights how archaeologists use iPad Pro to preserve Pompeii history.....»»
Apple spotlights role of iPad Pro in Pompeii archaeology
Archaeologists excavating Pompeii are using the iPad Pro to make 3D scans using LiDAR, and to collect data faster from deteriorating sites.Dr. Alex Elvis Badillo (left) and Dr. Allison Emmerson at PompeiiA team of archaeologists have been excavating.....»»
Discovery of lonely tortoise doubles known members of "phantasticus" species
The discovery in 2019 of a lone small female tortoise living on one of the most inaccessible islands of the Galapagos Islands has baffled evolutionary biologists. Only one other tortoise, a large male discovered in 1906, has ever been found on Fernan.....»»
Europe"s most recent fossil of giant tortoise discovered
An international team of scientists, including Uwe Fritz and Christian Kehlmaier from Senckenberg, has made an astonishing discovery in the Zubbio di Cozzo San Pietro cave in Sicily, a burial site from the Copper/Bronze Age: bones of a giant tortoise.....»»
Tortoise and her egg found in new Pompeii excavations
Archaeologists in Pompeii have discovered the remains of a pregnant tortoise that had sought refuge in the ruins of a home destroyed by an earthquake in 62 AD, only to be covered by volcanic ash and rock when Mount Vesuvius erupted 17 years later......»»
Secrets of aging revealed in largest study on longevity, aging in reptiles and amphibians
At 190 years old, Jonathan the Seychelles giant tortoise recently made news for being the "oldest living land animal in the world." Although, anecdotal evidence like this exists that some species of turtles and other ectotherms—or 'cold-blooded' an.....»»
The explosive history of the 2,000-year-old Pompeii "masturbating" man
If you were suddenly frozen in time, there are a few things (I'd imagine) you would rather not be caught doing. This is the unfortunate fate many believe to have befallen the "masturbating man" of Pompeii......»»
"Fantastic giant tortoise," believed extinct, confirmed alive in the Galápagos
A tortoise from a Galápagos species long believed extinct has been found alive. The tortoise, named Fernanda after her Fernandina Island home, is the first of her species identified in more than a century......»»
Rare albino Galapagos giant tortoise born in Swiss zoo
Visitors to a Swiss zoo caught a glimpse on Friday of a rare albino Galapagos giant tortoise born in May......»»
Pompeii victim had spinal tuberculosis when he died
The study also sequenced the victim's entire genome. Enlarge / This is not what a healthy lumbar vertebra is supposed to look like. (credit: Scorrano et al. 2022) The eruption of Mount Vesuvius buried the Roman city of Pompe.....»»
Research confirms eastern Wyoming Paleoindian site as Americas" oldest mine
Archaeological excavations led by Wyoming's state archaeologist and involving University of Wyoming researchers have confirmed that an ancient mine in eastern Wyoming was used by humans to produce red ocher starting nearly 13,000 years ago......»»
How did visitors experience the domestic space in Pompeii?
Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have used virtual reality and 3D eye-tracking technology to examine what drew the attention of the visitors when entering the stunning environment of an ancient Roman house. The team recreated the House of Gre.....»»
Robotic dog will be on patrol in Pompeii
We promise this isn't an April Fools' Day post. Enlarge (credit: Archaeological Park of Pompeii) The nearby volcano blackened the sky and swallowed the city in clouds of ash; centuries later, robot dogs now prowl the ruins, gu.....»»
New giant tortoise species found in Galapagos after DNA study
A new species of giant tortoise has been discovered in the Galapagos after DNA testing found animals living on one island had not yet been recorded, Ecuador's environment ministry said......»»
Remote-controlled mobile vending machine comes to you
Instead of getting up to go to the snack machine, what if the snack machine came to you?Tortoise Mobile Smart Stores are vending machines on wheels that can be deployed in all sorts of situations: a day at the park, after-hours in front of a restaura.....»»