mount vesuvius
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Discoveries Shed Light on How Pompeii Survivors Resumed Life After the Volcanic Eruption
On August 24 in 79, Mount Vesuvius erupted, shooting over three cubic miles of debris up to 20 miles (32.1 kilometers) in the air. As the ash and rock fell to Earth, it buried the ancient cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. According to most modern accounts, the story pretty much ends there: Both cities were…
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X-Ray Analysis of Pompeii Victims’ Bones Suggest They Suffocated to Death
Researchers studying the remains of six individuals from Pompeii concluded they asphyxiated during the volcanic eruption that doomed the town nearly 2,000 years ago. The research team used portable X-ray fluorescence to determine the elemental composition of the Pompeii victims’ bones, as well as the plaster used to make casts of the victims’ death poses.…
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Boston Dynamics’ Spot Is Being Tested as a Robotic Security Guard Protecting the Remains of Pompeii
Serving as a robotic security guard might feel like a dystopic use of the amazing technology powering Boston Dynamics’ Spot, but the robotic dog is actually well suited to protecting a historically significant area like Pompeii, whose crumbling ruins still pose a safety hazard, especially when it comes to protecting what’s left of the city…
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Discovery of Partially Mummified Pompeii Resident Reveals a ‘Rags to Riches’ Tale
The man was roughly 60 years old when he died, and he was laid to rest in an elaborate stone tomb alongside fancy urns and other grave goods. Once an enslaved person, the Pompeii resident found his way to freedom and socioeconomic success, as newly uncovered evidence suggests.