Historical Riddles Solved by Science
In 2023, scientists revealed Six historical riddles, showing how science can shed light on the past of mankind. The use of paleogenetics, artificial intelligence, and chemical analysis has opened amazing secrets hidden in bones found by archaeologists, ancient texts, and remnants on teeth and clay dishes.
The first solution concerns the male skeleton of 5000 years, discovered in 2008 near Seville, Spain. A new analysis of the enamel of the teeth containing the sex-specific peptide amelogenin showed that the remains belong to a woman. This conclusion confirms the words of Professor Leonardo Garcia Sanhuan from the University of Seville, who stated that such a technique will open a new era in the analysis of the social organization of prehistoric societies.
Another secret is associated with the strength of Roman concrete, demonstrating amazing durability compared to modern analogues. Researchers found that white pieces in concrete, previously considered a sign of poor quality, actually contributed to the self-healing of the material.
The third mystery concerns the appearance of a person from ice – Etci, whose mummified body was found in 1991 in the Alps. The new DNA analysis showed that Etzi had dark skin and dark eyes and was probably bald.
Scientists also found out that a 20-thousand-year-old pele-bone pele, found in Denisov’s cave in Siberia, belonged to a woman from the group of the ancient Severmasians. A feature of the find is the preservation of a large amount of DNA of a woman in the porous structure of the pendant.
The use of AI and computed tomography allowed a student from the University of Negro with a hatch to the Farritory to decipher the word on one of the charred scrolls found after the eruption of Vesuvius almost 2000 years ago. He was able to read the word “πορφυρας” (purple).
The sixth breakthrough concerns the study of fragments of clay dishes from the workshop for embalming in ancient Egypt. Analysis of organic residues revealed a variety of substances used, including vegetable oils and resins.