Archive for January 14th, 2009
Old Books’ DNA May Reveal When, Where They Were Made
The animal-skin pages used in early medieval manuscripts contain genetic material capable of solving long-standing mysteries about the works, according to new research.
Before paper was widely used, European books were written on parchment made from the treated skins of calves, young sheep, and goats.
Ancient Persians who gassed Romans were the first to use chemical weapons
Archeologists have found the oldest evidence of chemical warfare yet after studying the bodies of 20 Roman soldiers’ found underground in Syria 70 years ago.
Clues left at the scene revealed the Persians were lying in wait as the Romans dug a tunnel during a siege – then pumped in toxic gas – produced by sulphur crystals and bitumen – to kill all the Romans in minutes.
Cat control lead to eco disaster on World Heritage island
Efforts to remove cats from Macquarie Island, a sub-Antarctic island and World Heritage Site, have indirectly led to environmental devastation, according to a report published in the Journal of Applied Ecology.
The removal of cats has led to a boom in the island’s rabbit population — another species introduced by humans — causing widespread devastation to the island’s vegetation.
